Edmonton & Area · Alberta
Should I Rent or Buy?
Compare your wealth after renting vs. owning, counting everything: rent increases, mortgage interest, property tax, upkeep, home appreciation, and what your savings could earn if you kept renting.
After 7 years
Buying pays off
Break-even rent
Owning costs less monthly
Price-to-rent ratio
Where your monthly money goes
Renting
Rent and tenant insurance. None of it comes back.
Buying
paid down your own mortgage
interest, tax, upkeep, insurance & fees
| Buy | Rent | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, year 1 | ||
| Out of pocket over 7 yrs | ||
| Home equity after selling | — | |
| Investments | ||
| Your net worth |
Your net worth: buying vs. renting
- Buy
- Rent & invest
Net worth if you sold the home that year (after selling costs, any mortgage penalty, and paying off the mortgage). Hover or tap any year; the marker shows your plan.
Show year-by-year numbers
| Year | Buy | Rent & invest | Difference |
|---|
Why buy in Edmonton
What tips the scales toward owning here
The calculator shows the money. Here's the context behind it, and a few things no calculator can measure.
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Your payment holds still. Rent doesn't.
A fixed mortgage payment stays put for the term. Alberta has no rent control, so rent can rise by any amount every 12 months.
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No land transfer tax in Alberta
Most provinces tax every purchase. Alberta charges only small Land Titles fees, usually well under $1,500.
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Prices that make sense next to rent
Edmonton homes are affordable for what they'd rent for. Once you need two bedrooms or more, buying usually comes out ahead.
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Help for first-time buyers
- FHSA: save $8,000/yr tax-free
- Home Buyers' Plan: up to $60,000 from your RRSP
- 30-year amortization for lower payments
- GST rebate up to $50,000 on new homes
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Savings that happen automatically
Every payment builds equity in your own home. Renting only wins if you invest every dollar you save.
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A place that's truly yours
No renovictions, no landlord selling, no asking to paint or get a dog. Some reasons to buy aren't in any calculator.
Further reading: "Is it better to buy or rent?" (CBC News, October 2026). Program rules change; confirm current details with your lender or financial advisor.
See what owning in Edmonton would cost youWeina can check these numbers against real listings, walk you through first-time buyer programs, and connect you with a mortgage specialist. No pressure, no obligation.
- A fixed mortgage rate for the full amortization, with semi-annual compounding.
- Steady home value growth, rent increases, and investment returns.
- The renter invests the upfront cash (down payment + closing costs) and any monthly savings in a TFSA. Whichever side has lower monthly costs invests the difference.
- A principal residence is tax-free on sale in Canada.
- Selling partway through a 5-year term adds a prepayment penalty of 3 months' interest (fixed-rate penalties can be higher).
- Home-type buttons use typical Edmonton values; real homes and rents vary.