Cost of living in Belgium
Summary of cost of living in Belgium
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: €4,283
- Single person estimated monthly costs: €2,096
- Cost of living in Belgium is more expensive than in 73% of countries in Western Europe (5 out of 15)
- Cost of living in Belgium is more expensive than in 82% of countries in the World (12 out of 61)
Change the currency:
| Food | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | €19 | ||
| Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | €11 | ||
| 500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | €5.57 | ||
| 1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | €1.28 | ||
| 12 eggs, large | €3.54 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | €2.84 | ||
| 500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | €6 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | €2.59 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | €2.11 | ||
| 0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | €2.08 | ||
| 1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | €8 | ||
| 2 liters of coca-cola | €3.05 | ||
| Bread for 2 people for 1 day | €2.00 | ||
| Housing | |||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | €1,505 | ||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | €1,249 | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | €271 | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | €873 | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | €663 | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | €154 | ||
| Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | €50 | ||
| 40” flat screen tv | €302 | ||
| Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | €110 | ||
| Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | €17 | ||
| Hourly rate for cleaning help | €12 | ||
| Clothes | |||
| 1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | €88 | ||
| 1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | €42 | ||
| 1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | €101 | ||
| 1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | €129 | ||
| Transportation | |||
| Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | €32,008 | ||
| 1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | €1.68 | ||
| Monthly ticket public transport | €52 | ||
| Personal Care | |||
| Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | €12 | ||
| 1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | €14 | ||
| Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | €32 | ||
| 1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | €5.29 | ||
| Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | €9 | ||
| Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | €4.92 | ||
| 4 rolls of toilet paper | €1.60 | ||
| Tube of toothpaste | €4.00 | ||
| Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | €27 | ||
| Entertainment | |||
| Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | €43 | ||
| 2 tickets to the movies | €26 | ||
| 2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | €90 | ||
| Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | €94 | ||
| 1 cocktail drink in downtown club | €12 | ||
| Cappuccino in expat area of the city | €3.51 | ||
| 1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | €5.03 | ||
| Ipad wi-fi 128gb | €561 | ||
| 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | €0.25 | ||
| 1 month of gym membership in business district | €31 | ||
| 1 package of marlboro cigarettes | €10 | ||
Moving to Belgium with your children?
International Schools in Belgium
Map of Cost of Living in Belgium
This map shows only the top cities in Belgium. We also have on this page a list of all the cities available in Expatistan:
List of all the cities available in Expatistan
The color of each marker corresponds with the cost of living in the city red markers show more expensive cities green ones show cheaper cities
Moving the mouse on top of a city will show its name and the Cost of Living Index of that city.
What is the Cost of Living Index? To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a
central reference city (that happens to be Prague).
Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the
database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.
Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Cost of Living Ranking in Belgium
(top cities by data quality)
| Ranking | City | Price Index * |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Brussels | 133 |
| 2nd | Antwerp | 119 |
| 3rd | Ghent | 113 |
| 4th | Leuven | 111 |
Price Index:
To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a central reference city (that happens to be Prague). Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Are you moving to Belgium? Do you know how much money you will need there to maintain your current standard of living?
Find out what is the real equivalent in Belgium of your current salary and improve your chances of a happy relocation.
Get a salary calculation for:
Recent Comparisons
- Cost of living in Brussels is 12% more expensive than in Barcelona, Spain
- Cost of living in Brussels is 33% more expensive than in Cascais
- Cost of living in Brussels is 17% more expensive than in Madrid
- Cost of living in Brussels is 53% more expensive than in Tucumán
- Cost of living in Brussels is 32% more expensive than in Mar del Plata
- Cost of living in Brussels is about the same as in Berlin
- Cost of living in Brussels is 29% more expensive than in Abidjan
- Cost of living in Namur is 8% cheaper than in San Sebastian
- Cost of living in Brussels is 92% more expensive than in Machala
- Cost of living in Brussels is 40% cheaper than in Mountain View, California
- Cost of living in Brussels is 15% cheaper than in Perth
- Cost of living in Brussels is 144% more expensive than in Hanoi
- Cost of living in Brussels is 19% cheaper than in Brighton and Hove
- Cost of living in Brussels is 11% cheaper than in Warsaw
- Cost of living in Brussels is 136% more expensive than in Gramado
- Cost of living in Brussels is 73% more expensive than in Cluj-Napoca
- Cost of living in Brussels is 198% more expensive than in Gwalior
- Cost of living in Brussels is 29% more expensive than in Split
- Cost of living in Brussels is 241% more expensive than in Thrissur
- Cost of living in Brussels is 35% cheaper than in Honolulu, Hawaii
Compare other countries
Prices recently added
- 1 pack of marlboro cigarettes in Antwerp costs €11 (about 13 hours ago)
- 600 g of bread in Leuven costs €1.25 (1 day ago)
- 12 eggs, large in Leuven costs €2.85 (1 day ago)
- 500 g of boneless chicken breast in Leuven costs €6.00 (1 day ago)
- Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) in Leuven costs €11 (1 day ago)
- Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district in Leuven costs €19 (1 day ago)
- Cappuccino in expat area of the city in Leuven costs €3.80 (1 day ago)
- 1 pack of marlboro cigarettes in Brussels costs €12 (9 days ago)