Moving From Saskatchewan To Calgary? Still Close Enough To Drive Home.
Regina is about eight hours away and Saskatoon about seven. Tara’s husband Trevor grew up in Yorkton, so this is a move our own family knows well.
Tara Molina Real Estate Group helps people moving from Regina, Saskatoon and the rest of Saskatchewan find the right community in Calgary or Airdrie and buy, often before they arrive. Led by Tara Molina, REALTOR® CCS®, brokered by Royal LePage Benchmark, serving Calgary, Airdrie and all surrounding communities. Top 2% in Canada with Royal LePage in 2025. Top 1% in 2022 and 2024.
Why Does A Saskatchewan Move Feel Familiar To Us?
A Saskatchewan family too. Trevor grew up in Yorkton, and his family is spread throughout the province. Tara grew up in Winnipeg, came to Calgary in 2003 for the summer, and stayed. Airdrie followed in 2005.
The Room To Build.
What surprised them both about Alberta.
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The Room To Build.
What surprised them both about Alberta.
What surprised them both was the room to build. They are both entrepreneurs, and Alberta gave them the chance to start from scratch and grow. Trevor is a mortgage broker with Advanced Mortgage, and Tara built the team you are reading about.
So the prairie move is not something we read about. It is our own family, the people we left there, and the life we built here.
What Do You Give Up Moving From Saskatchewan To Calgary?
The people who settle happily are the ones who went in clear eyed, so here is the trade, plainly. Start with the drive home.
Driving from Calgary. Home is still a day’s drive.
What You’ll Miss
- Lower house prices. Your budget does not stretch as far here
- Being a short drive from family most weekends
- The lake in summer, and the friends you grew up with there
- Knowing half the people in the grocery store
What Surprises People
- Home is still a day’s drive, about 7 hours to Saskatoon
- Chinooks: a warm wind that can break a cold snap in an afternoon
- Banff and Kananaskis at roughly ninety minutes
- No provincial sales tax. You pay 5% GST and that is it
- A bigger job market, and room to build a business
We won’t pretend Calgary is cheaper than Regina or Saskatoon. It isn’t. What usually changes the math is the job, the taxes, and being close enough to drive home when it matters.
Is Calgary More Expensive Than Regina Or Saskatoon?
Costs go both ways. Homes cost more here, but closing costs and everyday taxes are lower.
Homes cost more here. In July 2026 the benchmark price was $349,800 in Regina and $447,600 in Saskatoon. In September 2026 the Calgary benchmark for all home types was $566,700.
On the other side of the ledger, Saskatchewan charges a land titles transfer fee of 0.4% of the price. Alberta’s registration fee is far smaller, and there is no provincial sales tax here.
The 0.4% land titles transfer fee plus the mortgage registration fee on a $500,000 purchase.
Land Titles registration for the transfer and an 80% mortgage, at the fees in place since October 2024.
No Provincial Sales Tax
Saskatchewan adds 6% PST on top of 5% GST. In Alberta it is 5% GST only, on everything you buy.
Income Tax, Compared
For 2026, Alberta’s provincial rates run from 8% to 15%, and Saskatchewan’s from 10.5% to 14.5%. Most households pay less provincial tax here; very high earners should ask their accountant.
Register For Health Care
Alberta coverage starts on the first day of the third month after you arrive. Register within three months, and check with Saskatchewan Health how long your current coverage continues.
Your Licence And Vehicle
Exchange your Saskatchewan driver’s licence and register your vehicle in Alberta within 90 days. Bringing a vehicle in means an out of province inspection first.
Sources: ISC land titles fees; Alberta Land Titles fees; Canada Revenue Agency provincial tax rates; Alberta Health Care registration; CREB monthly statistics; Association of Regina REALTORS; Saskatoon Region Association of REALTORS. Figures current as of 2026; rates and fees change, so confirm with your lawyer before you buy.
Planning The Move From Saskatchewan? Book A Relocation Call.
Tell us your timing, your budget and what you are replacing. On the phone or a video call, we will tell you honestly which Calgary or Airdrie communities fit, and if renting first is the smarter call, we will say that too.
- Which communities fit your life and your budget
- Live video walkthroughs of any home you are interested in
- An Alberta pre approval with a broker who understands a Saskatchewan job and income
- A weekend plan if you want to come and drive it first
The Free Relocation Guide
Selling there and buying here, two agents and one plan, the Alberta file, and your first 90 days. A free PDF. No email, no sign up, just open it.
