Best 3-year variable mortgage rates in Alberta.
Today’s best 3-year variable rate in Alberta is 3.55% — about $2,084/month on a $519,033 home with 20% down. A 3-year variable is a shorter-commitment variable for borrowers who want flexibility and a quick re-shop.
Who has the best 3-year variable rate in Alberta?
Radius Financial, at 3.55%. The lowest rates are usually insured pricing.
Insured vs uninsured: the lowest 3-year variable rates are usually insured pricing: a purchase with less than 20% down, backed by CMHC, Sagen or Canada Guaranty. Uninsured files (20%+ down, homes over $1.5M, refinances) typically price higher. APR is shown only where the lender publishes one that differs from the rate. Rates illustrative; your file (credit, income, LTV) sets your personalized rate. See all Alberta rates →
What would my payment be?
About $2,084/month. That’s Alberta’s average price of $519,033 with 20% down ($103,807), a $415,226 mortgage at today’s best 3-year variable rate of 3.55%, over 25 years with Canadian semi-annual compounding. That payment moves with prime over the term. Model your own price in the payment calculator.
| Term | Best rate | Est. monthly payment* |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Year Fixed | 4.19% | $2,227/mo |
| 5-Year VariableLowest | 3.00% | $1,965/mo |
| 3-Year Fixed | 4.04% | $2,193/mo |
| 3-Year Variable | 3.55% | $2,084/mo |
| 2-Year Fixed | 3.99% | $2,182/mo |
| 1-Year Fixed | 4.19% | $2,227/mo |
| 4-Year Fixed | 4.24% | $2,239/mo |
| 7-Year Fixed | 5.00% | $2,415/mo |
| 10-Year Fixed | 5.34% | $2,496/mo |
What does a 3-year variable cost on a typical Alberta home?
With the minimum down ($26,904), you pay about $2,569/month and $52,070 in interest over the 3-year term. Lenders test your income at 5.55%.
See the full 3-year cost: down payment, insurance, interest and balance
Worked on Alberta’s average price of $519,033 (Province of Alberta total residential average price, Alberta Real Estate Association (AREA)) at today’s best 3-year variable rate of 3.55%, a 25-year amortization and Canadian semi-annual compounding. The term figures cover the 3-year term only, and assume the rate stays at 3.55% throughout: a variable rate moves with prime.
| Minimum down (insured) | 20% down (uninsured) | |
|---|---|---|
| Down payment | $26,904 (5.2%) | $103,807 (20.0%) |
| Default insurance premium (added to the mortgage) | $19,685 | None |
| Mortgage amount | $511,814 | $415,226 |
| Monthly payment | $2,569/mo | $2,084/mo |
| Interest paid over the 3-year term | $52,070 | $42,244 |
| Principal repaid over the term | $40,409 | $32,783 |
| Balance owing at renewal (year 3) | $471,405 | $382,443 |
| Payment you must qualify at (5.55% stress-test rate) | $3,139/mo | $2,547/mo |
Alberta — No Land Transfer Tax on this price: $1,040. Paid in cash at closing, on top of the down payment.
Qualifying: lenders test your income at 5.55% (the higher of your rate + 2% or 5.25%), not at 3.55%, so the qualifying payment above is the one your income must support, together with property tax, heating and other debts. Run your own numbers in the affordability calculator.
Is a 3-year variable right for you in Alberta?
Who it suits: Borrowers who like the variable structure but want to revisit the whole mortgage in three years rather than five. It suits people expecting rate cuts who also anticipate a change (selling, refinancing, or restructuring) inside three years.
What drives the rate, and what breaking it costs
What drives the rate. Like the 5-year variable, it moves with prime and the Bank of Canada, but the shorter term means you renegotiate sooner. Availability is thinner than the 5-year variable, so the lender mix that offers it matters.
Breaking it early. Three months' interest, the same cheap-exit advantage as any variable, paired here with an even shorter commitment.
A niche term: useful, but offered by fewer lenders than the 5-year variable. You get maximum flexibility but give up the longer rate hold a 5-year term provides.
What’s specific to Alberta?
Alberta has ATB Financial as a unique provincial Crown lender competing aggressively on rate alongside the Big-6 and monolines. Commission-income (energy/oilfield) and bonus-heavy income files are common — we shop lenders that average bonus income properly rather than discount it.
Alberta lenders and closing costs
Top Alberta lenders to compare. Alberta’s 3-year variable pricing is shaped by a distinct lender mix: ATB Financial, RBC, TD, Scotiabank, Equitable Bank and others all bid for files here, and we shop the whole panel on one application.
