{"id":69896,"date":"2026-10-27T15:13:31","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T22:13:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/liv.rent\/blog\/?p=69896"},"modified":"2026-10-27T15:13:37","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T22:13:37","slug":"buy-vs-rent-barrie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/liv.rent\/blog\/renters\/buy-vs-rent-barrie\/","title":{"rendered":"Buy vs. rent in Barrie, Ontario: what renters need to know right now"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Renting beats owning on buy vs rent in Barrie, going by our October 2026 comparison. Owning a typical single-family home costs about $1,649 a month more than renting a two-bedroom before you pay down any principal, even after prices fell 4.8% in a year to $669,900 in September 2026. Buying only catches up in year 25 in liv.rent’s October 2026 calculator, and the sections below cover renters, buyers, and landlords.<\/p>\n\n

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Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Barrie right now?<\/h2>\n\n

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Our October 2026 comparison points one way, and the sections below show you how we got there. Renting a typical two-bedroom in Barrie costs less than owning a typical single-family home, both month to month and over five and 10 years. Owning doesn’t break even with renting until year 25, the last year our calculator tests, assuming 20% down and a five-year fixed rate of 5.14%, the figure RBC listed on October 19, 2026.<\/p>\n\n

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We started from the September 2026 MLS Home Price Index (HPI) single-family price for Barrie ($669,900), published by the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB). Then we set it against Statistics Canada’s two-bedroom asking rent of $2,100 a month for the second quarter of 2026. Owning costs about $3,749 a month before principal and $4,637 a month once principal is included, against $2,100 for renting. You’d also need about $153,902 in cash on closing day.<\/p>\n\n

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The one number that matters<\/h3>\n\n

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The monthly gap is about $1,649 in the first month, before principal, at October 2026 prices and rates. In Barrie, that covers interest, property tax of about $819 a month, insurance, and maintenance, beyond what the same household would pay to rent. It’s general information, not financial or legal advice.<\/p>\n\n

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What does it cost to buy in Barrie?<\/h2>\n\n

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If you buy the typical single-family home in Barrie, you’re looking at about $669,900 and about $153,902 in cash on closing day, based on September 2026 TRREB data and October 2026 mortgage rates. The mortgage on the remaining $535,920 comes to about $3,160 a month at the 5.14% five-year fixed rate RBC listed on October 19, 2026. That payment doesn’t include property tax, insurance, or maintenance.<\/p>\n\n

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The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board’s Simcoe County Market Watch<\/a> for September 2026 shows Barrie with 130 sales, an average price of $686,941 across all home types, 5.2 months of inventory, and 888 active listings. TRREB’s HPI put the single-family price at $669,900 (down 4.77% from a year earlier) and the composite price at $617,100 (down 5.14%). Since the comparison prices a house, the $669,900 single-family figure is the one we use.<\/p>\n\n

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Cost to buy<\/strong><\/td>Amount<\/strong><\/td>Basis and date<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead>
Home price (single-family MLS HPI)<\/td>$669,900<\/td>TRREB, Barrie, September 2026<\/td><\/tr>
Down payment (20%)<\/td>$133,980<\/td>Modelling assumption<\/td><\/tr>
Mortgage<\/td>$535,920<\/td>Price less down payment<\/td><\/tr>
Mortgage payment (principal and interest)<\/td>$3,160 a month<\/td>5.14%, 25-year amortization, RBC, October 19, 2026<\/td><\/tr>
Property tax<\/td>$9,831 a year<\/td>City of Barrie 2026 residential rate, applied to price<\/td><\/tr>
Ontario land transfer tax<\/td>$9,873<\/td>Provincial rates, ontario.ca<\/td><\/tr>
Closing allowance (1.5%)<\/td>$10,049<\/td>Modelling allowance<\/td><\/tr>
Upfront cash needed<\/td>$153,902<\/td>Down payment plus closing allowance plus land transfer tax<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

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How is Barrie property tax calculated here?<\/h3>\n\n

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The City of Barrie’s 2026 tax rates table<\/a> sets the residential rate at 1.314503% for the City and 0.153% for education, or 1.467503% in total. The table is Appendix A to staff report CCS-010-2026, behind by-law 2026-044, which passed April 29, 2026. Applied to the $669,900 price, that works out to about $9,831 a year, or $819 a month, for 2026.<\/p>\n\n

