Salary to buy a condo · 49 cities · 2016 vs 2026
One page per city, same calculation: the gross income required for the median condo for every year from 2016 to 2026, the gap with the same city's median house, and the weight of condo fees.
Across the 49 cities tracked, the gross income required to buy the median condo (payment at 20% down over 25 years at the year's contracted rate, taxes at 1% of the price, heating $1,200, 32% GDS ratio, condo fees not included) went from $34,103 in 2016 to $78,375 in 2026 at the median of cities (+121%), for a price up 106% and a rate that went from 2.67% to 4.14%. It doubled in 41 cities; 48 of 49 cities needed $60,000 or less in 2016, 5 in 2026. The median house needs $121,406 in 2026: the condo, 35% less ($41,506). But in 47 of 49 cities, the 2026 condo needs more income than the 2016 house. Every $100 of monthly condo fees adds about $1,875 to the required salary. Source: Centris (Matrix) for prices, Bank of Canada for rates, compiled October 28, 2026.
The 49 cities, from the highest required salary to the lowest
2026 median condo, gross salary required in 2016, 2021 and 2026, increase, salary required for the same city's median house, gap, 2026 monthly housing cost (condo fees extra).
| City | 2026 condo | 2016 salary | 2021 salary | 2026 salary | Increase | House: 2026 salary | Condo vs house gap | 2026 monthly cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westmount | $835,000 | $108,622 | $150,697 | $163,531 | +51% | $438,591 | -63% | $4,361 |
| Beaconsfield | $625,000 | $42,719 | $77,919 | $123,331 | +189% | $201,006 | -39% | $3,289 |
| Pointe-Claire | $583,750 | $57,588 | $83,044 | $115,444 | +100% | $146,409 | -21% | $3,078 |
| Rosemère | $565,000 | $43,866 | $58,538 | $111,856 | +155% | $165,419 | -32% | $2,983 |
| Boisbriand | $557,000 | $40,738 | $60,034 | $110,331 | +171% | $124,312 | -11% | $2,942 |
| Boucherville | $518,000 | $48,656 | $65,431 | $102,850 | +111% | $158,738 | -35% | $2,743 |
| Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville | $494,000 | $44,606 | $64,925 | $98,275 | +120% | $160,572 | -39% | $2,621 |
| Kirkland | $486,000 | $43,125 | $75,544 | $96,750 | +124% | $186,481 | -48% | $2,580 |
| Montreal | $476,100 | $51,694 | $70,425 | $94,866 | +84% | $148,206 | -36% | $2,530 |
| Candiac | $476,000 | $36,406 | $56,625 | $94,825 | +160% | $169,450 | -44% | $2,529 |
| Dollard-des-Ormeaux | $460,000 | $41,606 | $65,762 | $91,775 | +121% | $155,378 | -41% | $2,447 |
| Mirabel | $449,900 | $39,262 | $56,625 | $89,847 | +129% | $128,125 | -30% | $2,396 |
| Saint-Lambert | $445,000 | $42,900 | $59,006 | $88,906 | +107% | $218,038 | -59% | $2,371 |
| Dorval | $435,000 | $43,269 | $62,688 | $86,981 | +101% | $140,091 | -38% | $2,320 |
| Laval | $430,000 | $40,178 | $58,212 | $86,038 | +114% | $124,312 | -31% | $2,294 |
| Sainte-Julie | $430,000 | $35,947 | $53,412 | $86,038 | +139% | $131,444 | -35% | $2,294 |
| Blainville | $429,000 | $39,256 | $55,000 | $85,819 | +119% | $149,188 | -42% | $2,288 |
| Beloeil | $425,000 | $36,775 | $55,000 | $85,056 | +131% | $124,312 | -32% | $2,268 |
| La Prairie | $414,750 | $31,934 | $53,600 | $83,125 | +160% | $145,338 | -43% | $2,217 |
| Saint-Constant | $414,500 | $35,388 | $55,794 | $83,078 | +135% | $122,388 | -32% | $2,215 |
| Chambly | $412,500 | $33,775 | $55,000 | $82,678 | +145% | $135,569 | -39% | $2,205 |
| L'Île-Perrot | $404,500 | $36,725 | $56,075 | $81,153 | +121% | $111,184 | -27% | $2,164 |
| Brossard | $404,000 | $40,178 | $59,800 | $81,062 | +102% | $144,219 | -44% | $2,162 |
| Sorel-Tracy | $400,000 | $28,988 | $38,369 | $80,300 | +177% | $78,694 | +2% | $2,141 |
| Châteauguay | $390,000 | $33,269 | $51,084 | $78,375 | +136% | $103,250 | -24% | $2,090 |
| Longueuil | $385,000 | $35,712 | $51,969 | $77,431 | +117% | $118,938 | -35% | $2,065 |
| Vaudreuil-Dorion | $385,000 | $33,181 | $55,512 | $77,431 | +133% | $119,519 | -35% | $2,065 |
| Terrebonne | $382,000 | $34,103 | $50,759 | $76,850 | +125% | $118,356 | -35% | $2,049 |
| Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu | $374,000 | $32,675 | $48,247 | $75,325 | +131% | $114,144 | -34% | $2,009 |
| Sainte-Thérèse | $372,500 | $33,503 | $48,431 | $75,016 | +124% | $128,125 | -41% | $2,000 |
| Mascouche | $370,000 | $34,012 | $46,988 | $74,562 | +119% | $121,406 | -39% | $1,988 |
| Varennes | $358,000 | $32,169 | $45,397 | $72,238 | +125% | $124,494 | -42% | $1,926 |
| Joliette | $345,000 | $27,469 | $38,831 | $69,769 | +154% | $91,775 | -24% | $1,860 |
| Magog | $335,000 | $30,325 | $42,188 | $67,844 | +124% | $118,538 | -43% | $1,809 |
| Saint-Hyacinthe | $335,000 | $31,294 | $41,538 | $67,844 | +117% | $100,872 | -33% | $1,809 |
| Quebec City | $335,000 | $36,453 | $37,388 | $67,844 | +86% | $95,588 | -29% | $1,809 |
| Repentigny | $331,000 | $31,519 | $44,606 | $67,081 | +113% | $116,250 | -42% | $1,789 |
| Sherbrooke | $318,000 | $34,375 | $38,181 | $64,612 | +88% | $91,466 | -29% | $1,723 |
