Last updated: October 2026 · Part of our Living in Ottawa guide
Selling a home in Toronto and buying in Ottawa usually frees up equity, because Ottawa home prices are well below Toronto’s. This calculator estimates your net equity after selling costs, the Ontario land transfer tax on your Ottawa purchase, the down payment you’ll have left and the mortgage you’d need. Enter your own numbers to see where you land.
What Your Toronto Equity Buys in Ottawa
Enter your own numbers. Nothing is stored or sent anywhere.
Ottawa reference prices, September 2026 (Ottawa Real Estate Board): all-residential benchmark $623,500; single-family $705,100; townhouse $546,500; apartment $380,800. Land transfer tax uses Ontario's published schedule. The minimum down payment uses federal rules for insured mortgages (5% of the first $500,000 and 10% above that, up to $1.5 million; 20% at $1.5 million or more). CMHC premium rates are from CMHC. In Ontario, provincial sales tax applies to the premium and is paid at closing. HST of 13% is applied to the commission. This is an estimate for planning only, not financial, tax or legal advice. Confirm every figure with your lender, lawyer and accountant.
How the Calculator Works
The calculator takes four steps:
- Net equity from your Toronto sale: sale price, minus your mortgage balance, commission plus 13% HST, any mortgage prepayment penalty and other selling costs.
- Ottawa buying costs: Ontario land transfer tax, calculated from the province’s published rate schedule, less the first-time buyer refund of up to $4,000 if you qualify, plus the legal and other closing costs you enter. Ottawa has no municipal land transfer tax, while the City of Toronto’s municipal land transfer tax applies only to properties purchased in Toronto.
- Down payment check: your remaining equity, compared with the federal minimum down payment for insured mortgages: 5% of the first $500,000 and 10% of the portion above that, for homes under $1.5 million, following the December 2024 mortgage changes. Homes at $1.5 million or more need at least 20% down.
- Mortgage needed: the Ottawa price minus your down payment, with an estimated mortgage insurance premium where your down payment is under 20%, using CMHC’s published premium rates.
A Worked Example
Here’s how the numbers can work for a Toronto owner moving to Ottawa. The commission rate and other costs below are assumptions for illustration only. Use your own figures in the calculator above.
| Toronto sale | Amount |
|---|---|
| Sale price | $1,000,000 |
| Mortgage balance paid off | −$400,000 |
| Commission at an assumed 4%, plus 13% HST | −$45,200 |
| Legal and other selling costs (assumed) | −$2,000 |
| Net equity | $552,800 |
| Ottawa purchase | Amount |
|---|---|
| Purchase price | $750,000 |
| Ontario land transfer tax | $11,475 |
| Legal fees, inspection and other closing costs (assumed) | $3,000 |
| Equity left for the down payment | $538,325 |
| Mortgage needed | $211,675, about 28% of the price |
In this example, the buyer moves with a mortgage roughly half the size of the one they paid off in Toronto, and no mortgage insurance is needed because the down payment is well over 20%. Your result depends on your actual commission, mortgage penalty, closing costs and the Ottawa home you choose.
Toronto and Ottawa Prices, Side by Side
| September 2026 | Toronto region (TRREB) | Ottawa (OREB) |
|---|---|---|
| Average price, all home types | $1,006,409 (GTA) | $685,640 |
| Detached / single-family | $1,292,016 GTA average; $1,562,966 City of Toronto average | $705,100 benchmark |
| Townhouse | — | $546,500 benchmark |
| Apartment | — | $380,800 benchmark |
Sources: Toronto Regional Real Estate Board Market Watch, September 2026; Ottawa Real Estate Board, September 2026. Averages and benchmarks are calculated differently, so treat the comparison as a guide.
Sell Your Ottawa Home for Just 1% Listing Commission
Why pay 2.5% listing commission to sell your home when you don't have to? Jason Polonski lists Ottawa homes for a simple 1% listing commission. Full MLS® and REALTOR.ca exposure, professional photography, powerful online marketing, expert pricing, and a skilled negotiator fighting for every dollar of your sale price. Top-tier service — you just keep thousands more when your home sells. Smart sellers are already making the switch. Your home deserves the best, and your wallet deserves a break.