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The $9,831 is a cautious figure. The City<\/a> says 2026 assessments from the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) are still based on a January 1, 2016 valuation date. Barrie assessments therefore sit well below current market values, and a rate applied to a September 2026 price overstates the bill for a home assessed lower. BarrieToday<\/a> reported in December 2025 that a typical Barrie home was assessed at $372,000, which comes to about $5,459 a year at the 2026 total rate. Run our October 2026 comparison again with $5,459 a year in property tax, and the first-month gap before principal drops from $1,649 to $1,284 and break-even moves from year 25 to year 19. Renting still costs less over five years ($210,241 against $131,142) and 10 years ($353,819 against $275,933).<\/p>\n\n

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What does Ontario land transfer tax add?<\/h3>\n\n

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On a $669,900 purchase, Ontario’s provincial land transfer tax comes to $9,873. It’s charged at 0.5% on the first $55,000, 1% up to $250,000, 1.5% up to $400,000, and 2% above that, as ontario.ca<\/a> (page updated April 22, 2026) lays out. First-time buyers can claim a refund of up to $4,000, though not every buyer qualifies, so we’ve left it out of our totals.<\/p>\n\n

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What does it cost to rent in Barrie?<\/h2>\n\n

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If you rent a two-bedroom apartment in Barrie, the average asking rent was $2,100 a month in the second quarter of 2026, according to Statistics Canada table 46-10-0092-01<\/a> (released September 9, 2026). We used the $2,100 figure in the Barrie comparison. The same table shows $2,140 in the first quarter of 2026 and $2,180 in the fourth quarter of 2025, and asking rents have eased for two quarters. Statistics Canada’s June 9, 2026 chart<\/a> showed Barrie’s average two-bedroom asking rent up 0.9% from a year earlier in the first quarter of 2026, while the average across all census metropolitan areas fell 0.9%.<\/p>\n\n

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CMHC’s Housing Market Information Portal<\/a> adds some context on vacancy. It shows a rate of 4.2% for purpose-built row and apartment units in Barrie in CMHC’s October 2025 survey, and 3.6% for two-bedroom units. The average two-bedroom rent in that survey was $1,749. The $1,749 isn’t directly comparable with the $2,100 asking rent. CMHC’s survey covers purpose-built buildings, many with long-time tenants, whereas asking rents reflect listings advertised today. Statistics Canada labels the Barrie asking-rent estimates experimental.<\/p>\n\n

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How do the monthly costs compare?<\/h2>\n\n

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In the first month, renting a Barrie two-bedroom would cost you about $2,100, and owning would cost about $3,749 before principal. Once principal is included, owning comes to about $4,637. That’s a gap of about $1,649 a month before principal and $2,537 after it, at October 2026 prices and rates.<\/p>\n\n

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Monthly cost, month one<\/strong><\/td>Amount<\/strong><\/td>Gap versus renting<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead>
Renting a two-bedroom<\/td>$2,100<\/td>Not applicable<\/td><\/tr>
Owning: running cost (interest, tax, insurance, maintenance)<\/td>$3,749<\/td>$1,649 more<\/td><\/tr>
Owning: all-in payment including principal<\/td>$4,637<\/td>$2,537 more<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

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Of the $3,749 running cost, property tax is about $819 a month, insurance is $100, and maintenance is about $558, with mortgage interest covering the rest. The $888 gap between the two owner lines in month one is principal repaid. That builds equity, though it still leaves your account each month. All figures use October 2026 rates, September 2026 TRREB prices, and the City of Barrie’s 2026 tax rate.<\/p>\n\n

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When does buying catch up in Barrie?<\/h2>\n\n

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In liv.rent’s October 2026 calculator, buying pulls even in year 25 for a typical Barrie house. After five years, owning has a net cost of $232,993 against $131,142 in rent. After 10 years, it’s $401,692 against $275,933.<\/p>\n\n

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Horizon<\/strong><\/td>Net cost of owning<\/strong><\/td>Cumulative rent<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead>
Five years<\/td>$232,993<\/td>$131,142<\/td><\/tr>
10 years<\/td>$401,692<\/td>$275,933<\/td><\/tr>
Break-even<\/td>Year 25<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