| Granby | $315,000 | $31,612 | $37,906 | $64,031 | +103% | $92,266 | -31% | $1,708 |
| Saint-Jérôme | $315,000 | $26,825 | $39,806 | $64,031 | +139% | $108,497 | -41% | $1,708 |
| Trois-Rivières | $310,000 | $25,769 | $32,588 | $63,050 | +145% | $82,188 | -23% | $1,681 |
| Val-d'Or | $310,000 | $27,703 | $42,981 | $63,050 | +128% | $80,300 | -21% | $1,681 |
| Gatineau | $303,750 | $29,819 | $43,812 | $61,881 | +108% | $97,512 | -37% | $1,650 |
| Lévis | $300,500 | $32,494 | $34,175 | $61,253 | +89% | $87,925 | -30% | $1,633 |
| Drummondville | $289,500 | $29,819 | $39,716 | $59,147 | +98% | $85,997 | -31% | $1,577 |
| Saguenay | $287,000 | $29,312 | $30,259 | $58,656 | +100% | $73,762 | -20% | $1,564 |
| Rimouski | $284,000 | $27,794 | $32,731 | $58,075 | +109% | $79,319 | -27% | $1,549 |
| Rouyn-Noranda | $270,000 | $33,362 | $39,716 | $55,425 | +66% | $74,562 | -26% | $1,478 |
| Victoriaville | $261,500 | $28,394 | $33,381 | $53,772 | +89% | $73,762 | -27% | $1,434 |
"Condo vs house gap": salary required for the median condo compared with the same city's median house (−35% = 35% less).
What the table says
The condo is still the entry door: it needs 35% less income than the house at the median of cities, $78,375 versus $121,406. But the door has narrowed. In 2016, 48 of 49 cities offered the median condo for $60,000 of income or less; in 2026, 5. The required salary rose faster than the price, +121% versus +106%, because the contracted rate went from 2.67% to 4.14%; the rate explains 21% of the increase at the median. In 47 of 49 cities, the 2026 condo needs more income than the 2016 house: today's first-time buyer buys a condo with the budget that bought a house ten years ago. The most demanding city is Westmount ($163,531 for $835,000), the least demanding Victoriaville ($53,772 for $261,500). One point of interest is worth $6,563 of required salary on the median condo; on October 28, 2026, the Bank of Canada raised its policy rate to 2.5% (what the hike changes).
Condo fees
Condo fees are not in the calculation, because they vary from one building to the next. Lenders generally count half of them in the GDS ratio: every $100 of monthly fees adds about $1,875 to the required salary, and $300 a month, about $5,625. On the median condo, $300 of monthly fees take the required salary from $78,375 to about $84,000: a condo with low fees can be worth more than a cheaper condo with high fees. Typical fees by city are in the condo fees pages.
How to read the table
The required salary is the household's gross annual income at which the housing cost is 32% of income, the lenders' GDS ratio. Assumptions: 20% down payment, 25-year amortization, the year's average contracted rate (2.67% in 2016, 2.13% in 2021, 4.14% in 2026), municipal and school taxes estimated at 1% of the price per year, heating and electricity at $1,200 per year, a 32% gross debt service ratio, condo fees not included. Taxes and heating are labelled assumptions, the same as for the house (salary to buy the median house), so the comparison holds. The lender's qualifying rate and the insurance premium on a down payment under 20% are not applied: this calculation compares cities and years, it does not replace a pre-qualification.
Method
No new query: the annual median condo prices and payments from the mortgage payment on the median condo series are completed with taxes and heating, then divided by 32%. Only aggregates are published.
Frequently asked questions
What salary do you need to buy a condo in Quebec in 2026?
At the median of the 49 cities tracked, about $78,375 of gross household income for the median condo, with 20% down, before condo fees. Cities range from $53,772 to $163,531.
My city isn't listed?
We publish the cities where Centris provides a complete ten-year series of median condo prices. A broker from the team can run the same calculation for any municipality.
And on a condo?
The first-time buyer credit wipes out the tax on the median condo in most cities.
Our proof, not our promises
The Loaa & Manseur team, led by Lotfi Manseur and Loaa Al Daow, is the number 1 team at RE/MAX Platine in 2024 and 2025, 6th RE/MAX team in Quebec, 15th in Canada and in the global top 50 of large residential teams according to the official RE/MAX ranking, computed on actual transactions. Its Google profile counts more than 220 reviews with a 4.9 rating. Its offices are at 55 avenue de l'Équinoxe in Brossard, one bridge from the island, and every broker's licence can be checked in the OACIQ public register. Three things to verify yourself before calling us, and to demand of any other broker.
Also available in French: version française de ce guide.
Published September 7, 2026 by the Loaa & Manseur team, the number 1 team at RE/MAX Platine in 2024 and 2025, 6th RE/MAX team in Quebec, 15th in Canada and in the global top 50 according to the official RE/MAX ranking. Tell us about your project.