Buying in British Columbia

What it costs to buy.

The price is only the start. Property transfer tax, your down payment, mortgage insurance and the monthly payment, worked out together, with the B.C. exemptions applied.

The home

You

The mortgage

An estimate to plan with, not financial, legal or tax advice. Your lender sets your rate, insurance and what you qualify for; your lawyer or notary confirms the property transfer tax and any exemption before completion. The first-time buyer and newly built home exemptions have more conditions than fit here (for example, the property must be 0.5 hectares or smaller, and you must move in within 92 days).

Rules as of October 2026, from the Province of B.C.: property transfer tax, the first-time home buyers’ program, the newly built home exemption and the additional tax for foreign buyers; and from CMHC: mortgage loan insurance premiums. A new home also usually carries GST; ask about the rebates you may qualify for.