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Net cost of owning combines mortgage interest, closing costs, land transfer tax, selling costs, property tax, insurance, and maintenance. It adds the return the upfront cash could have earned elsewhere and subtracts the gain in the home’s $669,900 price. In October 2026 terms, the gap widens to about $126,000 at 10 years. It then narrows to about $120,000 at 15 years and $76,000 at 20 years, as the mortgage balance falls and the home gains 2.0% a year in value.<\/p>\n\n

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What would change the result?<\/h3>\n\n

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A lower mortgage rate would bring break-even earlier than year 25. Lower property tax would do the same, as would home prices rising faster than 2.0% a year. Property tax matters most in Barrie: every $1,000 a year of tax removed lowers the monthly gap by about $83 in October 2026. Falling prices, like the drop TRREB showed for September 2026, push the other way.<\/p>\n\n

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What do renters and buyers need to know in Ontario?<\/h2>\n\n

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If you rent in Barrie, Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 is what governs your rent increases. On ontario.ca<\/a> (page updated June 23, 2026), the guideline is 2.1% for 2026 and 1.9% for 2027. Your landlord needs to give you at least 90 days’ written notice, in the proper form, before an increase starts. Most increases also need 12 months to have passed since the last one or since the tenancy began.<\/p>\n\n

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Who does the guideline cover?<\/h3>\n\n

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Most private rentals fall under the guideline, the Ontario government says, but a unit whose first residential occupancy came after November 15, 2018 is exempt. Our Rental Laws section<\/a> goes into the wider rules.<\/p>\n\n

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What changed at the Landlord and Tenant Board in September 2026?<\/h3>\n\n

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The Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) lists September 21, 2026 as the date amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 took effect under Bill 60 (the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act) and Bill 97. In its operational update<\/a>, the LTB says an N4 notice for non-payment of rent now carries a seven-day notice period instead of 14, for notices given from that date onward. An N12 for the landlord’s own use no longer brings a duty to pay compensation or offer another acceptable unit when the landlord gives at least 120 days’ notice. Where notice is shorter, the existing compensation rules continue to apply, and an N12 for a purchaser’s own use falls outside the change.<\/p>\n\n

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What should buyers know?<\/h3>\n\n

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At closing in Barrie, you’ll owe $9,873 in Ontario’s provincial land transfer tax on a $669,900 home, going by the rates ontario.ca lists as of April 22, 2026. A first-time buyer can claim a refund of up to $4,000 by meeting the conditions. One is occupying the home as a principal residence within nine months of the transfer, as ontario.ca<\/a> explains (page updated February 10, 2026). Our Rental Resources section<\/a> goes further for renters.<\/p>\n\n

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Who is better off renting, and who is better off buying in Barrie?<\/h2>\n\n

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Which side you land on depends on your plans. Renting suits most Barrie households that want to keep their cash invested, may move for work, or don’t plan to stay close to 25 years. Buying suits households that expect to stay 25 years or longer and value control over their home more than the lowest monthly cost. They also need the roughly $153,902 in upfront cash that October 2026 prices call for, without draining savings. That’s general information, not financial advice.<\/p>\n\n

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If you rent<\/h3>\n\n

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If you rent, the October 2026 numbers favour you. Prices are falling and the monthly gap is about $1,649 before principal. That gap only helps if it’s saved or invested.<\/p>\n\n

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If you are a landlord<\/h3>\n\n

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If you’re a landlord, owning costs about $1,649 a month more than renting before principal as of October 2026. With asking rents easing, a unit priced above comparable Barrie listings can sit empty. The guideline limits what a landlord can raise for a sitting tenant in a covered unit (2.1% for 2026, 1.9% for 2027), but rent on a new tenancy is set by agreement at turnover. The landlord resources on liv.rent<\/a> have more guidance for landlords.<\/p>\n\n

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If you are deciding between Barrie and another Ontario city<\/h3>\n\n

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We run every city through the same method. Each city’s price, tax, and rent come from its own local sources: Barrie’s price from TRREB, its tax from the City of Barrie, and its rent from Statistics Canada. Our buy vs rent comparison for Windsor<\/a> and our comparison for Kingston<\/a> use the same assumptions as this one.<\/p>\n\n

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How we calculated this<\/h2>\n\n

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Every city in this comparison goes through the same calculator with the same assumptions, so the only things that change from place to place are four local numbers: the home price, the yearly property tax, the monthly rent, and the transfer tax. These are assumptions for comparison, not a quote or advice. We haven’t modelled mortgage qualification (the stress test), and we’ve left out condo fees.<\/p>\n\n

