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2026 tax year · Rates verified October 20, 2026

Nova Scotia vs New Brunswick Income Tax 2026

At $80,000, you take home $1,807 more a year in New Brunswick than in Nova Scotia, about $151 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 $1,807 more a year in New Brunswick than in Nova Scotia, about $151 a month.

Nova Scotia$56,439$4,703 a month
New Brunswick$58,246$4,854 a month
Difference$1,807more in New Brunswick
Nova ScotiaNew BrunswickNova Scotia − New Brunswick
Federal tax$9,243$9,243$0
Provincial tax$8,749$6,942+$1,807
CPP$4,446$4,446$0
EI and QPIP$1,123$1,123$0
Total tax and contributions$23,561$21,754+$1,807
Take-home pay$56,439$58,246−$1,807
Average tax rate22.49%20.23%
Marginal tax rate35.68%33.12%
Provincial basic personal amount$11,932$13,664
Sales tax on most purchases14%15%

Difference at other salaries

New Brunswick leaves you with more take-home pay at every salary from $20,000 to $300,000.

−$8k−$6k−$4k−$2k$0+$2k$50k$100k$150k$200k$250k$300kYou: $80,000$20,000: Nova Scotia $17,995, New Brunswick $18,116$25,000: Nova Scotia $21,562, New Brunswick $21,656$30,000: Nova Scotia $25,130, New Brunswick $25,195$35,000: Nova Scotia $28,471, New Brunswick $28,735$40,000: Nova Scotia $31,734, New Brunswick $32,275$45,000: Nova Scotia $34,997, New Brunswick $35,815$50,000: Nova Scotia $38,260, New Brunswick $39,354$55,000: Nova Scotia $41,523, New Brunswick $42,795$60,000: Nova Scotia $44,726, New Brunswick $46,048$65,000: Nova Scotia $47,626, New Brunswick $49,038$70,000: Nova Scotia $50,496, New Brunswick $52,042$75,000: Nova Scotia $53,423, New Brunswick $55,102$80,000: Nova Scotia $56,439, New Brunswick $58,246$85,000: Nova Scotia $59,455, New Brunswick $61,390$90,000: Nova Scotia $62,596, New Brunswick $64,665$95,000: Nova Scotia $65,738, New Brunswick $67,940$100,000: Nova Scotia $68,867, New Brunswick $71,215$105,000: Nova Scotia $71,967, New Brunswick $74,490$110,000: Nova Scotia $75,067, New Brunswick $77,681$115,000: Nova Scotia $78,167, New Brunswick $80,856$120,000: Nova Scotia $81,167, New Brunswick $83,930$125,000: Nova Scotia $83,992, New Brunswick $86,830$130,000: Nova Scotia $86,817, New Brunswick $89,730$135,000: Nova Scotia $89,642, New Brunswick $92,630$140,000: Nova Scotia $92,467, New Brunswick $95,530$145,000: Nova Scotia $95,292, New Brunswick $98,430$150,000: Nova Scotia $98,117, New Brunswick $101,330$155,000: Nova Scotia $100,942, New Brunswick $104,230$160,000: Nova Scotia $103,705, New Brunswick $107,130$165,000: Nova Scotia $106,355, New Brunswick $110,030$170,000: Nova Scotia $109,005, New Brunswick $112,930$175,000: Nova Scotia $111,655, New Brunswick $115,830$180,000: Nova Scotia $114,305, New Brunswick $118,730$185,000: Nova Scotia $116,875, New Brunswick $121,550$190,000: Nova Scotia $119,360, New Brunswick $124,285$195,000: Nova Scotia $121,846, New Brunswick $127,020$200,000: Nova Scotia $124,331, New Brunswick $129,580$205,000: Nova Scotia $126,816, New Brunswick $132,141$210,000: Nova Scotia $129,301, New Brunswick $134,701$215,000: Nova Scotia $131,787, New Brunswick $137,261$220,000: Nova Scotia $134,272, New Brunswick $139,821$225,000: Nova Scotia $136,757, New Brunswick $142,382$230,000: Nova Scotia $139,242, New Brunswick $144,942$235,000: Nova Scotia $141,728, New Brunswick $147,502$240,000: Nova Scotia $144,213, New Brunswick $150,062$245,000: Nova Scotia $146,698, New Brunswick $152,623$250,000: Nova Scotia $149,183, New Brunswick $155,183$255,000: Nova Scotia $151,669, New Brunswick $157,743$260,000: Nova Scotia $154,140, New Brunswick $160,289$265,000: Nova Scotia $156,440, New Brunswick $162,664$270,000: Nova Scotia $158,740, New Brunswick $165,039$275,000: Nova Scotia $161,040, New Brunswick $167,414$280,000: Nova Scotia $163,340, New Brunswick $169,789$285,000: Nova Scotia $165,640, New Brunswick $172,164$290,000: Nova Scotia $167,940, New Brunswick $174,539$295,000: Nova Scotia $170,240, New Brunswick $176,914$300,000: Nova Scotia $172,540, New Brunswick $179,289
  • Bars above $0: more take-home in Nova Scotia
  • Bars below $0: more take-home in New Brunswick
Show as a table
SalaryNova ScotiaNew BrunswickNova Scotia − New Brunswick
$25,000$21,562$21,656−$93
$50,000$38,260$39,354−$1,095
$75,000$53,423$55,102−$1,679
$100,000$68,867$71,215−$2,348
$125,000$83,992$86,830−$2,839
$150,000$98,117$101,330−$3,214
$175,000$111,655$115,830−$4,175
$200,000$124,331$129,580−$5,249
$225,000$136,757$142,382−$5,624
$250,000$149,183$155,183−$5,999
$275,000$161,040$167,414−$6,374
$300,000$172,540$179,289−$6,749

