Last update: Nov 2026 11.6M

Cost of Living in Belgium

Name: Belgium
Address: BE

Across Belgium, living costs for one person average $2,195 a month, including rent and utilities, which take about half of the total. Other living expenses average about $36 a day.

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🇧🇪 Belgium

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Belgium

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Belgium actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Average monthly costs for a single person come to about $2,195 including rent across Belgium.

$2,195 /mo

Estimated average monthly cost for a couple: $3,239 including rent across Belgium.

$3,239 /mo

Average monthly costs for a family of three come to about $4,283 including rent across Belgium.

$4,283 /mo

Living costs in Belgium vary widely – from $1,788 in the most affordable city to $2,602 in the most expensive one, spanning a $814 range across 51 cities.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.96 €19.65

$16.47 €14.74

$38.43 €34.39

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.5 €80.1

$67.1 €60.1

$134 €120

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.62 €12.18

$11.35 €10.15

$15.88 €14.21

Cappuccino

$4.08 €3.65

$2.73 €2.45

$5.46 €4.88

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €3.03

$2.78 €2.49

$4.45 €3.99

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 €2.74

$2.29 €2.05

$4.59 €4.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.67 €5.07

$3.41 €3.05

$7.38 €6.60

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 €5.05

$3.96 €3.54

$6.77 €6.06

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.12

$0.87 €0.78

$1.85 €1.65

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 €2.23

$1.38 €1.23

$4.44 €3.97

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 €2.06

$1.10 €0.99

$3.31 €2.96

Eggs

$4.00 €3.58

$2.56 €2.29

$6.54 €5.85

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.81 €14.15

$7.75 €6.93

$28.34 €25.35

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.21 €10.93

$7.92 €7.09

$14.72 €13.17

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.69 €18.52

$13.56 €12.14

$33.90 €30.33

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 €2.52

$1.45 €1.30

$3.96 €3.54

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 €2.16

$1.47 €1.32

$3.41 €3.05

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 €2.48

$1.50 €1.35

$5.08 €4.55

Tomato (1kg)

$3.30 €2.95

$1.66 €1.49

$6.64 €5.94

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 €2.12

$1.15 €1.03

$3.44 €3.08

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.62

$1.13 €1.01

$2.55 €2.28

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.36

$1.09 €0.98

$2.18 €1.95

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 €0.95

$0.44 €0.40

$1.97 €1.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.30 €11.90

$11.34 €10.15

$14.75 €13.20

Wine (Bottle)

$8.88 €7.94

$5.57 €4.99

$13.39 €11.98

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 €1.72

$1.15 €1.03

$3.47 €3.10

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 €2.03

$1.10 €0.99

$3.31 €2.96

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.45 €3.08

$2.76 €2.47

$3.45 €3.08

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.4 €54.0

$40.72 €36.44

$64.8 €57.9

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.55 €4.96

$2.89 €2.58

$11.10 €9.93

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.75 €2.46

$2.29 €2.05

$3.43 €3.07

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.85 €40.13

$35.88 €32.10

$51.6 €46.16

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 €1.76

$1.74 €1.55

$2.23 €1.99

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.3K €31.5K

$35.3K €31.6K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.8K €32.0K

$33.6K €30.0K

$39.1K €35.0K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$235 €210

$154 €138

$375 €335

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.77 €20.37

$11.09 €9.93

$44.36 €39.69

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.2 €48.49

$39.40 €35.26

$73.2 €65.5

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.14 €30.55

$27.42 €24.53

$54.9 €49.08

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.33 €19.08

$11.26 €10.08

$28.15 €25.19

Cinema Ticket

$15.50 €13.87

$12.36 €11.06

$17.97 €16.08

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,055 €944

$556 €498

$1,864 €1,668

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.9K €25.9K

$18.2K €16.2K

$48.6K €43.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €94.2

$67.1 €60.0

$134 €120

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.63 €43.51

$28.36 €25.38

$68.1 €60.9

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €94.7

$66.3 €59.3

$141 €127

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 €130

$88.5 €79.2

$252 €226

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 €883

$778 €696

$1,376 €1,231

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$861 €770

$676 €605

$1,141 €1,021

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,527 €1,366

$1,113 €996

$2,541 €2,274

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 €1,124

$997 €892

$2,171 €1,943

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,430 €3,964

$3,331 €2,981

$5,552 €4,968

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,098 €2,772

$2,488 €2,226

$3,872 €3,465

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,085 €2,761

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.65

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Belgium $2,195

Accommodation & Living

$861 39.2%

Groceries & Markets

$351 16%

Eating Out

$331 15.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

$312 14.2%

Clothing & Footwear

$182 8.3%

Getting Around

$93 4.3%

Sport & Entertainment

$65 3%

Cost Breakdown

Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center: $929 in Belgium. For reference, capital rent is $1,359 in Brussels, and $768 in Roeselare.

