The Calgary Condos With the Highest and Lowest Monthly Fees

Wahi compares median monthly maintenance fees for condo buildings throughout Calgary, ranking them from most to least expensive for homebuyers.

By Josh Sherman | 2 minute read

New analysis from digital real estate platform Wahi identifies the Calgary condo buildings with the most and least expensive monthly maintenance fees.

“For homebuyers who are considering buying a condo, maintenance fees are an important factor to consider when figuring out their budgets,” says Wahi CEO Benjy Katchen. “At the top end of the market, maintenance fees can add from $2,000 to north of $4,000 to monthly expenses,” Katchen adds.

According to Wahi’s analysis, older condo buildings in Southwest Calgary generally have the priciest fees. Wahi ranks buildings by the median maintenance fee amount for units sold in 2023, requiring a minimum of three transactions per address. The 10 most expensive median maintenance fees for Calgary condos ranged from $1,168 all the way up to $2,140 per month.

Note that a variety of factors influence condo fees. Monthly maintenance fees are calculated by the size of a unit. They reflect a unit’s proportionate share of the condo corporation’s expenses in managing the property. These condo fees cover items such as building insurance, maintenance of common elements, amenities, some utilities, and contributions to the building reserve fund, which is set aside for major repairs. The age of a building can drive up fees if more frequent repairs are needed. Older buildings may also have larger units, and the mix of units that sold in each building last year will also influence the rankings.

More than half of the condo buildings with the highest median maintenance fees were built before the year 2000, with five dating back to the ‘80s or earlier.

Meanwhile, newer buildings in Northwest Calgary typically had lower maintenance fees, with one exception in an older low-rise development. 

Of the 10 condo buildings with the lowest median monthly fees, eight were completed from 2014 onwards, including several within the past few years. Two were located within the Sage Walk development, while another two were found in the master-planned Walden Place community.

The analysis of maintenance fees in Calgary condos follows a similar study conducted by Wahi on the Greater Toronto Area that looked at one-bedroom units. In both markets, older and more luxurious condos had the highest fees, while fees for newer builds trended lower.

“Homebuyers may be attracted to the condo buildings with the lowest maintenance fees, but remember: sometimes these low fees come with special assessments if maintenance is not up to par or with fewer amenities than other similar condos.” Katchen cautions.