Here are the top three best places to buy a home in Canada in 2026
If you’re thinking of buying a home in Canada this year, a new report reveals which real estate markets are the best for you to get your foot in the door in the housing market.
MoneySense released its 2026 edition of Where to Buy Real Estate in Canada, in partnership with Zoocasa, to reveal the best places to buy a home in Canada. The report ranks 44 real estate markets from coast to coast.
Zoocasa industry relations officer Brittany Kostov stated that after years of rising costs, affordability is still one of the biggest barriers for Canadians hoping to enter the housing market, influencing where people choose to invest.
“In 2025, more buyers expanded their search beyond major urban centres in favour of markets offering a strong sense of community and excellent access to nature,” reads a statement from Kostov. “Homeownership is still a defining goal for many Canadians, yet even as prices shift across the country, it remains out of reach for too many.”
The report highlights that for the first time in a long time, both interest rates and home prices are holding firm in Canada.
“As a result, several housing markets are offering buyers the ideal combination: accessible entry points and growth potential,” reads the report.
MoneySense and Zoocasa break down the best places to buy a home in Canada by cities and neighbourhoods in the most in-demand real estate markets.
Here are the top three best places to buy a home in Canada, according to the report.
1. Fredericton, N.B.
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New Brunswick’s capital claimed the top spot on the list for the second year in a row.
“With a value score of 3.76 out of 5, Fredericton boasts highly accessible real estate options for buyers looking to build equity on the East Coast,” explains the report.
Fredericton ended 2025 with an average home price of $344,467, which the report notes is 10 per cent higher than in 2024 and 74 per cent higher than in 2020.
“Despite this impressive appreciation, the Maritime capital retains its reputation as one of the most affordable real estate markets in Canada,” argues the report.
According to MoneySense and Zoocasa, the city’s average home price sits well below the national average of $683,567 in Canada. That’s a significant $339,100 discount.
Besides the affordable real estate market, Fredericton-based eXp real estate agent Jessie Yerxa told MoneySense that its stability draws people in. (The report notes that Zoocasa is wholly owned by eXp World Holdings.)
The report adds that the city is also remote-worker-friendly due to the strong tech presence and boasts 120 kilometres of walkable and bikable trails along the scenic St. John River.
“Fredericton is big enough to grow in and small enough to belong in,” says Yerxa.
2. St. John’s, N.L.
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The capital of Newfoundland has entered the top three best places to buy a home in Canada for the first time, according to the report.
“St. John’s has earned its spot in the spotlight through consistent growth and a booming real estate market,” it reads.
Last year, the average home cost $381,042 in St. John’s, which is a 23 per cent increase from 2022 and a 41 per cent increase from 2020.
MoneySense and Zoocasa found that the province recorded just 3.4 months of inventory at the end of 2025, which makes it a seller’s market and a tough one for first-time homebuyers hoping to get a foot in the door.
However, the report suggests that pre-sale new constructions are a good option. It says that new builds typically take just six to ten months from start to move-in in St. John’s.
“Your price gets locked in once you sign with the builder,” St. John’s-based eXp real estate agent Jason Piercy told MoneySense. “So if the market rises during that time, you could walk in with equity from day one.”
3. Edmonton, Alta.
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The report says that while Edmonton isn’t the cheapest place to buy a home in Canada, its median after-tax income of $84,000 makes it more accessible than other major cities like Toronto and Vancouver.
“With 1.2 million people calling Edmonton home, it also offers the best value for those looking to balance big city life with affordable housing,” it reads.
MoneySense and Zoocasa found that the average price of homes in Edmonton actually decreased from the start to the end of 2025 by 0.6 per cent to $408,300.
Edmonton-based eXp real estate agent Aligul Arslan told MoneySense that there’s strong demand for the single-family home between $400,000 and $600,000. He adds that first-time buyers in their late 20s to mid-30s are opting for lower-priced detached homes over condos and townhomes.
“There’s better appreciation and better value,” he says.
The hardest places to afford a home in Canada
It’s probably no surprise, but the least affordable real estate markets on MoneySense and Zoocasa’s ranking are Toronto and Vancouver.
The average home price in the Greater Toronto and Greater Vancouver areas was $986,308 and $1,155,575, respectively.
“For Canadians looking for affordable real estate, Toronto is a tough market to break into, with home prices well above the Canada average, making it unsurprising that the city ranks among the lowest on our list for buying conditions,” reads a statement from Natasha Macmillan, head of MoneySense.
The findings are based on a proprietary methodology that factors in average home prices, price growth over time, and neighbourhood economics data.
You can check out the full ranking on MoneySense.ca.