How Much Home Can You Afford in Vancouver?

Vancouver carries the highest benchmark prices in Canada, yet two things soften the math. First, property tax rates are remarkably low relative to home values, so the annual carrying cost is lower than the sticker price suggests. Second, British Columbia's Property Transfer Tax (PTT) comes with a generous first-time buyer exemption that fully eliminates the tax on qualifying homes up to $835,000 and provides partial relief above that.

With detached homes far out of reach for most first-time buyers, the market is dominated by condos and townhomes across the East Side, Burnaby border and along the SkyTrain lines. The federal stress test bites hardest here because prices are so high relative to income — many buyers need either a substantial down payment or a co-borrower to qualify. Enter your real numbers above to see the maximum purchase price Vancouver's stress-tested qualifying rate allows.