📊 THE NUMBER
$2,124
That is how much cheaper it is to rent than own in Toronto.
Every. Single. Month.
Not over a lifetime. Not including surprise
maintenance costs or property taxes on top.
Just the monthly mortgage payment vs. the
monthly rent cheque.
Two thousand one hundred and twenty four dollars.
Every month. That is $25,488 every year.
So why does every Canadian — especially every
newcomer — still dream of owning?
The answer is more complicated than the number
suggests. And the data tells a very different
story depending on which city you are in.
📈 THE ANALYSIS
Canada is not one housing market.
It is five completely different ones
wearing the same name.
The national headline number — average home
price $652,941 — tells you almost nothing
useful about your actual situation. What
matters is your city. And right now, your
city determines everything.
In Toronto and Vancouver, the math is
brutal. Owning costs $1,446 to $2,124 more
every single month than renting an
equivalent unit. That is not a small
difference. That is a second rent payment
on top of your first one.
In Edmonton, the gap almost disappears.
At $150 per month difference, the
rent vs. buy decision becomes less about
monthly cash flow and more about your
5-year plan, your job stability, and
whether you plan to stay.
Calgary and Montreal sit in the middle —
real gaps, but not the brutal math of
the two most expensive cities.
Here is what the headlines are missing:
both renting AND buying are getting more
affordable simultaneously right now.
National average rents have fallen for
16 consecutive months. Home prices are
down 4.9% year over year.
This has not happened in Canada in
over a decade. The window may not
stay open long.
I came to Hamilton in 2021 as an
international student — buying a home
was the last thing on my mind.
Five years later I am still in Hamilton.
I have spent those years watching the
Canadian housing market and as a data guy
trying to understand whether buying
ever makes sense, which city, which timing,
and whether the numbers would ever work
for someone like me.
This newsletter is everything I wish
existed back in 2021 when I first arrived
with two suitcases and no idea how
expensive this country was about to feel.
💡WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU
→ If you are in Toronto or Vancouver:
Renting saves you $1,446 to $2,124 every
single month right now. That is $17,000
to $25,000 per year staying in your pocket.
Invest the difference and revisit buying
in 2 to 3 years as prices continue falling.
→ If you are in Calgary or Montreal:
The gap is real but manageable. Your
decision comes down to your 5 year plan.
Staying long term — buying starts to make
sense. Uncertain about your city — renting
gives you flexibility without brutal
financial penalty.
→ If you are a newcomer approaching your
2 year mark in Canada: This is your moment.
Start building your mortgage eligibility now.
Check your credit score. Talk to a mortgage
broker. Get pre-approved before you need it.
Edmonton and Hamilton are showing the best
entry points for newcomers right now based
on the data.
🗂️ THIS WEEK'S DATASET
Two datasets powered this week's analysis.
Both are free. Both are public.
Pull them yourself and check your city.
CREA MLS Housing Statistics
January 2026 — Released February 18, 2026
The complete breakdown of average home prices
and benchmark prices for every major Canadian
city. This is the most cited housing price
dataset in Canada.
Rentals.ca National Rent Report
January 2026
Average asking rents by city, bedroom count,
and unit type across Canada. Updated every
month. Free to access.
🔢 METHODOLOGY
Ownership cost = mortgage payment assuming
20% down, 25 year amortization, 4.5% fixed
rate + estimated property tax + maintenance.
Rental cost = average asking rent for
comparable unit per Rentals.ca January 2026.
All figures in CAD.
Questions about the data? Reply to this email.
⚖️ DISCLAIMER
The Maple Metric publishes data analysis
for informational and educational purposes
only. Nothing in this newsletter constitutes
financial, mortgage, or real estate advice.
All data is sourced from publicly available
Canadian datasets including CREA, CMHC,
Statistics Canada, and Rentals.ca.
Analysis reflects data available at time
of publication and may not reflect current
market conditions.
Always consult a licensed financial advisor,
mortgage broker, or real estate professional
before making any housing decisions.
This newsletter is independently operated
and is not affiliated with or endorsed by
any financial institution.
You are reading The Maple Metric weekly
Canadian housing data for the people who
actually have to live in it.
Published every Tuesday | Issue 1 | March 2026
Written and analyzed by Ish Sharma
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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The Maple Metric | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada