Compare taxes and see how much you save moving from Alberta to British Columbia
British Columbia has significantly lower provincial income tax than Alberta for most earners. At $100,000, a BC resident pays $6,549 versus $10,000 in Alberta — BC saves $3,451 per year on income tax. Alberta's main tax advantage is its zero provincial sales tax versus BC's 7% PST, saving roughly $2,800 on $40,000 of annual spending. For earners below $230,000, BC wins clearly on income tax; the combined PST offset means it takes very high spending to fully close that gap.
No Provincial Sales Tax
5 progressive brackets from 10% to 15%
Lower Income Tax
7 progressive brackets from 5.06% to 20.5%
At $100,000 income:
BC residents pay $3,451 less in provincial income tax than Alberta at $100,000. Alberta's no-PST advantage (~$2,800 on $40K spending) partially offsets this gap.
| Income | AB Tax | BC Tax | Savings | 10-Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $5,000 | $2,584 | $2,416 | $24,160 |
| $75,000 | $7,500 | $4,509 | $2,991 | $29,910 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 | $6,549 | $3,451 | $34,510 |
| $150,000 | $15,035 | $12,907 | $2,128 | $21,280 |
| $250,000 | $27,883 | $29,051 | -$1,168 | -$11,680 |
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Send Money To/From Canada →For most earners BC pays significantly less in provincial income tax. At $100,000, BC saves $3,451 per year vs Alberta. Alberta's no-PST advantage (saving ~$2,800 on $40,000 of spending) partially closes the gap but does not fully offset the income tax difference for most earners below $200,000.
The crossover is approximately $230,000 of income. Below this level, BC's lower bottom rates (starting at 5.06% vs Alberta's 10%) give BC a clear advantage. Above $230,000, Alberta's capped top rate of 15% becomes cheaper than BC's 16.8% and 20.5% brackets.
At $100,000 income with $40,000 in annual taxable spending: BC saves $3,451 on income tax, while Alberta saves approximately $2,800 on sales tax (7% BC PST not paid). The net advantage remains with BC at around $651 per year. To fully close the gap, an Albertan would need to spend over $49,000 per year on taxable goods.
Vancouver (BC) residents pay significantly less income tax on most salaries. A Calgary-based professional earning $100,000 pays $3,451 more in provincial income tax than the same earner in Vancouver. Calgary's advantage is no provincial sales tax and generally lower housing costs. For most professionals, Vancouver is more tax-efficient on income but similar or worse on total cost of living.
Alberta 2026 brackets: 10% on income up to $148,269; 12% from $148,269 to $177,922; 13% from $177,922 to $237,230; 14% from $237,230 to $355,845; 15% above $355,845. Source: Government of Alberta.
BC 2026 brackets: 5.06% up to $47,937; 7.7% up to $95,875; 10.5% up to $110,076; 12.29% up to $133,664; 14.7% up to $181,232; 16.8% up to $252,752; 20.5% above $252,752. Source: BC Ministry of Finance.
If your income is below $230,000, BC offers lower income tax — saving up to $3,500 per year at $100K. You will start paying BC's 7% PST which partially offsets this. However, most Alberta-to-BC moves are driven by lifestyle (Vancouver's climate, outdoor recreation, tech jobs) rather than pure tax considerations. Use our free calculators to model your specific income and spending.