National average salary: $2,924. With average costs at $2,195, most workers manage but need to budget carefully.

Expect to spend about $339 monthly on groceries. Dining out at a mid-range restaurant averages $89 for two.

In Brussels (capital), expect about $2,602 per month, while Roeselare offers the lowest costs at $1,788 – which city you pick has a tangible effect on the budget.

Cost Highlights

Overall cost of living ($2,195) is 62% above the global median of $1,352.

Average rent ($929) is 40% above the global median of $664.

Dinner for two at a restaurant ($89) is 89% above the global median of $47.

Public transport ($54) is 64% above the global median of $33.

Good to know

🕒 Local time

23:23 11:23 PM

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,584,008

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

By City in Belgium

Lowest

Highest

Rank	City	Population	Living Index	Solo costs (no rent) / month	Solo costs (with rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (no rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (with rent) / month	Mobile download speed (Mbps)	Internet download speed (Mbps)
1	Aalst	78271	103	$1,125	$2,156	$2,885	$4,217	172.88	262.6
2	Aarschot	27656	95	$951	$1,986	$2,402	$3,776	133.18	227.68
3	Antwerp	525935	106	$1,148	$2,211	$2,948	$4,463	111.97	260.47
4	Arlon	28759	98	$862	$2,071	$2,275	$4,209	175.36	240.71
5	Beringen	43697	107	$1,135	$2,227	$2,880	$4,333	82.33	202.86
6	Beveren	20078	102	$1,115	$2,147	$2,870	$4,228	177.87	242.89
7	Braine-l'Alleud	38000	102	$1,095	$2,134	$2,854	$4,236	110.94	214.13
8	Brasschaat	37190	102	$1,108	$2,145	$2,845	$4,213	241	213.14
9	Brugge	117639	102	$1,088	$2,133	$2,704	$4,102	45.59	257.54
10	Brussels	188137	125	$1,158	$2,602	$2,927	$5,262	153.59	251.01
11	Charleroi	202730	97	$1,000	$2,023	$2,577	$3,835	23.09	313.05
12	Deinze	29815	107	$1,088	$2,218	$2,814	$4,185	47.78	222.4
13	Dendermonde	44768	98	$1,037	$2,029	$2,576	$3,889	251.49	269.63
14	Diest	22516	100	$1,054	$2,088	$2,676	$4,052	23.96	209.48
15	Dilbeek	39482	102	$1,091	$2,121	$2,784	$4,156	100.99	184.75
16	Geel	40781	98	$1,089	$2,049	$2,693	$3,826	127.04	184.12
17	Genk	65321	88	$967	$1,836	$2,510	$3,760	379.8	210.48
18	Gent	237000	108	$1,128	$2,254	$2,965	$4,646	58.81	237.65
19	Geraardsbergen	33204	97	$1,082	$2,024	$2,717	$3,988	74.84	217.63
20	Grez-Doiceau	12288	100	$1,071	$2,088	$2,723	$4,078	197.45	116.53
21	Hamont-Achel	14000	107	$1,145	$2,249	$2,888	$4,309	132.99	201.52
22	Hasselt	74694	97	$1,014	$2,040	$2,644	$4,064	158.36	218.5
23	Heist-op-den-Berg	41365	100	$1,074	$2,100	$2,727	$4,084	203.55	215.77
24	Herentals	25912	105	$1,042	$2,190	$2,644	$4,121	97.24	195.16
25	Izegem	26382	98	$1,034	$2,048	$2,586	$3,959	216.81	238.97
26	Kortrijk	76700	89	$921	$1,867	$2,323	$3,547	115.01	213
27	Leuven	102275	106	$1,036	$2,237	$2,590	$4,382	75.41	231.55
28	Liege	197013	99	$1,031	$2,074	$2,632	$4,020	99.49	217.83
29	Louvain-la-Neuve	29521	105	$1,081	$2,208	$2,733	$4,481	61.18	138.65
30	Mechelen	80000	100	$1,084	$2,060	$2,835	$4,291	90.82	250.65
31	Mons	92721	91	$970	$1,891	$2,487	$3,685	49.34	209.27
32	Mortsel	24525	102	$1,100	$2,143	$2,827	$4,196	124.73	232.19
33	Mouscron	56626	99	$1,041	$2,078	$2,599	$3,968	24.83	194.43
34	Namur	113174	97	$1,069	$2,049	$2,771	$3,974	96.21	270.36
35	Ninove	34795	101	$1,094	$2,104	$2,824	$4,156	41.94	187.39
36	Nivelles	27488	100	$1,075	$2,085	$2,852	$4,200	228.03	232.43
37	Ostend	70600	88	$968	$1,832	$2,445	$3,599	27.33	263.29
38	Oudsbergen	3694	98	$1,141	$2,050	$2,934	$4,170	198.03	222.92
39	Overpelt	14000	105	$1,137	$2,183	$2,867	$4,248	144.42	189.06
40	Roeselare	56016	86	$951	$1,788	$2,433	$3,553	66.37	206.21
41	Sint-Niklaas	69010	99	$1,020	$2,066	$2,550	$3,890	70.2	249.45
42	Sint-Pieters-Leeuw	31000	102	$1,089	$2,134	$2,765	$4,147	81.46	172.61
43	Sint-Truiden	40357	101	$1,084	$2,109	$2,727	$4,067	146.29	223.98
44	Tervuren	20816	99	$1,046	$2,074	$2,611	$3,948	344.88	217.77
45	Tournai	69842	104	$1,145	$2,226	$2,931	$4,379	123.41	165.55
46	Turnhout	44000	102	$1,121	$2,127	$2,699	$4,060	31.1	251.35
47	Veurne	11983	87	$984	$1,820	$2,477	$3,665	166.98	155.19
48	Vilvoorde	40558	104	$1,060	$2,170	$2,645	$4,148	96.19	243.49
49	Waregem	39488	99	$1,140	$2,065	$3,084	$4,285	105.91	196.15
50	Waterloo	29649	111	$1,097	$2,318	$2,836	$4,199	35.79	216.57

