Canada Mortgage Payment Calculator

Use this free calculator to estimate your monthly mortgage payments and see how rates and amortization length can affect the total cost of a mortgage.

ALSO CONSIDER: Alberta Mortgage Payment Calculator | B.C. Mortgage Payment Calculator | Ontario Mortgage Payment Calculator 

Learn how to use this mortgage calculator.

How to use this mortgage payment calculator

1. In the “Listing Price” field, enter the dollar value of the home you intend to buy.
2. In the“Payment Frequency” field, choose how often you would like to make your mortgage payments.
3. In the “Down Payment” field, enter the amount of your down payment. You can use a dollar figure or a percentage of the home’s listing price.
4. In the “Amortization Period” field, choose the total length of your mortgage loan.
5. In the “Rate” field, enter a potential mortgage interest rate. If you’re unsure of what value to enter, check Canada’s current mortgage rates to get an idea of a reasonable number.
6. In the “Term” field, choose how long you’d like to go before needing to renew your mortgage.

Nerd Tip: Use the side-by-side feature of this mortgage calculator to compare two different scenarios at once. For example, you might see how a 10% vs 20% down payment affects the total mortgage amount, or how a 5 year vs 25 year amortization period affects your monthly payment estimate.

Reasons to use a mortgage calculator

A mortgage calculator can teach you a lot about the variables that affect the cost of a home loan. A mortgage calculator can help you:

• Understand how different interest rates can affect the cost of your mortgage.
• See the impact the size of your down payment has on your monthly payments and the overall cost of your mortgage.
• Select an amortization period that aligns with your homeownership goals.
• Find a payment frequency that fits your budget.  
• Decide on a term length for mortgage scenarios that work for you.
• Estimate your mortgage budget before you start reaching out to lenders.

Costs that affect a mortgage payment

• Principal. This is the original amount of money you borrow. If you purchase a $500,000 home and need to borrow $400,000 from a lender, that $400,000 is your principal.
• Interest. Borrowing money typically involves a fee, known as interest. Interest is generally expressed as a percentage of the amount you borrow, but it’s also compounded, which means you pay interest on your outstanding interest charges. For fixed-rate loans, interest is compounded semi-annually, or twice a year. For variable-rate loans, compounding can occur more frequently.
• Property taxes. With some mortgages, you can pay a portion of your annual property taxes as part of your monthly mortgage payment.
• Mortgage insurance. Mortgage insurance, also known as “mortgage default insurance” or “CMHC insurance” is an additional cost paid by homeowners who purchase a home with a down payment smaller than 20%. Mortgage insurance protects lenders in the event homeowners fall behind on their payments and default on their loans.

Mortgage term vs. amortization

When getting a mortgage, you’ll have to choose the length of your mortgage term and your amortization period. 

Your mortgage term refers to the length of your current mortgage arrangement, including your interest rate and payment frequency. Having multiple mortgage terms over the course of your loan allows you to reevaluate your financial standing every few years and possibly renew at a more favourable rate. Most mortgage terms are between one and five years in Canada. 

The amortization period is the total amount of time you have to pay off your mortgage. Borrowers can typically get an amortization of 25 years at the outset, but a down payment of 20% can get some a 30-year amortization. 

Ways to reduce your monthly mortgage payment

Choose a lower interest rate

Depending on what options your lender offers, you may be able to choose a mortgage that charges a lower interest rate.

A mortgage with a 4.5% interest rate might not appear to be significantly cheaper than one that charges 4.65%, but shaving even a few percentage points off an interest rate can save you thousands of dollars over the course of your mortgage.

Make a bigger down payment

Saving up and making a larger down payment will reduce the amount of money you need to borrow. You’ll pay less interest on your mortgage, and you may be able to arrange a shorter amortization period or smaller monthly payments.

Making a bigger down payment can also help you secure a better interest rate on your mortgage. You’ll have more equity in your home straight away, which makes you less of a risk in the eyes of lenders.

Choose a longer amortization period

While choosing a longer amortization period will result in a greater number of payments and more interest charges overall, spreading your mortgage out over a longer period will also result in smaller monthly payments. 

You might end up paying more for your mortgage than you would with a shorter mortgage term, but the extra breathing room every month can be a game-changer if you’re a homeowner on a tight budget. 

Refinance

If you’ve owned your home for a while, have been keeping on top of your mortgage payments and have good credit overall, refinancing your home loan can also help reduce your monthly mortgage payments.

When you refinance, you essentially begin a new mortgage. That gives you an opportunity to negotiate a lower interest rate and a new payment schedule, both of which can help lower your monthly obligations. 

How can you pay off your mortgage faster?

There are typically three ways you can speed up your mortgage pay-down. Most lenders will allow you to take the following actions, but they may attach conditions and limits:

1. Make lump-sum payments. If you have a windfall, like a bonus or tax refund, consider putting it toward your mortgage payments. 
2. Increase your monthly payments. If you can afford it, making higher monthly payments will help whittle away at your outstanding mortgage balance.
3. Make more frequent payments. You don’t necessarily have to make a single monthly payment. You can also opt for bi-weekly (every fourteen days) or semi-monthly (twice a month) payment schedules. Both will make for a shorter mortgage amortization.

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