Burnaby Housing Affordability 2026
$1,105,000 average price, 11.4x estimated after-tax income, $3,120/mo rent, and a 30/100 affordability score.
Burnaby's average home price is $1,105,000, equal to 11.4x estimated after-tax income. That ranks Burnaby 8 of 76 markets for price-to-net-income pressure in this tracker. The gross price-to-income multiple is 10x, which remains the more relevant measure for mortgage qualification.
10-Year Home Price Trend: Burnaby
*Historical data reflects British Columbia provincial averages as a representative proxy for local market velocity.
Market Summary
"Burnaby's housing market is best read through the payment gap: local prices sit at 11.4x estimated after-tax income, while the estimated mortgage payment is 4,834 dollars per month before taxes and ownership costs."
Affordability Math
After-tax income is a province-normalized estimate using the 2023 economic-family after-tax-to-total-income relationship in Statistics Canada Table 11-10-0237-01. It supports market comparison, not a personal tax calculation.
What This Means
For buyers, Burnaby is a payment test first and a price forecast second: owning carries an estimated $1,714 monthly premium before taxes, fees, insurance, maintenance, and condo costs. pricing is not moving enough to solve affordability on its own.
For renters, average rent is $3,120, or about 33.9% of median income. That keeps rent pressure above the common 30% affordability line.
For owners, the key renewal question is whether a household can carry a $4,834 estimated payment without stretching amortization too far or relying on future rate cuts.
Top Affordability Challenges
- 111.4x price-to-after-tax-income ratio puts Burnaby at rank 8 of 76 for net-income pressure
- 2$221,000 estimated 20% down payment before closing costs
- 3$193,360 rough income needed if mortgage payments are capped near 30% of gross income
- 433.9% rent-to-income ratio leaves renters with limited room to save a down payment
- 51.5% vacancy rate suggests limited rental slack
Market Outlook
Burnaby ranks 8 of 76 cities for price-to-income pressure in this tracker. That makes the market severely stretched, with year-over-year price movement of +1.2%.
Burnaby Housing FAQ
Is Burnaby affordable for home buyers in 2026?
Burnaby is severely stretched in this tracker. The average price is $1,105,000, which is 10 times local median income, and the estimated 20%-down mortgage payment is $4,834 per month.
How much income is needed to buy in Burnaby?
A rough payment-only screen points to about $193,360 of gross household income if mortgage payments are kept near 30% of income. Buyers still need to add property tax, insurance, utilities, repairs, condo fees where applicable, and closing costs.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Burnaby?
Based on this dataset, the estimated mortgage payment is $1,714 higher than average rent before non-mortgage ownership costs. That makes renting the lower monthly outlay for many households unless they have a large down payment or a long holding period.
How does Burnaby compare with other Canadian cities?
Burnaby ranks 8 of 76 cities by price-to-income pressure in this tracker. Its 10x multiple is 3.9 points above the tracker median of 6.1x.
Calculate Your Specific Path
Use our Land Transfer Tax and Mortgage Payment calculators to see how Burnaby's prices impact your specific budget.