Alberta Down Payment Calculator
By Hami Tahm · Last reviewed October 2026
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What is the minimum down payment in Alberta?
5% on the first $500,000 and 10% on the rest up to $1,500,000 — $25,000 on a $500,000 home and $40,000 on $650,000. Alberta has no land transfer tax; the land titles transfer fee on a $500,000 home is only about $550.
Calculate your down payment
Down Payment Inputs
Enter household totals — both partners combined, not just one of you. Add each source separately and we’ll total it for you.
Chequing, savings, TFSA, GICs, or anything else you can access without a tax hit.
Enter your full FHSA balance. The $40,000 lifetime limit is on contributions — a qualifying home withdrawal, including any growth, is tax-free and not capped at $40,000.
The Home Buyers’ Plan caps withdrawals at $60,000 per person — a couple buying together can each withdraw that amount, so up to $120,000 between you.
A gift counts as a normal down payment source only if it comes from an immediate relative and is genuinely non-repayable. A gift from anyone else is treated as borrowed — tick the box below if that applies.
Total Mortgage Required
$604,305
$65,000 down · 10.0% · CMHC: $19,305
What you need to prove to the lender
$76,294
$65,000 down payment + $9,750 closing-cost proof (insured lenders generally want to see about 1.5% of the price available) + $1,544 PST on the CMHC premium. That 1.5% is a lender guideline for funds you have to show, not your actual closing bill — real closing costs typically run 1.5%–4% of the price (see the closing cost calculator).
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Cash you need at closing in Alberta
- Minimum down payment
- $40,000
- Land titles transfer fee (no land transfer tax)
- $700
- Total before other closing costs
- $40,700
Mortgage registration, legal fees, title insurance and inspection are extra — the closing cost calculator adds them up.
Key Takeaways
- Alberta uses the federal minimum: 5% on the first $500,000 and 10% on the portion up to $1,500,000; 20% at $1,500,000 or more.
- Alberta has no land transfer tax — only a land titles fee of $50 plus $5 per $5,000 of value, so cash to close is far lower than in Ontario or BC.
- With less than 20% down you pay a CMHC premium (2.80%–4.00%) that's added to the mortgage.
- First-time buyers can still use the RRSP Home Buyers' Plan, the FHSA and a 30-year insured amortization.
Minimum down payment by Alberta home price
| Home price | Minimum down payment | Land titles transfer fee | Total before closing costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| $400,000 | $20,000 | $450 | $20,450 |
| $500,000 | $25,000 | $550 | $25,550 |
| $650,000 | $40,000 | $700 | $40,700 |
| $800,000 | $55,000 | $850 | $55,850 |
| $1,000,000 | $75,000 | $1,050 | $76,050 |
Why buying in Alberta needs less cash up front
The down payment itself is identical across Canada, because the minimums come from federal mortgage insurance rules. What changes by province is the tax on the transfer. Ontario and BC buyers pay a percentage-based land transfer tax — over $10,000 on a typical home — while Alberta replaces it with a registration fee measured in hundreds of dollars. Compare the Ontario down payment calculator, which adds Ontario land transfer tax, or see every province side by side in the land transfer tax calculator.
Selling in Alberta too?
Alberta realtor commission follows a tiered structure — see the Alberta real estate commission calculator to see what selling your current home would cost.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- Government of Canada (FCAC) — Minimum down payment rules
- Government of Alberta — Land titles registration fees
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