At the Saskatchewan REALTORS Association's citywide benchmark of $444,700, which sits below the $500,000 threshold, the whole purchase price qualifies for the 5 percent minimum, so the down payment math stays simple for most buyers shopping near the average.
Above $500,000, the math splits: 5 percent on the first $500,000 and 10 percent on everything past it, which raises the total down payment required faster than the price itself rises, since that second tier applies only to the excess, not the whole price.
Whichever side of that line your target house falls on changes the real number you need to save, so it is worth checking before you set a budget. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.