Alberta mortgage guide: no land transfer tax, Calgary vs Edmonton
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By Editorial team
A Calgary buyer purchasing at $700,000 with 10% down at 5.20% fixed faces about $4,381/month all-in for P&I, property tax at a 0.65% mill rate, and home insurance, plus $750 in land title registration fees at closing. An Edmonton buyer at $550,000 with the same down payment tier lands at $3,497/month. On the same $700,000 purchase in Ontario, provincial land transfer tax alone is $10,475 before rebates, and Toronto buyers pay that amount twice. This guide is for Alberta buyers who want a mortgage calculator Alberta search to map to provincial rules, not just a payment line.
The scenario modeled
Both tabs use 5.20% fixed over 25 years with a 5-year term and CMHC insurance at the 3.10% premium tier. Property taxes are modeled at 0.65% in Calgary ($379/month) and 0.7% in Edmonton ($321/month). Home insurance is $150/month in each city. Land title registration fees are shown separately because they are not financeable and are due at closing.
| Alberta vs Ontario closing cost on the same purchase price | |
|---|---|
| Calgary $700k land title fee | $750 |
| Ontario provincial LTT ($700k) | $10,475 |
| Toronto combined LTT ($700k, repeat buyer) | $20,950 |
| Cash difference vs Alberta (Ontario provincial only) | $9,725 |
| Input | Calgary $700k, 10% down | Edmonton $550k, 10% down |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase price | $700,000 | $550,000 |
| Down payment | $70,000 (10%) | $55,000 (10%) |
| Base loan before CMHC | $630,000 | $495,000 |
| CMHC premium | $19,530 (3.10%) | $15,345 (3.10%) |
| Total mortgage balance | $649,530 | $510,345 |
| Interest rate | 5.20% fixed | 5.20% fixed |
| Property tax (modeled) | $379/mo (0.65%) | $321/mo (0.7%) |
| Home insurance | $150/mo | $150/mo |
| Amortization | 25 years | 25 years |
| Term | 5 years | 5 years |
The findings
Calgary's insured path carries a larger loan balance after the CMHC premium is rolled in. Monthly P&I is $3,852 versus $3,027 in Edmonton, a gap of $825/month on principal and interest alone. After taxes and insurance, the all-in gap is $884/month. Over 25 years, Calgary pays $108,443 more in total interest on the higher balance.
Closing costs are where Alberta separates from Ontario and BC. The land title registration fee on $700,000 is $750 in Calgary and $600 in Edmonton. The same purchase in Ontario triggers $10,475 in provincial land transfer tax before any first-time buyer rebate. Inside Toronto city limits, municipal land transfer tax doubles the bill to $20,950 for a repeat buyer. On an $800,000 purchase, Ontario provincial tax rises to $12,475, while Alberta's registration fee stays under $1,000.
CMHC works the same way as in other provinces: the premium capitalizes into the loan at the 10% down tier. Alberta has no provincial sales tax, so there is no PST on the CMHC premium at closing, unlike Ontario (8%) or BC (7%). Neither the land title fee nor CMHC appears in the monthly P&I line unless you add property tax and insurance in the calculator.
| Calgary $700k, 10% down | Edmonton $550k, 10% down | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly P&I | $3,852 | $3,027 | $825/month more in Calgary |
| All-in monthly (P&I + tax + insurance) | $4,381 | $3,497 | $884/month more in Calgary |
| Interest over 5-year term | $158,263 | $124,349 | $33,914 |
| Total interest (25 years) | $506,067 | $397,624 | $108,443 |
| Land title registration fee | $750 | $600 | $150 |
For CMHC tier math and how premiums scale at 5%, 10%, and 15% down, see our CMHC insurance guide. For Ontario land transfer tax tiers and Toronto's double tax, see the Ontario mortgage guide. For a broader closing budget with legal fees and adjustments, see the land transfer tax guide.
Canadian context
Alberta is one of the few Canadian provinces with no land transfer tax on residential purchases. Calgary and Edmonton median resale prices sit well below Toronto and Vancouver, but Calgary's market has seen significant appreciation, pushing more buyers into the CMHC insured zone at 10% down. Federal rules still cap CMHC insurance to purchases below $1,000,000 with less than 20% down, and the OSFI stress test applies at federally regulated lenders province-wide. Semi-annual compounding on Canadian fixed-rate mortgages applies in Alberta the same way it does in Ontario and BC.
Source: Government of Alberta, "Register a land title document or plan," accessed June 2026. URL: https://www.alberta.ca/register-land-title-document-plan
When this applies - and when it doesn't
This guide applies when: You are buying in Alberta and need to combine mortgage payment math with the land title registration fee, CMHC tiers, and a realistic property tax estimate. You are comparing Calgary and Edmonton at the same down payment percentage, or weighing Alberta closing costs against Ontario or BC.
It does not apply when: Your purchase is $1,000,000 or above, where 20% down is mandatory and CMHC insurance is unavailable. New-build homes, acreages, and commercial properties may carry different registration fees or zoning rules this article does not model. If your main question is how lenders calculate GDS and TDS at the stress-tested rate, use our stress test guide and the broader Guides hub for qualification-focused articles.
Remember: Land title registration fees are separate from legal fees, title insurance, and home inspection. CMHC premiums are capitalized into the loan; Alberta has no PST on the premium. Neither the registration fee nor CMHC appears in the monthly P&I line unless you add property tax and insurance in the calculator.
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Frequently asked questions
- Does Alberta have a land transfer tax?
- No. Alberta does not charge provincial land transfer tax on home purchases. Buyers pay a land title registration fee instead: $50 plus $5.00 per $5,000 of property value. On a $700,000 Calgary purchase, that fee is $750. Ontario charges graduated provincial land transfer tax on the same price, $10,475 before rebates.
- How much is the Alberta land title transfer fee on a $700,000 home?
- The registration fee is $50 plus $5.00 per $5,000 of value. On $700,000, that works out to $750 at closing. Legal fees, title insurance, and home inspection are separate. The fee is due in cash and is not added to the mortgage balance.
- What CMHC premium applies on a Calgary $700,000 purchase with 10% down?
- With $70,000 down, the base loan is $630,000. At the 10% down tier, CMHC charges a 3.10% premium, or $19,530, capitalized into the mortgage. Your payment is calculated on the insured balance of $649,530. Alberta has no provincial sales tax, so there is no PST on the CMHC premium at closing.
- How does the mortgage stress test work for Alberta buyers?
- Federally regulated lenders qualify you at the higher of 5.25% or your contract rate plus 2.00%. At a 5.20% contract rate, the qualifying rate is 7.20%. That higher rate reduces maximum borrowing by roughly 15-20% compared with qualifying at the contract rate alone, whether you buy in Calgary, Edmonton, or any other Alberta city.
- What should I enter in a mortgage calculator Alberta buyers use?
- Enter the purchase price, down payment, contract rate, amortization, and set country to Canada. Turn on CMHC when your down payment is below 20% on an eligible purchase under $1,000,000. Add property tax and home insurance for all-in monthly costs. Budget the land title registration fee separately as a closing-day cash cost.