Cost of Living Comparison Between Aalst and Antwerp Cost of Living Comparison Between Aalst and Antwerp

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,219 in Aalst versus $2,254 in Antwerp.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,273 in Aalst versus $3,494 in Antwerp.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,328 in Aalst versus $4,733 in Antwerp.

Living in Aalst costs roughly 2% less than in Antwerp, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Aalst 61% above, Antwerp 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.54 €20.31

$23.50 €20.28

0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 €94.3

$110 €94.6

-0.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.00 €12.08

$14.16 €12.22

-1.13%

Cappuccino

$4.52 €3.90

$4.40 €3.80

2.73%

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

$3.64 €3.14

$3.82 €3.30

-4.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 €2.95

$3.76 €3.25

-9.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.53 €4.77

$5.65 €4.88

-2.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 €4.86

$6.54 €5.64

-13.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 €1.22

$1.36 €1.17

3.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 €2.57

$2.77 €2.39

7.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 €2.01

$2.34 €2.02

-0.43%

Eggs

$3.96 €3.42

$3.77 €3.25

5.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.51 €15.11

$18.24 €15.74

-4.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 €10.72

$12.53 €10.81

-0.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.78 €19.66

$23.99 €20.70

-5.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 €2.63

$3.04 €2.62

0.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 €2.08

$2.42 €2.09

-0.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.31

$2.80 €2.41

-4.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 €3.01

$3.35 €2.89

4.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.19

$2.45 €2.11

3.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$2.01 €1.74

-3.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.52 €1.31

4.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 €0.91

$1.11 €0.95

-4.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.47 €11.62

$13.31 €11.49

1.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.10 €7.85

$9.17 €7.91

-0.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.84 €1.59

-1.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 €1.86

$2.09 €1.81

3.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 €2.72

$3.56 €3.07

-11.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.7 €54.1

$56.5 €48.78

10.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 €2.63

$5.77 €4.98

-47.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.71 €2.34

-22.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.19 €36.41

$45.88 €39.59

-8.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.14 €1.85

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

$37.4K €32.2K

$37.4K €32.3K

-0.17%

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

$34.9K €30.1K

$35.1K €30.3K

-0.61%

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

$215 €185

-0.00%

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

$22.29 €19.24

$22.55 €19.46

-1.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.4 €48.68

$48.51 €41.86

16.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.20 €32.96

$39.38 €33.98

-3.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.49 €17.68

$28.36 €24.47

-27.75%

Cinema Ticket

$15.99 €13.80

$15.53 €13.40

2.96%

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

$1,686 €1,455

$1,693 €1,461

-0.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.9K €30.1K

$34.1K €29.4K

2.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 €99.5

$113 €97.7

1.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.96 €37.94

$53.5 €46.12

-17.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 €92.0

$107 €92.6

-0.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 €148

$173 €149

-0.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$958 €827

$1,081 €933

-11.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$863 €744

$875 €755

-1.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,461 €1,261

$1,676 €1,447

-12.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,152 €994

$1,385 €1,195

-16.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,120 €3,555

$4,573 €3,946

-9.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,969 €2,562

$3,194 €2,756

-7.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,958 €2,552

$3,146 €2,715

-5.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.46

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

Last update for Aalst: August 31, 2026

Last update for Antwerp: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $958 in Aalst and $1,081 in Antwerp. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Antwerp pays 6% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $109 in Aalst vs $110 in Antwerp for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $372 vs $375 per month, with Aalst cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Aalst vs Antwerp: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aalst and Antwerp differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($2,219 vs $2,254 including rent). Aalst is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 6% lower in Antwerp. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $958 in Aalst versus $1,081 in Antwerp. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Aalst – a meal for two runs $109 versus $110 in Antwerp. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,219 per month in Aalst versus $2,254 in Antwerp – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,219 in Aalst versus $2,254 in Antwerp, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Aalst but tight or insufficient in Antwerp. The gap between the two cities makes Aalst the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Aalst and Antwerp are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Aalst gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Antwerp. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.