Closing costs. On top of the rate, budget for alberta — no land transfer tax — alberta has no Land Transfer Tax. You pay Land Titles registration fees instead — $50 plus $5 per $5,000 of value on the transfer, and $50 plus $5 per $5,000 on the mortgage. Alberta raised both legs to $5 on 20 October 2024, so any figure quoted before then understates it by more than half. No LTT means no rebate needed. First-time buyers in Alberta enjoy materially lower closing costs than any other major Canadian market. Run the full number in our Alberta land transfer tax calculator.
Why get your Alberta 3-year variable rate through a broker?
Because 100+ lenders compete for your file instead of one. We can help you save money.
100+ lenders compete, not one
An Alberta bank shows you one 3-year variable rate sheet. We put your file in front of 100+ lenders, including ATB Financial and RBC.
Broker pricing
The rate brokers get is typically 15-30 bps below a bank's posted rate. You can't get it at a branch.
Built for Alberta
Alberta has ATB Financial as a unique provincial Crown lender competing aggressively on rate alongside the Big-6 and monolines. Land transfer tax, rebates and local lender fit are built in.
Your rate held 90-120 days
A pre-approval locks your 3-year variable rate while you shop, and many lenders honour a drop before you close.
No credit pull to start
We shop your Alberta 3-year variable rate and pre-qualify you without a hard credit check. FSRA-licensed advice in 15+ languages.
Bring us a written offer from a big bank. We’ll try to beat it. If we can’t, we pay you $500. Conditions apply. See the conditions
Whatever your situation in Alberta
First home, renewal, refinance, self-employed or bruised credit: there’s a 3-year variable path for your file, with the same 100+ lender network.
First-time buyers
5% down to your first Alberta home, with FHSA + RRSP HBP optimization.
Refinancing
Tap your Alberta home equity for renovations, debt consolidation, or investing.
Renewing
Don't auto-renew. Compare your bank's offer against the market.
Self-employed
Business-for-self files priced right, with A-lender, alt-A and private compared.
Bruised credit
B-lender and private paths now, with a mapped exit back to A-pricing.
New to Canada
Newcomer programs at the big banks; international credit accepted.
Alberta 3-year variable rates — FAQ
What is the best 3-year variable mortgage rate in Alberta right now?
The best 3-year variable rate in our 100+ lender network for Alberta is approximately 3.55% as of Oct 24, 2026, which is about $2,084/month on the Alberta average price of $519,033 with 20% down over 25 years. Your personalized Alberta rate depends on your file — income, credit, loan-to-value, and property type. We shop every lender on one application to find your lowest.
Are Alberta 3-year variable rates different from the rest of Canada?
The headline rate is set nationally, but what you can actually get in Alberta differs: the provincial lender mix, Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) regulation, and local credit unions all shape pricing and qualification. Alberta has ATB Financial as a unique provincial Crown lender competing aggressively on rate alongside the Big-6 and monolines. Commission-income (energy/oilfield) and bonus-heavy income files are common — we shop lenders that average bonus income properly rather than discount it.
Is a 3-year variable a good idea in Alberta?
Borrowers who like the variable structure but want to revisit the whole mortgage in three years rather than five. It suits people expecting rate cuts who also anticipate a change (selling, refinancing, or restructuring) inside three years. You get maximum flexibility but give up the longer rate hold a 5-year term provides.
How does breaking a 3-year variable mortgage work?
Three months' interest, the same cheap-exit advantage as any variable, paired here with an even shorter commitment.
What land transfer tax will I pay in Alberta?
Alberta has no Land Transfer Tax. You pay Land Titles registration fees instead — $50 plus $5 per $5,000 of value on the transfer, and $50 plus $5 per $5,000 on the mortgage. Alberta raised both legs to $5 on 20 October 2024, so any figure quoted before then understates it by more than half. No LTT means no rebate needed. First-time buyers in Alberta enjoy materially lower closing costs than any other major Canadian market.
Can I lock this Alberta rate before I buy?
Yes. Most lenders offer a 90-120 day rate hold on a pre-approval, so a rising market can't catch you (and many honour a lower rate if they drop). Start a pre-approval (no bureau pull to begin) and we'll hold your best Alberta 3-year variable rate.
Lock your best Alberta 3-year variable rate.
Free, no credit pull to begin. We shop 100+ lenders and hold your rate while you shop for the home.