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Content last updated: March 2, 2022
Looking to buy a home and get a mortgage some time soon? Know what you'll be signing up for with Ratehub.ca’s mortgage payment calculator. Understanding how much your monthly mortgage payments will be is crucial to getting a mortgage that you can afford.
Our mortgage payment calculator shows you how much you'll need to pay each month. You can even compare scenarios for different down payments amounts, amortization periods, and variable and fixed mortgage rates. It also calculates your mortgage default insurance premiums and land transfer tax. Advertising Disclosure
When planning to buy a home, it's easy to focus on the final purchase price or your mortgage amount. But actually, the most relevant number to you will be your regular repayment. After all, your mortgage payments are the amount that you'll need to take from your paycheque each month.
Your mortgage payment is the amount of money you must pay every month to pay down, and ultimately pay off, your mortgage loan. Your mortgage payment covers both the principal (the actual amount of the loan) and the interest on the loan. It can also include mortgage default insurance, also sometimes known as CMHC insurance (required when your down payment is less than 20% of the cost of your home), property taxes and other fees. When you first begin making payments, more of it goes towards covering interest, but over time, more of your payment will eventually go to paying down your mortgage balance.
There are several key factors that can affect the size of your mortgage payments. Some of these include:
Secure a great mortgage rate and lock in your monthly mortgage payment now.
To use the calculator, start by entering the purchase price, then select an amortization period and mortgage rate. The calculator shows the best rates available in your province, but you can also add a different rate. The calculator will now show you what your mortgage payments will be.
By default, the mortgage payment calculator will show four different monthly payments, depending on the size of your down payment. It will automatically calculate the cost of CMHC insurance. You can change the size of your down payment and the payment frequency to see how your regular payment will be affected
Our calculator also shows you what the land transfer tax will be, and approximately how much cash you’ll need for closing costs. You can also use the calculator to estimate your total monthly expenses, see what your payments would be if mortgage rates go up, and show what your outstanding balance will be over time.
If you’re buying a new home, it’s a good idea to use the calculator to determine what you can afford before you start looking at real estate listings. If you’re renewing or refinancing and know the total amount of the mortgage, use the “Renewal or Refinance” tab to estimate mortgage payments without accounting for a down payment.
There are a few ways to lower your monthly mortgage payments. You can reduce the purchase price, make a bigger down payment, extend the amortization period, or find a lower mortgage rate. Use the calculator to see what your payment would be in different scenarios.
Keep in mind that if your down payment is less than 20%, your maximum amortization period is 25 years. As for finding a lower mortgage rate, it’s a good idea to speak to a mortgage broker for assistance.
Yes, our mortgage payment calculator is free. In fact, all of our calculators, articles, and rate comparison tables are free. Ratehub.ca earns revenue through advertising and commission, rather than by charging users. We promote the lowest rates in each province offered by brokers, and allow them to reach customers online.
We think it's important for you to compare your options side by side. We start the calculator by outlining the four most common options for down payment scenarios, but you are not limited to those options. We also allow you to vary amortization period as well as interest rates, so you'll know how a variable vs. fixed mortgage rate changes your payment.
Most mortgage regulation in Canada is consistent across the provinces. This includes the minimum down payment of 5%, and the maximum amortization period 35 years, for example. However, there are some mortgage rules that vary between provinces. This table summarizes the differences:
PST on CMHC insurance | Land transfer taxes | Land transfer rebate | |
---|---|---|---|
British Columbia | YES | YES | |
Alberta | |||
Saskatchewan | YES | ||
Manitoba | YES | ||
Ontario | YES | YES | YES |
Quebec | YES | YES | |
New Brunswick | YES | ||
Nova Scotia | YES | ||
Prince Edward Island | YES | ||
Newfoundland and Labrador | YES |
CMHC insurance (or mortgage default insurance) protects lenders from mortgages that default. CMHC insurance is mandatory for all mortgages in Canada with down payments of less than 20% (high-ratio mortgages). This is an additional cost to you, and is calculated as a percentage of your total mortgage amount. For more information on mortgage default insurance rates, please read our guide to mortgage default insurance (CMHC insurance).
An amortization schedule shows your monthly payments over time and also indicates the portion of each payment paying down your principal vs. interest. The maximum amortization in Canada is 25 years on down payments less than 20%. The maximum amortization period for all mortgages is 35 years.
Though your amortization may be 25 years, your term will be much shorter. With the most common term in Canada being 5 years, your amortization will be up for renewal before your mortgage is paid off, which is why our amortization schedule shows you the balance of your mortgage at the end of your term.
Learn more about the difference between mortgage amortization and terms here.