Compare provinces side by side
Moving provinces? Negotiating remote work? See the real after-tax difference between any two provinces on the same income — federal tax is the same everywhere, so the gap is entirely provincial.
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Why provincial tax rates matter
Federal income tax is identical in every province. The gap between provinces is entirely from provincial tax rates, which range from a combined marginal rate (federal + provincial) of about 44% in Alberta to over 54% in Nova Scotia on the highest income bracket.
On a $120,000 salary, the difference between Alberta (lowest provincial rates) and Quebec (among the highest, though offset by richer public services) can be over $8,000 per year in take-home pay.
Quebec's unique payroll system
Quebec residents pay into the Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) instead of CPP, and also pay Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP) premiums — both employee and employer rates differ from the rest of Canada. Quebec also administers its own provincial income tax return (the TP-1) separately from the federal T1, through Revenu Québec.
The federal government offsets some of this through the Quebec Abatement — a 16.5% reduction in basic federal tax for Quebec residents — because Quebec delivers provincially what the federal government covers everywhere else. Our calculator accounts for this automatically.
Ontario's surtax and health premium
Ontario levies a surtax on top of provincial tax once it exceeds certain thresholds ($5,654 and $7,246 for 2026). Ontario residents also pay a health premium of up to $900 per year, starting at income over $20,000. These add to the effective provincial rate at higher incomes.
Alberta: no provincial sales tax
Alberta has no provincial sales tax and relatively low income tax rates — one reason it regularly comes out ahead in after-income-tax comparisons. That said, property taxes and the cost of living vary significantly between cities and are not reflected here.
What this calculator does not include
- Provincial sales tax (PST, HST, QST) — these affect your spending, not your pay
- Property tax, which varies by municipality
- Municipal income levies (no Canadian city currently imposes one)
- Public services funded by higher provincial taxes (e.g., pharmacare, subsidized daycare in Quebec)
A comprehensive move decision should weigh the value of services received, not just the tax line.