1. Take-home pay
Moving provinces changes your tax:
| Offer | Salary | Take-home a year | A month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calgary, Alberta | $90,000 | $67,509 | $5,626 |
| Toronto, Ontario | $100,000 | $74,206 | $6,184 |
| Montreal, Quebec | $100,000 | $69,585 | $5,799 |
- Calgary, Alberta: $90,000 $67,509 take-home
- Income tax: $16,722 Pension plan and insurance: $5,770
- Toronto, Ontario: $100,000 $74,206 take-home
- Income tax: $20,024 Pension plan and insurance: $5,770
- Montreal, Quebec: $100,000 $69,585 take-home
- Income tax: $24,194 Pension plan and insurance: $6,221
Pension plan and insurance is CPP (QPP in Quebec), CPP2 or QPP2, EI and, in Quebec, QPIP. Quebec’s income tax includes the federal abatement for Quebec residents.
The Ontario offer is worth $558 a month more than Alberta’s. The same salary in Quebec is worth only $173 a month more, because Quebec’s income tax is higher, and you pay QPP and QPIP instead of CPP.
The job offer calculator works out both offers for any province, and the salary the second offer needs to match the first.
2. The pension or RRSP match
Many employers match what you put into a group RRSP or pension. It’s part of your pay:
| Offer | Take-home a year | Employer match | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| $95,000 in Ontario, 3% match | $70,714 | $2,850 | $73,564 |
| $90,000 in Alberta, 6% match | $67,509 | $5,400 | $72,909 |
Here the Ontario offer is still ahead, but by $655 a year instead of $3,205. Check how long you need to stay before the employer’s money is yours (vesting), and whether it’s a defined benefit pension, which can be worth even more.
3. Benefits
Provincial health care covers doctors and hospitals, but dental, prescription drugs, vision, therapy and paramedical care usually come from your employer’s plan. A good plan can be worth thousands of dollars a year to a family.
4. Vacation and flexibility
The legal minimum is two or three weeks of paid vacation, depending on the province and how long you’ve worked for the employer, and many employers offer more. Remote or hybrid work and commuting costs matter too.
5. Living costs
Rent and house prices vary far more between Canadian cities than taxes do. Once you know each offer’s take-home pay, take off what housing would cost in each place.
A quick checklist
| Compare | Offer A | Offer B |
|---|---|---|
| Take-home pay a month | ||
| Pension or RRSP match, a year | ||
| Health and dental plan | ||
| Bonus (realistic) | ||
| Vacation days | ||
| Commute: time and cost | ||
| Rent or mortgage |
See your own numbers
The job offer calculator compares two offers after tax in any province, with bonuses and employer matches. The income tax calculator shows each paycheque in detail.