Taxes and Closing Costs: BC vs Alberta
One of the quiet advantages of moving from Vancouver to Calgary shows up on closing day. Alberta has no land transfer tax. British Columbia does. For a family buying a home, that single difference can mean thousands of dollars staying in your pocket. Let me walk through the real numbers, because this is the kind of thing that is easy to overlook until the lawyer sends the final statement.
A quick note first. I am a realtor, not a lawyer or accountant, so treat this as a plain English overview and confirm the specifics with your notary, lawyer, or mortgage advisor. Figures here are current as of mid-2026.
What BC charges: Property Transfer Tax
When you buy a home in British Columbia, you pay Property Transfer Tax, or PTT. It is calculated on the fair market value of the property like this:
- 1% on the first $200,000
- 2% on the portion from $200,000 to $2,000,000
- 3% on the portion from $2,000,000 to $3,000,000
- an additional 2% on the residential portion above $3,000,000
There are exemptions. First time buyers can qualify for a full exemption on the first $500,000 for a home valued up to $835,000, with a partial exemption up to $860,000. Newly built homes have their own exemption up to higher thresholds. But most families relocating from Vancouver already own, so they usually pay the full PTT.
What Alberta charges: a small registration fee
Alberta has no land transfer tax at all. Instead you pay a land title registration fee when the property and mortgage are registered. As of the current schedule, that fee is $50 plus $5 for every $5,000 of value, applied to both the property transfer and the mortgage registration. These are modest amounts, not a percentage of the purchase price.
The difference in real numbers
Here is how it plays out on a typical purchase.
On a $700,000 home:
| British Columbia | Alberta | |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer tax / PTT | about $12,000 | $0 |
| Land title registration | not applicable | roughly $750 on the title |
| Mortgage registration | included above | roughly $600 on a $560,000 mortgage |
| Rough total | about $12,000 | about $1,350 |
That is a difference of more than $10,000 on a single purchase, before you even count the lower everyday costs in Alberta.
On a $500,000 home, the BC PTT works out to about $8,000, while the Alberta registration fees on the title and a typical mortgage come to around $1,000. Again, a saving of roughly $7,000.
The exact Alberta figures shift a little with your mortgage amount, but the pattern holds. Alberta's registration fees are a rounding error next to BC's Property Transfer Tax.
The costs that are similar in both provinces
Not everything is different. In both BC and Alberta you should budget for a few common closing costs:
- Legal or notary fees, often in the range of $1,000 to $2,000
- Title insurance
- A home inspection
- Mortgage related costs and any lender fees
- Adjustments for prepaid property taxes and utilities
- GST on newly built homes, which applies in both provinces
So the big swing is the transfer tax. Most of the other line items are broadly comparable.
Why this matters for your move
When you plan a Vancouver to Calgary move, it is easy to focus only on the price of the home. But closing costs are real money, and the transfer tax difference is one of the clearest financial arguments for the move. On top of a lower purchase price, you are also paying far less to complete the purchase, and Alberta has no provincial sales tax to add to your day to day spending afterward.
I factor all of this into the budget conversation I have with clients at the very start, so you know your true landed cost in Calgary, not just the sticker price. If you would like me to run the numbers for a specific price range, I am glad to do it. No pressure, just a clear picture.
BC and Alberta closing costs, common questions
Does Alberta have a land transfer tax?
No. Alberta has no land transfer tax. Buyers pay a small land title registration fee instead, currently $50 plus $5 for every $5,000 of value on both the property and the mortgage registration.
How much is BC's Property Transfer Tax?
BC charges 1% on the first $200,000 of fair market value, 2% on the portion up to $2,000,000, 3% up to $3,000,000, and an additional 2% on the residential portion above $3,000,000. First time buyer and newly built home exemptions may apply.
How much do I save on closing costs moving from BC to Alberta?
On a $700,000 home, BC Property Transfer Tax is about $12,000, while Alberta's registration fees come to roughly $1,350. That is a saving of more than $10,000 on transfer costs alone, before Alberta's lower everyday taxes.
What closing costs are the same in BC and Alberta?
Legal or notary fees, title insurance, home inspection, mortgage costs, tax and utility adjustments, and GST on newly built homes are broadly comparable in both provinces. The main difference is the transfer tax.
Do first time buyers pay Property Transfer Tax in BC?
First time buyers can qualify for a full exemption on the first $500,000 for a home valued up to $835,000, with a partial exemption up to $860,000. Most buyers relocating from Vancouver already own a home, so the full tax usually applies.
Nathan Chen is a Real Estate Advisor & REALTOR® with eXp Realty, licensed in British Columbia and Alberta, with 10+ years of experience. Whether you're buying your first home, moving up, investing, or relocating to Calgary, he's here to help. Fluent in English and Cantonese. This article is general information, not tax or legal advice.
Categories
Recent Posts