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: Nova Scotia vs New Brunswick

Single employee, employment income only, 2026 rates.

SalaryNova Scotia take-homeNew Brunswick take-homeDifferenceMore in
$30,000$25,130$25,195$65New Brunswick
$50,000$38,260$39,354$1,095New Brunswick
$60,000$44,726$46,048$1,321New Brunswick
$75,000$53,423$55,102$1,679New Brunswick
$90,000$62,596$64,665$2,069New Brunswick
$100,000$68,867$71,215$2,348New Brunswick
$125,000$83,992$86,830$2,839New Brunswick
$150,000$98,117$101,330$3,214New Brunswick
$200,000$124,331$129,580$5,249New Brunswick
$250,000$149,183$155,183$5,999New Brunswick

Where the difference comes from

  • Tax-free amount. Nova Scotia’s basic personal amount is $11,932, lower than New Brunswick’s $13,664. Income up to that amount carries no provincial tax.
  • Lowest rate. Nova Scotia starts at 8.79% and New Brunswick at 9.4%.
  • Top rate. Combined with federal tax, the top rate is 54.00% in Nova Scotia, from $157,124 of taxable income, and 52.50% in New Brunswick, from $193,861.

Sales tax in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick

Sales tax is separate from income tax but affects the cost of living. Nova Scotia charges 14% HST, New Brunswick charges 15% HST. On $1,000 of taxable purchases that is $140 in Nova Scotia and $150 in New Brunswick. Groceries and some other basics are tax-free everywhere.

What’s different in each for 2026

Nova Scotia

  • Nova Scotia now indexes its brackets and basic personal amount; for 2026 the basic personal amount is $11,932.
  • Nova Scotia’s top rate of 21% starts at $157,124, one of the highest top rates in Canada.
  • The Nova Scotia low-income tax reduction is not yet included in this calculator.

New Brunswick

  • New Brunswick has four brackets, from 9.4% up to 19.5% on taxable income over $193,861.
  • New Brunswick’s low-income tax reduction, which removes provincial tax for very low incomes, is not yet included in this calculator.

Full calculators: Nova Scotia income tax calculator · New Brunswick 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 Nova Scotia or New Brunswick?

It depends on income. For 2026, take-home pay on a $50,000 salary is $1,095 more in New Brunswick; on $100,000 it is $2,348 more in New Brunswick; on $200,000 it is $5,249 more in New Brunswick. New Brunswick leaves you with more take-home pay at every salary from $20,000 to $300,000.

How much more would I take home in New Brunswick than in Nova Scotia on $100,000?

On a $100,000 salary in 2026, take-home pay is $71,215 in New Brunswick and $68,867 in Nova Scotia, a difference of $2,348 a year.

If I move from Nova Scotia to New Brunswick 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 New Brunswick tax for the whole year. Your employer may keep deducting Nova Scotia 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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