Costs the Calculator Includes, and Ones It Doesn’t
Included: commission and HST on the sale, prepayment penalty, other selling costs you enter, Ontario land transfer tax and refund, other closing costs you enter, minimum down payment and an estimated mortgage insurance premium.
Not included:
- Provincial sales tax on the mortgage insurance premium, which in Ontario must be paid at closing and can’t be added to the loan, according to CMHC.
- Moving costs, utility set-up and the first months’ expenses. See our guide to the cost of moving to Ottawa.
- Bridge financing costs if your Ottawa purchase closes first. See bridge financing in Ottawa.
- Capital gains, which generally don’t apply to the sale of your principal residence, though the sale must be reported. See capital gains when you sell your home.
- Whether a lender will approve the mortgage. That depends on your income and debts. A pre-approval is the next step.
After the Move: Monthly Costs
Equity isn’t the whole picture. Property tax rates differ between the two cities: Toronto’s 2026 total residential rate is 0.767311%, according to the City of Toronto, and Ottawa’s rate is set by the City each year and varies with urban or rural services. Estimate your Ottawa bill with our Ottawa property tax calculator, and see our guides to utility costs in Ottawa and the monthly cost of owning a home in Ottawa.
Get Cash Back When You Buy a Home in Ottawa
Can you get cash back when buying a home in Ottawa? Yes. Jason Polonski, a Chairman's Club REALTOR® serving Ottawa and Kanata, shares part of his commission with buyers — up to $3,000 cash back at closing.* You still get full-service, award-winning representation: expert pricing, sharp negotiation, and hands-on guidance from first showing to keys in hand. No cut corners and no rebate-only shortcuts — just real money back in your pocket when you buy your Ottawa or Kanata home.
Turning the Number Into a Plan
The calculator gives you a budget range. The next step is matching it to real Ottawa homes. A $750,000 budget buys something different in Westboro than in Stittsville, and different again in Barrhaven or Orléans.
Once you have your number, the questions to answer are:
- Which Ottawa neighbourhoods fit your work, schools and lifestyle at that price?
- Should you sell in Toronto first, buy in Ottawa first or close both together?
- Can you port your mortgage, or is a new one better?
Our guide to selling in Toronto and buying in Ottawa walks through the sequencing, and our moving from Toronto to Ottawa guide compares the two cities.
Get Real Ottawa Comparables for Your Budget
Send Jason your number and the neighbourhoods you’re considering, and he’ll send recent comparable sales so you can see exactly what your equity buys. Call or text (613) 601-9333 or email polonskiottawa@gmail.com.
Related Living in Ottawa Guides
Working With Jason Polonski
Jason Polonski is an Ottawa REALTOR® with Right at Home Realty and more than 15 years of experience, specializing in moves where a sale and a purchase have to work together. His Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University, with a double major in Marketing and Finance, is why tools like this one exist on his site: he wants clients to see the numbers before they make a decision. His background in the construction and electrical trades means he’ll also tell you what an Ottawa home is likely to cost to maintain, not just to buy. Qualifying purchases can receive up to $3,000 cash back at closing (conditions apply). Read his Google reviews or learn more about Jason.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Toronto Equity Calculator
Enter your Toronto sale price, mortgage balance and selling costs in the calculator to estimate your net equity, then try different Ottawa prices to see the mortgage you’d need. A lender pre-approval confirms how much you can borrow.
You pay Ontario’s land transfer tax on your Ottawa purchase, but not Toronto’s municipal land transfer tax, which applies only to properties purchased in Toronto.
Using Ontario’s rate schedule, the tax on a $750,000 home is $11,475, before any first-time buyer refund.
For homes under $1.5 million, it’s 5% of the first $500,000 and 10% of the portion above that. Homes priced at $1.5 million or more require at least 20% down.
Yes. Commission is subject to 13% HST in Ontario, which the calculator includes.
No. It’s a planning estimate. Confirm figures with your lender, lawyer and accountant.
It depends on the Ottawa price. For homes under $1.5 million, the minimum down payment is 5% of the first $500,000 and 10% of the rest. With 20% or more down, you avoid mortgage insurance. Enter your numbers in the calculator to see your result.
Toronto’s 2026 total residential rate is 0.767311%. Ottawa sets its own rates each year, and they differ between urban and rural areas, so compare using the City of Ottawa’s assessment look-up or our property tax calculator.
