A down payment might make homeownership feel out of reach for many Canadians, but in some cities, it can cost less than the average wedding.
Down payments are either on par or are far cheaper than the cost of saying &#8220;I do&#8221; in some parts of Canada. Real estate website Zoocasa recently published a <a href="https://www.zoocasa.com/blog/wedding-or-down-payment-2026/" target="_blank">report</a> that shows where it&#8217;s cheaper to buy a home than have a wedding. The report notes that rising costs have left couples with a difficult choice: a wedding or a home?
&#8220;For those navigating the choice between a grand celebration and a long-term investment, the financial trade-off is becoming more pronounced,&#8221; states the report.
To find out which is the more affordable choice for couples, Zoocasa compared vendor pricing information from Wedding Connect with the average down payment from the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). Mortgage costs were based on a 3.89 per cent five-year fixed rate over a 25-year amortization period.
<div id="attachment_2242258" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2242258" class="size-full wp-image-2242258" src="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2026/02/shutterstock_2522617519-scaled.jpg" alt="down payment" width="2560" height="1350" srcset="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2026/02/shutterstock_2522617519-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2026/02/shutterstock_2522617519-500x264.jpg 500w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2026/02/shutterstock_2522617519-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2026/02/shutterstock_2522617519-1536x810.jpg 1536w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2026/02/shutterstock_2522617519-2048x1080.jpg 2048w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2026/02/shutterstock_2522617519-1200x633.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />PeopleImages/Shutterstock</div>
According to Zoocasa&#8217;s findings, in seven out of 11 cities, a single wedding is either equal to or &#8220;exceeds the minimum down payment for a home in those cities.&#8221;
For example, in Montreal, the average cost of a wedding ($33,000) is on par with an average down payment ($32,330). Meanwhile, on average, couples in Regina, Sask., pay $28,000 for their big day — $11,455 more than the average down payment of $16,545.
However, in Canada&#8217;s pricier cities, weddings remain the more afforable alternative.
In Greater Vancouver, where the average home price sits at $1.1 million, and the typical down payment costs $86,480, the average wedding costs about $38,000 — less than half of the amount needed to put money down on a home. The Greater Toronto Area isn&#8217;t far behind. An average home costs $942,300, and buyers put down an average of $69,230 — far greater than the typical $35,000 wedding pricetag.
Average down payments for cities like Victoria ($61,500) and Ottawa ($36,550) are also higher than the cost of a wedding, where a couple&#8217;s big day will cost them $33,000 and $30,000, respectively.
Considering the choice they have to make between a celebration and a home amid the rising cost of living, it&#8217;s no surprise that many couples are <a href="https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/canadians-why-prioritize-home-wedding" target="_blank">prioritizing mortgages over weddings</a>.
For couples thinking of getting their foot in the door in Canada&#8217;s housing market, here are the seven cities where a down payment is either on par with or cheaper than the cost of a wedding:
<h2>7. Montreal</h2>
Home price: $573,300
Wedding: $33,000
Down payment: $32,330
Cost difference: $670
<h2>6. Calgary</h2>
Home price: $553,900
Wedding: $32,000
Down payment: $30,390
Cost difference: $1,610
<h2>5. Halifax</h2>
Home price: $469,940
Wedding: $27,000
Down payment: $23,497
Cost difference: $3,503
<h2>4. Edmonton</h2>
Home price: $408,300
Wedding: $29,000
Down payment: $20,415
Cost difference: $8,585
<h2>3. Saskatoon</h2>
Home price: $417,700
Wedding: $27,000
Down payment: $20,885
Cost difference: $6,115
<h2>2. Regina</h2>
Home price: $330,900
Wedding: $28,000
Down payment: $16,545
Cost difference: $11,455
<h2>1. Saint John</h2>
Home price: $341,100
Wedding: $26,000
Down payment: $17,055
Cost difference: $8,945
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A down payment might make homeownership feel out of reach for many Canadians, but in some cities, it can cost less than the average wedding.