How Much Does a Piano Cost? New and Used Prices in Canada

The honest range is absurd — from free to $200,000 — because "a piano" spans a 1920s upright nobody wants and a Steinway concert grand. For the pianos most Canadian families actually consider, the useful numbers are narrower: a good used upright runs $1,500–$5,000; a new entry-level acoustic upright $6,000–$10,000; a used baby grand $5,000–$15,000; a new one $15,000–$40,000. Here's the full 2026 picture by type, what moves the price, and the costs that arrive with the piano.

Uprights (vertical pianos)

Used — the value tier. The Canadian used market is a buyer's paradise. Ordinary older uprights: $0–$800, often free. Good Canadian golden-era pianos (Heintzman, Mason & Risch) in sound condition: $600–$2,500. The reliable Japanese uprights teachers recommend — Yamaha U1/U3, Kawai K-series — $1,800–$6,500 depending on size and age. European names used: $3,000–$12,000. (The brand tiers, honestly.)

New. Entry-level acoustic uprights from the major makers: $6,000–$10,000. Mid-range (taller, better actions): $10,000–$18,000. Premium uprights (Yamaha's top series, Kawai's, European makes): $18,000–$40,000+.

Baby grands and grands

Used baby grands (under about 5'6"): $5,000–$15,000 for Japanese and quality American makes in good condition; less for older or lesser names; more for Steinway, Bösendorfer, and the top Europeans ($20,000–$60,000+ used).

New baby grands: entry models $15,000–$25,000; Yamaha and Kawai mid-size grands $30,000–$70,000; Steinway and the European elite $90,000–$200,000+. Concert grands (9 feet) are a different world — six figures, nearly always institutional.

Digital pianos (for comparison)

Hammer-action digitals that genuinely serve a student: $800–$2,000. Hybrid and furniture-cabinet digitals: $2,000–$8,000. No tuning costs, limited lifespan (10–20 years), little resale value. (The honest comparison.)

What moves the price

Brand and era set the tier; condition sets the price within it — a well-kept Kawai beats a neglected Steinway as a purchase. Size: taller uprights and longer grands cost more and sound better; a 52-inch upright often out-sings a 5-foot baby grand. Age matters less than people think: a 1980 Yamaha from a stable living room beats a 2005 budget piano from a damp basement. Grey-market status (Japanese domestic pianos imported used) should lower the price.

The costs that come with the piano

Budget these on top of the sticker:

• Moving: $300–$500 for a local upright move in the GTA; grands and stairs cost more. (New pianos usually include delivery.)
• First tuning: $160 after it settles in two to four weeks; a used piano often needs a pitch raise instead ($230). New pianos need three or four tunings in year one.
• Bench: an adjustable one, $100–$250 — most used pianos come with a fixed bench that fits nobody.
• Caster cups and a hygrometer: $40–$60.
• Humidifier: $60–$150 — the best investment in the piano's lifespan.
• Pre-purchase inspection on any used piano over about $1,000: $75, which is the cheapest line on this list and prevents the most expensive mistake. Details.

Realistic all-in for a good used upright: $2,500–$6,000. For a "free" piano done right: $600–$900 (the honest math).

Which to buy

For most families starting out: a used Japanese upright, inspected, is the smart money — real instrument, decades of life, strong resale. Rent first if commitment is uncertain (the math). Buy new when you want warranty and pristine condition and will keep it twenty years. Buy a grand when the room, the player, and the budget all agree.

Common questions

How much is a decent piano?
A decent used upright — Yamaha, Kawai, or a good Canadian make in sound condition — costs $1,500–$5,000 in Canada. New entry-level acoustic uprights start around $6,000.

How much does a baby grand piano cost?
Used: $5,000–$15,000 for quality Japanese and American makes; new: $15,000–$40,000 for entry to mid-range, far more for Steinway and the European elite.

Is a cheap piano worth buying?
Often — if it holds a tuning. Condition matters more than price; a $600 golden-era Canadian upright from a stable room can be a better piano than a $3,000 neglected one. A $75 inspection tells you which you've found.