TaxLoonie

2026 tax year · Rates verified October 20, 2026

British Columbia vs Alberta Income Tax 2026

At $80,000, you take home $459 more a year in British Columbia than in Alberta, about $38 a month. Enter your own pay to compare take-home pay, tax and contributions side by side.

Add other income or RRSP

Example: $80,000 salary

At $80,000, you take home $459 more a year in British Columbia than in Alberta, about $38 a month.

British Columbia$61,157$5,096 a month
Alberta$60,698$5,058 a month
Difference$459more in British Columbia
British ColumbiaAlbertaBritish Columbia − Alberta
Federal tax$9,243$9,243$0
Provincial tax$4,031$4,490−$459
CPP$4,446$4,446$0
EI and QPIP$1,123$1,123$0
Total tax and contributions$18,843$19,303−$459
Take-home pay$61,157$60,698+$459
Average tax rate16.59%17.17%
Marginal tax rate27.07%29.28%
Provincial basic personal amount$13,216$22,769
Sales tax on most purchases12%5%

Difference at other salaries

The better province switches 3 times for salaries from $20,000 to $300,000, at about $45,000, $50,000, $150,000.

−$8k−$6k−$4k−$2k$0+$2k$50k$100k$150k$200k$250k$300kYou: $80,000$20,000: British Columbia $18,589, Alberta $18,589$25,000: British Columbia $22,563, Alberta $22,519$30,000: British Columbia $26,254, Alberta $26,124$35,000: British Columbia $29,793, Alberta $29,728$40,000: British Columbia $33,333, Alberta $33,332$45,000: British Columbia $36,872, Alberta $36,937$50,000: British Columbia $40,574, Alberta $40,541$55,000: British Columbia $44,203, Alberta $44,146$60,000: British Columbia $47,755, Alberta $47,691$65,000: British Columbia $51,044, Alberta $50,910$70,000: British Columbia $54,348, Alberta $54,107$75,000: British Columbia $57,711, Alberta $57,362$80,000: British Columbia $61,157, Alberta $60,698$85,000: British Columbia $64,603, Alberta $64,034$90,000: British Columbia $68,193, Alberta $67,509$95,000: British Columbia $71,783, Alberta $70,984$100,000: British Columbia $75,373, Alberta $74,459$105,000: British Columbia $78,875, Alberta $77,934$110,000: British Columbia $82,325, Alberta $81,409$115,000: British Columbia $85,775, Alberta $84,884$120,000: British Columbia $89,067, Alberta $88,258$125,000: British Columbia $92,153, Alberta $91,458$130,000: British Columbia $95,238, Alberta $94,658$135,000: British Columbia $98,324, Alberta $97,858$140,000: British Columbia $101,409, Alberta $101,058$145,000: British Columbia $104,412, Alberta $104,258$150,000: British Columbia $107,377, Alberta $107,458$155,000: British Columbia $110,342, Alberta $110,658$160,000: British Columbia $113,307, Alberta $113,766$165,000: British Columbia $116,272, Alberta $116,866$170,000: British Columbia $119,237, Alberta $119,966$175,000: British Columbia $122,202, Alberta $123,066$180,000: British Columbia $125,167, Alberta $126,166$185,000: British Columbia $128,051, Alberta $129,186$190,000: British Columbia $130,852, Alberta $132,083$195,000: British Columbia $133,579, Alberta $134,968$200,000: British Columbia $136,274, Alberta $137,854$205,000: British Columbia $138,970, Alberta $140,739$210,000: British Columbia $141,665, Alberta $143,624$215,000: British Columbia $144,360, Alberta $146,509$220,000: British Columbia $147,055, Alberta $149,395$225,000: British Columbia $149,751, Alberta $152,280$230,000: British Columbia $152,446, Alberta $155,165$235,000: British Columbia $155,141, Alberta $158,050$240,000: British Columbia $157,836, Alberta $160,936$245,000: British Columbia $160,532, Alberta $163,821$250,000: British Columbia $163,227, Alberta $166,686$255,000: British Columbia $165,922, Alberta $169,521$260,000: British Columbia $168,603, Alberta $172,342$265,000: British Columbia $171,113, Alberta $174,992$270,000: British Columbia $173,500, Alberta $177,642$275,000: British Columbia $175,825, Alberta $180,292$280,000: British Columbia $178,150, Alberta $182,942$285,000: British Columbia $180,475, Alberta $185,592$290,000: British Columbia $182,800, Alberta $188,242$295,000: British Columbia $185,125, Alberta $190,892$300,000: British Columbia $187,450, Alberta $193,542
  • Bars above $0: more take-home in British Columbia
  • Bars below $0: more take-home in Alberta
Show as a table
SalaryBritish ColumbiaAlbertaBritish Columbia − Alberta
$25,000$22,563$22,519+$44
$50,000$40,574$40,541+$33
$75,000$57,711$57,362+$349
$100,000$75,373$74,459+$915
$125,000$92,153$91,458+$695
$150,000$107,377$107,458−$81
$175,000$122,202$123,066−$864
$200,000$136,274$137,854−$1,579
$225,000$149,751$152,280−$2,529
$250,000$163,227$166,686−$3,459
$275,000$175,825$180,292−$4,467
$300,000$187,450$193,542−$6,092

