What a home costs in Hamilton, what you pay to close, and how much a physician program lets you buy.
Benchmark price for Hamilton, July 2026, from the REALTORS Association of Hamilton-Burlington, MLS HPI. Board-wide figure covering Hamilton, Burlington, Haldimand and Niagara North. Other cities show the MLS Home Price Index benchmark unless marked. Figures reviewed August 2026.
A physician program could add
$0
to the home you can buy.
Estimate at 4.49%, stress tested at 6.49%, with 10% down, below the $1.5M insured limit.
Hamilton buyers pay only the Ontario provincial land transfer tax, with no municipal surcharge. On an $800,000 home the provincial LTT is roughly $12,500 before the first-time buyer rebate. Closing costs are far lower than in Toronto, where a municipal tax is layered on top.
Sources: Ontario Ministry of Finance, calculating land transfer tax; Ontario, land transfer tax refunds for first-time homebuyers. Rates reviewed August 2026.
Physician programs qualify residents on $185,000 in PGY-1 and PGY-2 and $225,000 from PGY-3, not on these salaries.
PARO, PARO-OTH arbitration decision, September 24, 2024, in effect from July 2025. The agreement expired June 30, 2026. PARO states its terms, including salary, stay in effect until a new agreement is reached. No 2026 grid had been published when this table was reviewed.
Is Hamilton more affordable than Toronto for physicians?
Generally yes. Hamilton prices are more attainable than the GTA core, and buyers pay only the Ontario provincial land transfer tax with no municipal surcharge, so both purchase price and closing costs are lower than in Toronto.
Should a McMaster resident buy during training?
For McMaster's longer programs in a same-city stay, buying during residency under a physician program often makes sense. Projected-income qualification lets a resident buy at attending-level capacity, and Hamilton prices keep the decision realistic.
