It is the classic Canadian relocation dilemma. You have a $100,000 offer in Toronto and a $100,000 offer in Calgary. Same title, same number on the contract. Which one actually leaves you richer?
Round 1: Take-home pay
- Toronto (Ontario): take-home ≈ $72,560 — see $100,000 after tax in Ontario
- Calgary (Alberta): take-home ≈ $72,759 — see $100,000 after tax in Alberta
Strikingly close — Alberta edges Ontario by only a couple hundred dollars at exactly $100k, because Ontario’s surtax and Health Premium are modest at this income. But watch what happens as the salary climbs: Alberta’s lower rates pull further ahead at higher incomes, while Ontario’s surtax bites harder.
Round 2: Sales tax
This is where Calgary lands a heavy blow. Alberta has no provincial sales tax — just 5% GST. Ontario charges 13% HST. On everyday spending, that 8-point gap quietly claws back a chunk of any take-home difference. Buy a $2,000 couch and you have paid $160 more tax in Toronto than in Calgary.
Round 3: Housing
Cost of living is the knockout round. Toronto’s housing costs are among the highest in North America; Calgary, while rising, remains markedly cheaper for both rent and ownership. The same $100,000 stretches across a very different lifestyle in each city.
The verdict
On paper the paycheques are nearly identical. In real life the spending power of $100,000 is meaningfully higher in Calgary once you factor in sales tax and housing. Compare your own salary across provinces with our take-home calculator.