Take-home on $80,000 in every province

  • Nunavut $62,299
  • Northwest Territories $61,166
  • British Columbia $61,157
  • Yukon $61,039
  • Alberta $60,698
  • Ontario $60,303
  • Saskatchewan $59,022
  • New Brunswick $58,246
  • Manitoba $58,228
  • Newfoundland and Labrador $57,857
  • Prince Edward Island $57,335
  • Quebec $57,012
  • Nova Scotia $56,439

Take-home pay by salary: British Columbia vs Alberta

Single employee, employment income only, 2026 rates.

SalaryBritish Columbia take-homeAlberta take-homeDifferenceMore in
$30,000$26,254$26,124$131British Columbia
$50,000$40,574$40,541$33British Columbia
$60,000$47,755$47,691$64British Columbia
$75,000$57,711$57,362$349British Columbia
$90,000$68,193$67,509$685British Columbia
$100,000$75,373$74,459$915British Columbia
$125,000$92,153$91,458$695British Columbia
$150,000$107,377$107,458$81Alberta
$200,000$136,274$137,854$1,579Alberta
$250,000$163,227$166,686$3,459Alberta

Where the difference comes from

  • Tax-free amount. British Columbia’s basic personal amount is $13,216, lower than Alberta’s $22,769. Income up to that amount carries no provincial tax.
  • Lowest rate. British Columbia starts at 5.6% and Alberta at 8%.
  • Top rate. Combined with federal tax, the top rate is 53.50% in British Columbia, from $265,545 of taxable income, and 48.00% in Alberta, from $370,220.
  • B.C. tax reduction. B.C. gives up to $690 off provincial tax for net incomes under $44,952.

Sales tax in British Columbia and Alberta

Sales tax is separate from income tax but affects the cost of living. British Columbia charges 5% GST + 7% PST, Alberta charges 5% GST only. On $1,000 of taxable purchases that is $120 in British Columbia and $50 in Alberta. Groceries and some other basics are tax-free everywhere.

What’s different in each for 2026

British Columbia

  • B.C. Budget 2026 raised the lowest rate from 5.06% to 5.60% for the whole 2026 year, on the first $50,363 of taxable income.
  • The B.C. tax reduction credit rose to $690. It shrinks by 3.56% of net income above $25,570 and is gone at $44,952.
  • B.C. has paused indexing its brackets and credits at 2026 levels for 2027 to 2030.

Alberta

  • Alberta’s 8% bracket on the first $61,200 of taxable income, added in 2025, is now indexed and applies all year.
  • Alberta’s basic personal amount is $22,769, the highest of any province, so the first $22,769 of income carries no Alberta tax.
  • Alberta credits are valued at the new 8% lowest rate.

Full calculators: British Columbia income tax calculator · Alberta income tax calculator

How the comparison works

Both columns use the same income and the same 2026 engine as our income tax calculators: federal and provincial brackets, basic personal amounts, CPP, EI and each province’s own surtaxes, premiums and reductions. Federal tax is the same everywhere except Quebec, so the difference comes from provincial tax.

You pay provincial tax to the province where you live on December 31. It assumes a single person claiming only the basic credits and does not yet include dividends, Ontario’s LIFT credit, low-income tax reductions in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and P.E.I., age, pension, spouse, dependant, disability, medical, tuition and donation credits, refundable benefits, and alternative minimum tax.

Frequently asked questions

Is income tax higher in British Columbia or Alberta?

It depends on income. For 2026, take-home pay on a $50,000 salary is $33 more in British Columbia; on $100,000 it is $915 more in British Columbia; on $200,000 it is $1,579 more in Alberta. The better province switches 3 times for salaries from $20,000 to $300,000, at about $45,000, $50,000, $150,000.

How much more would I take home in Alberta than in British Columbia on $100,000?

On a $100,000 salary in 2026, take-home pay is $74,459 in Alberta and $75,373 in British Columbia, a difference of $915 a year.

If I move from British Columbia to Alberta during 2026, which province taxes me?

The province where you live on December 31, 2026 taxes all of your 2026 income. If you move in November, you pay Alberta tax for the whole year. Your employer may keep deducting British Columbia tax until you update your details, so expect a refund or balance owing at filing.

Does this comparison include sales tax and cost of living?

The take-home figures cover income tax, CPP and EI only. Sales tax rates are shown separately. Housing, benefits, health premiums outside Ontario and other living costs are not included.

What does the comparison leave out?

It assumes a single person claiming the basic credits. It does not yet include dividends, Ontario’s LIFT credit, low-income tax reductions in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and P.E.I., age, pension, spouse, dependant, disability, medical, tuition and donation credits, refundable benefits, and alternative minimum tax.

Sources

Rates were last verified on October 20, 2026 and are checked by 57 automated tests against CRA and Revenu Québec figures.

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