During the year 2020, household average net savings in Canada peaked in the second quarter for each income group. Compared to the other groups, households ranked in the highest income quintile displayed considerably higher average net savings during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As of the second quarter of 2020, households belonging to this income group reported on average net savings for 17,633 Canadian dollars.

The average mortgage payment across all Canadian metros declined in 2023. In the third quarter of the year, Vancouver and Toronto topped the ranking of highest mortgage payment costs. Homebuyers in Vancouver had to pay, on average, 2,410 Canadian dollars monthly, while in Toronto, the average monthly scheduled mortgage payment was 2,318 Canadian dollars. Canada’s housing market House prices in Canada vary widely across the country. In 2023, the average sales price of detached single-family homes in Vancouver was nearly three times as expensive as the national average. Vancouver is undoubtedly considered the least affordable housing market: In 2021, the cost of buying a home with a 25-year mortgage in Canada was approximately 45 percent of the median household income, whereas in Vancouver, it was nearly 64 percent. Development of house prices The development of house prices depends on multiple factors, such as availability on the market and demand. Since 2005, house prices in Canada have been continuously growing. According to the MSL composite house price index, 2021 measured the highest house price increase.

Of the G7 countries, Japan had the highest net debt in terms of share of gross domestic product (GDP) between 2010 and 2024. That year, Japan's government's net debt reached an estimated 156 percent of its total GDP. Italy had the second highest debt rate at 127 percent of its GDP, whereas Canada had the lowest at only 14 percent.

Mortgage interest rates worldwide varied greatly in 2024, from less than four percent in many European countries, to as high as 44 percent in Turkey. The average mortgage rate in a country depends on the central bank's base lending rate and macroeconomic indicators such as inflation and forecast economic growth. Since 2022, inflationary pressures have led to rapid increase in mortgage interest rates. Which are the leading mortgage markets? An easy way to estimate the importance of the mortgage sector in each country is by comparing household debt depth, or the ratio of the debt held by households compared to the county's GDP. In 2023, Switzerland, Australia, and Canada had some of the highest household debt to GDP ratios worldwide. While this indicator shows the size of the sector relative to the country’s economy, the value of mortgages outstanding allows to compare the market size in different countries. In Europe, for instance, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France were the largest mortgage markets by outstanding mortgage lending. Mortgage lending trends in the U.S. In the United States, new mortgage lending soared in 2021. This was largely due to the growth of new refinance loans that allow homeowners to renegotiate their mortgage terms and replace their existing loan with a more favorable one. Following the rise in interest rates, the mortgage market cooled, and refinance loans declined.

Portugal, Canada, and the United States were the countries with the highest house price to income ratio in 2023. In all three countries, the index exceeded 130 index points, while the average for all OECD countries stood at 117.5 index points. The index measures the development of housing affordability and is calculated by dividing nominal house price by nominal disposable income per head, with 2015 set as a base year when the index amounted to 100. An index value of 120, for example, would mean that house price growth has outpaced income growth by 20 percent since 2015. How have house prices worldwide changed since the COVID-19 pandemic? House prices started to rise gradually after the global financial crisis (2007–2008), but this trend accelerated with the pandemic. The countries with advanced economies, which usually have mature housing markets, experienced stronger growth than countries with emerging economies. Real house price growth (accounting for inflation) peaked in 2022 and has since lost some of the gain. Although, many countries experienced a decline in house prices, the global house price index shows that property prices in 2023 were still substantially higher than before COVID-19. Renting vs. buying In the past, house prices have grown faster than rents. However, the home affordability has been declining notably, with a direct impact on rental prices. As people struggle to buy a property of their own, they often turn to rental accommodation. This has resulted in a growing demand for rental apartments and soaring rental prices.