Open The Guide →Where Do Saskatchewan Buyers Settle In Calgary And Airdrie?
It depends what you’re replacing. Saskatchewan buyers often want what they already have: room, a yard and neighbours who say hello. Here is where that lives.
Airdrie
A city of its own about half an hour north of Calgary, and the first stop on the drive home. More of our sales are here than anywhere else.
Airdrie Guide →
Royal Oak & Rocky Ridge
Established northwest Calgary, elevated, and straight onto the highway west. Tara has lived in both and still owns in Rocky Ridge.
Northwest Guide →Marda Loop & Altadore
Restaurants, coffee and a life you don’t need the truck for every day. Tara lives here.
Cochrane
Foothills, acreage country nearby, and a town rather than a suburb.
Cochrane Guide →Come And Drive It
It is a day’s drive from home. Come for a weekend and we will show you the communities that fit.
Plan A Weekend →Can You Buy A Calgary Home While You Still Live In Saskatchewan?
You can start from home. Plenty of our clients buy before they arrive. It works, but only if the person walking the house is honest with you, because you cannot smell a basement over video.
Start With A Broker Here
Alberta pre approval with someone who understands a Saskatchewan job and income. Tara’s husband Trevor Yerema is a mortgage broker with Advanced Mortgage, and a few others we trust are on our partners page.
Live Walkthroughs
Not a recorded tour. Real time, your questions, and we open the cupboard you are wondering about.
The Street, Not The Photos
What the block is actually like, what is being built next door, and what the listing angles are hiding.
Check Our Record
500+ homes since 2017 on one map. Zoom into the community you are considering before you trust us with any of this.
She is skilled, strategic, demonstrates marketing background and skills, communicates quickly and precisely and has a step by step process she shares in advance.
Terry J., Google review. We sold Terry’s home while she was living out of province.
Questions Saskatchewan Buyers Ask About Moving To Calgary
Is Calgary more expensive than Regina or Saskatoon?
Yes. In July 2026 the benchmark price was $349,800 in Regina and $447,600 in Saskatoon. In September 2026 the Calgary benchmark for all home types was $566,700. Airdrie and some Calgary communities close part of that gap. Tell us your budget and we will tell you what it buys on which street.
What does it cost to close on a home in Alberta compared with Saskatchewan?
Less. Saskatchewan charges a land titles transfer fee of 0.4% of the price plus a mortgage fee, about $2,250 on a $500,000 home. In Alberta the land titles registration for the transfer and an 80% mortgage is about $1,000, at the fees in place since October 2024.
How far is Calgary from Regina and Saskatoon?
About 755 km and roughly eight hours from Regina, and about 610 km and roughly seven hours from Saskatoon, so home is still a day’s drive.
Do I pay PST in Alberta?
No. Alberta has no provincial sales tax. You pay 5% GST. Saskatchewan charges 6% PST on top of GST.
How long do I have to switch my licence and health care?
Exchange your driver’s licence and register your vehicle within 90 days. Register with Alberta Health Care within three months; Alberta coverage starts on the first day of the third month after you arrive.
Should I rent first?
If you don’t know the city, six months renting in the area you think you want is rarely a mistake. It costs some money and saves you from buying in the wrong quadrant, which costs a great deal more.
Want the longer version? Read what really changes moving from Saskatchewan to Calgary or Airdrie →
More Help Moving To Calgary And Airdrie
Main Relocation Guide →
Calgary or Airdrie, the Alberta part, and how we help you buy from away.
Moving From Manitoba →
Tara grew up in Winnipeg. The prairie move from the other side.
Moving From Ontario →
No land transfer tax, and where Toronto and Ottawa buyers tend to land.
Moving From Vancouver →
What your money buys here, and buying remotely from the Lower Mainland.
Calgary To Airdrie →
Tara made that exact move in 2005 and wrote the honest version.
How We Work With Buyers →
What you get, what it costs you, and who writes your offer.
Tell Us About The Move.
Where you are moving from, what you want to spend, and what your life looks like. We will tell you which communities fit, and whether the numbers work, including if the answer is not yet. Let’s make your next move a Positive one!
Tara Molina Real Estate Group | Royal LePage Benchmark