Belgium Median Internet Speeds (Updated April 2026)

Mobile

Mbps

Fixed Broadband

Mbps

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cost of Living in Belgium - Frequently Asked Questions

Belgium sits at a middle ground in Europe: you’ll find strong public services and a high quality of life, but prices can be uneven by city and neighborhood. For many travelers and expats, the value comes from efficient transit, walkable centers, and rich food scenes that you can enjoy on sensible budgets with smart planning. In Brussels and Antwerp, expect higher rents in core districts, while Ghent and Liège offer relatively more affordable options with good amenities. Comparisons matter: food, utilities, and meals out can be balanced with seasonal markets and shared coworking. Cost of Living in Belgium varies by street and suburb. Tip: manage expenses by prioritizing neighborhoods that match your daily routine.

Daily life in Belgium blends compact city life with easy regional access. Start with housing: look for neighborhoods near tram or train lines; consider studios for singles or shared apartments to stretch budgets. Food is varied – from markets with seasonal produce to casual bistros; cooking at home is usually economical. Transit is well-developed: bikes, trams, and trains connect cities affordably and reliably. For errands and coworking, choose areas that blend services, libraries, and cafes. Belgium living cost shifts with city and neighborhood, so plan a month-by-month approach during your search. Tip: explore neighborhoods during weekends to gauge pace and noise levels.

Quality of life in Belgium depends on your local rhythm and the streets you pick. Use a simple budgeting framework like 50/30/20: housing, essentials, and savings. Track seasonality by noting heating in winter and cooling in summer; plan flexible meals, seasonal markets, and occasional dining out. For neighborhood fit, map proximity to transit, groceries, and coworking spaces. Consider language zones (Dutch/French/German areas) to ease daily tasks and social life. If possible, test three districts for a few weeks to compare noise, traffic, and convenience before committing to a lease. Tip: build in a buffer for surprises and seasonal travel.

Monthly costs in Belgium range from $1,788 to $2,602 depending on the city, so you’ll need a solid income to live comfortably here.

As of 2026, living expenses in Belgium span $1,788 to $2,602 monthly. Which city you choose has a big effect on your budget.

Outside the capital, costs in Belgium drop noticeably. Roeselare is one of the best budget options.

Even regional cities in Belgium are pricier than the global average, with Brussels at the top. If you’re coming from a lower-cost country, budget carefully – the sticker shock on housing, food, and services is real.