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: $2,214 in Aalst versus $2,214 in Antwerp.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,166 in Aalst versus $3,422 in Antwerp.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,118 in Aalst versus $4,630 in Antwerp.

Monthly costs are close between Aalst and Antwerp; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Aalst 65% above, Antwerp 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.28 €20.03

$23.08 €19.86

0.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$105 €90.0

$120 €103

-12.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.69 €10.91

$12.76 €10.98

-0.55%

Cappuccino

$4.08 €3.51

$4.06 €3.49

0.49%

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

$3.34 €2.88

$3.32 €2.86

0.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 €2.58

$3.08 €2.65

-2.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 €4.71

$5.62 €4.83

-2.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.03

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.30 €1.12

5.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 €2.39

$2.79 €2.40

-0.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 €2.29

$2.68 €2.30

-0.75%

Eggs

$4.10 €3.53

$3.98 €3.42

3.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.71 €14.38

$17.76 €15.28

-5.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.82 €10.17

$11.98 €10.30

-1.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.41 €15.83

$21.91 €18.84

-15.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 €2.51

$2.91 €2.50

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 €2.09

$2.46 €2.11

-1.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 €2.00

$2.34 €2.01

-0.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 €2.93

$3.40 €2.93

0.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 €2.32

$2.95 €2.53

-8.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 €2.10

$2.45 €2.11

-0.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.42 €1.22

-1.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$0.81 €0.70

9.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.41 €10.68

$12.76 €10.97

-2.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.06 €7.79

$9.40 €8.09

-3.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 €1.45

$1.78 €1.53

-5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 €1.67

$2.00 €1.72

-3.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.85 €2.45

$2.82 €2.43

1.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.9 €48.09

$45.47 €39.12

22.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 €4.92

$5.70 €4.90

0.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 €2.03

$2.45 €2.11

-3.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.47 €29.65

$46.82 €40.27

-26.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.86 €1.60

0.54%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$36.4K €31.3K

-5.79%

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

$32.8K €28.2K

$32.5K €28.0K

0.91%

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

$204 €175

$208 €179

-2.08%

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

$21.19 €18.23

$24.98 €21.48

-15.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.4 €47.69

$52.3 €44.96

6.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.82 €32.54

$44.17 €37.99

-14.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.17 €14.77

$25.71 €22.12

-33.22%

Cinema Ticket

$14.75 €12.69

$14.76 €12.69

-0.07%

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

$604 €519

$659 €567

-8.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K €11.8K

$13.5K €11.6K

1.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.4

$111 €95.8

-6.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.37 €41.61

$48.94 €42.10

-1.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €101

$116 €99.8

0.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 €135

$233 €200

-32.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,001 €861

$1,019 €876

-1.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 €777

$839 €722

7.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 €1,145

$1,572 €1,353

-15.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,112 €957

$1,274 €1,096

-12.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,293 €2,833

$4,605 €3,961

-28.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,015 €2,594

$3,112 €2,677

-3.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,731 €2,349

$3,078 €2,648

-11.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.27

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

Last update for Aalst: May 31, 2026

Last update for Antwerp: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,001 in Aalst and $1,019 in Antwerp. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Antwerp pays 13% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $105 in Aalst vs $120 in Antwerp for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $348 vs $363 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

On paper, Antwerp earns 13% less. 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: $1,001 in Aalst versus $1,019 in Antwerp. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Antwerp runs roughly 23% less than in Aalst. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Aalst pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,214 in Antwerp versus $2,214 in Aalst, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Antwerp but tight or insufficient in Aalst. The gap between the two cities makes Antwerp 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.

It comes down to priorities – Antwerp wins on affordability, Aalst on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.