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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,211 in Antwerp versus $2,166 in Aalst.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,445 in Antwerp versus $3,254 in Aalst.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,678 in Antwerp versus $4,342 in Aalst.

Living in Antwerp is roughly 2% more expensive than in Aalst, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Antwerp 62% above, Aalst 58% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.78 €19.86

$23.40 €20.40

-2.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 €96.3

$112 €97.5

-1.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.99 €12.20

$14.05 €12.25

-0.43%

Cappuccino

$4.57 €3.98

$4.53 €3.95

0.88%

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

$3.72 €3.24

$3.66 €3.19

1.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 €3.09

$3.23 €2.82

9.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.74 €5.00

$5.72 €4.99

0.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 €5.62

$5.70 €4.97

13.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.23

$1.36 €1.19

4.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 €2.45

$2.83 €2.47

-0.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 €1.94

$2.22 €1.93

Eggs

$3.93 €3.43

$3.90 €3.40

0.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.11 €15.79

$17.87 €15.58

1.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.31 €10.73

$12.50 €10.90

-1.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.40 €21.27

$22.79 €19.86

7.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 €2.73

$3.10 €2.70

0.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 €2.16

$2.41 €2.11

2.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 €2.34

$2.66 €2.32

0.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 €3.08

$3.37 €2.94

4.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 €2.20

$2.53 €2.20

-0.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.75

$1.99 €1.74

1.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.53 €1.33

3.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 €0.92

$1.04 €0.91

1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.22 €11.52

$13.05 €11.38

1.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.30 €8.11

$9.20 €8.02

1.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 €1.56

$1.85 €1.61

-3.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.79

$2.04 €1.78

0.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.39 €2.95

$3.22 €2.81

5.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.0 €49.71

$54.0 €47.09

5.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.90 €5.15

$3.03 €2.64

94.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.81 €2.45

$2.38 €2.08

18.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.46 €40.50

$42.41 €36.97

9.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.77

$2.08 €1.81

-2.40%

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

$36.1K €31.5K

$36.2K €31.5K

-0.26%

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

$35.7K €31.1K

$35.0K €30.5K

2.04%

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

$207 €181

$214 €186

-2.91%

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

$22.24 €19.39

$22.44 €19.56

-0.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.78 €42.52

$55.2 €48.10

-11.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.06 €34.05

$37.49 €32.68

4.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.00 €24.41

$18.59 €16.20

50.62%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 €13.69

$15.63 €13.63

0.51%

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

$1,691 €1,474

$1,692 €1,475

-0.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.0K €29.6K

$34.9K €30.4K

-2.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 €101

$115 €99.9

1.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 €47.53

$47.13 €41.08

15.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 €93.2

$106 €92.6

0.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 €150

-0.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 €933

$965 €842

10.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 €751

$832 €725

3.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,715 €1,495

$1,423 €1,241

20.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,373 €1,197

$1,167 €1,018

17.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,523 €3,943

$4,198 €3,659

7.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,122 €2,721

$2,989 €2,606

4.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,050 €2,658

$2,848 €2,483

7.07%

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 Antwerp: September 14, 2026

Last update for Aalst: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Antwerp and $965 in Aalst. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Antwerp pays 7% 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: $110 in Antwerp vs $112 in Aalst. Groceries flip the comparison at $377 vs $370, with Aalst cheaper for home cooking.

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

Antwerp vs Aalst: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Antwerp and Aalst differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($2,211 vs $2,166 including rent). Aalst is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 7% higher in Antwerp, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,071 in Antwerp versus $965 in Aalst. 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 $112 versus $110 in Antwerp. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,211 per month in Antwerp versus $2,166 in Aalst – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,166 in Aalst versus $2,211 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, Antwerp and Aalst 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.