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Assumption<\/strong><\/td>Value<\/strong><\/td>Basis<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead>
Mortgage rate<\/td>5.14% fixed, five-year term, compounded semi-annually<\/td>RBC special rate for five-year fixed closed mortgages (25-year amortization or less), rbcroyalbank.com, recorded October 19, 2026. Context only: Bank of Canada policy rate 2.25% (held September 2, 2026; next announcement October 28, 2026); lowest broker insured five-year fixed about 4.34% (Ratehub, October 9, 2026).<\/td><\/tr>
Down payment<\/td>20% of price, no mortgage default insurance<\/td>Modelling assumption<\/td><\/tr>
Amortization<\/td>25 years<\/td>Modelling assumption<\/td><\/tr>
Closing costs<\/td>1.5% of price, plus the province’s land transfer tax or registration fee (local input)<\/td>Modelling allowance (legal, inspection, title insurance, adjustments)<\/td><\/tr>
Home insurance<\/td>$1,200 a year<\/td>Modelling allowance, not a quote<\/td><\/tr>
Maintenance<\/td>1% of price a year<\/td>Modelling allowance<\/td><\/tr>
Home price growth<\/td>2.0% a year<\/td>Neutral assumption equal to the Bank of Canada’s 2% inflation target<\/td><\/tr>
Rent growth<\/td>2.0% a year<\/td>Same neutral assumption (provincial caps differ; real rents may rise faster or slower)<\/td><\/tr>
Property tax, insurance and maintenance growth<\/td>2.0% a year<\/td>Same neutral assumption<\/td><\/tr>
Return on upfront cash<\/td>3.0% a year<\/td>Modelling assumption<\/td><\/tr>
Selling costs<\/td>5% of sale price at the end of the horizon<\/td>Modelling allowance<\/td><\/tr>
Headline horizon<\/td>Five years (10-year total also shown; break-even searched to 25 years)<\/td>Modelling choice<\/td><\/tr>
Source month<\/td>October 2026<\/td>Rates recorded October 19, 2026; home prices September 2026 or latest board month<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

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If you want to check our work, these are Barrie’s four local numbers. Price: a single-family MLS Home Price Index price of $669,900 (TRREB, September 2026). Property tax: $9,831 a year (City of Barrie 2026 total residential rate of 1.467503%, applied to the price). Rent: $2,100 a month (Statistics Canada average asking rent for a two-bedroom apartment, second quarter of 2026). Transfer tax: Ontario land transfer tax of $9,873 (ontario.ca rates). We recorded the rates at the RBC mortgage rates page<\/a> and the Bank of Canada<\/a> on October 19, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Barrie, Ontario right now?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t
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Renting is the cheaper option in Barrie in October 2026. A typical two-bedroom asks about $2,100 a month, while owning a typical single-family home costs about $3,749 a month before principal and $4,637 including it, based on September 2026 prices and RBC’s 5.14% rate. Renting also comes out cheaper over five and 10 years.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

How much cash do I need to buy a house in Barrie?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t
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Based on the September 2026 MLS Home Price Index single-family price of $669,900, you’d need about $153,902 in October 2026. That covers a 20% down payment of $133,980, a 1.5% closing allowance of $10,049, and $9,873 of Ontario land transfer tax. A first-time buyer’s refund isn’t included in that total.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

How much does a two-bedroom apartment cost to rent in Barrie?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t
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Statistics Canada reported an average asking rent of $2,100 a month for a Barrie two-bedroom apartment in the second quarter of 2026, down from $2,140 in the first quarter, when the year-over-year change was up 0.9%. These are experimental estimates based on current listings, not on what sitting tenants pay.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

When does buying become cheaper than renting in Barrie?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t
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In liv.rent<\/a>‘s October 2026 calculator, buying catches up with renting in year 25. After five years, owning has a net cost of $232,993 against $131,142 in rent, and after 10 years it’s $401,692 against $275,933. A lower property tax bill or mortgage rate would bring break-even sooner.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

How much can a landlord raise the rent in Ontario in 2026 and 2027?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t
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Ontario’s guideline is 2.1% for 2026 and 1.9% for 2027, per ontario.ca<\/a>. Ontario landlords must give written notice in the proper form at least 90 days before an increase, and in most cases 12 months must have passed since the last one. A unit occupied for the first time for residential purposes after November 15, 2018 is exempt.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\n