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

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

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

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.08 €19.86

$23.28 €20.03

-0.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 €103

$105 €90.0

14.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.76 €10.98

$12.69 €10.91

0.55%

Cappuccino

$4.06 €3.49

$4.08 €3.51

-0.49%

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

$3.32 €2.86

$3.34 €2.88

-0.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 €2.65

$3.00 €2.58

2.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.62 €4.83

$5.47 €4.71

2.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.03

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 €1.12

$1.37 €1.18

-5.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 €2.40

$2.78 €2.39

0.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 €2.30

$2.66 €2.29

0.75%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.42

$4.10 €3.53

-2.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.76 €15.28

$16.71 €14.38

6.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.98 €10.30

$11.82 €10.17

1.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.91 €18.84

$18.41 €15.83

19.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 €2.50

$2.91 €2.51

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 €2.11

$2.42 €2.09

1.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.33 €2.00

0.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 €2.93

$3.41 €2.93

-0.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.95 €2.53

$2.69 €2.32

9.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.44 €2.10

0.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.40 €1.20

1.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.70

$0.89 €0.77

-8.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.76 €10.97

$12.41 €10.68

2.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.40 €8.09

$9.06 €7.79

3.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.69 €1.45

5.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.94 €1.67

3.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 €2.43

$2.85 €2.45

-1.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.47 €39.12

$55.9 €48.09

-18.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 €4.90

$5.72 €4.92

-0.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.36 €2.03

3.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.82 €40.27

$34.47 €29.65

35.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.87 €1.61

-0.53%

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

$36.4K €31.3K

$34.3K €29.5K

6.15%

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

$32.5K €28.0K

$32.8K €28.2K

-0.90%

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

$208 €179

$204 €175

2.12%

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

$24.98 €21.48

$21.19 €18.23

17.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.3 €44.96

$55.4 €47.69

-5.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.17 €37.99

$37.82 €32.54

16.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.71 €22.12

$17.17 €14.77

49.74%

Cinema Ticket

$14.76 €12.69

$14.75 €12.69

0.07%

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

$659 €567

$604 €519

9.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K €11.6K

$13.7K €11.8K

-1.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €95.8

$104 €89.4

7.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.94 €42.10

$48.37 €41.61

1.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €99.8

$117 €101

-0.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$233 €200

$157 €135

48.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,019 €876

$1,001 €861

1.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$839 €722

$903 €777

-7.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 €1,353

$1,332 €1,145

18.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 €1,096

$1,112 €957

14.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,605 €3,961

$3,293 €2,833

39.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,112 €2,677

$3,015 €2,594

3.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,078 €2,648

$2,731 €2,349

12.71%

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 Antwerp: May 31, 2026

Last update for Aalst: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,019 in Antwerp and $1,001 in Aalst. 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: $120 in Antwerp vs $105 in Aalst for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $363 vs $348 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

Antwerp vs Aalst: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Antwerp pays 13% more on average, 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: $1,019 in Antwerp versus $1,001 in Aalst. 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, 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.

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.