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: $2,171 in Antwerp versus $2,231 in Aalst.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,409 in Antwerp versus $3,202 in Aalst.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,647 in Antwerp versus $4,172 in Aalst.

Living in Antwerp costs roughly 3% less than in Aalst, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Antwerp 62% above, Aalst 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.50 €20.59

$23.32 €20.42

0.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 €107

$104 €90.7

17.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.55 €10.99

$12.53 €10.98

0.16%

Cappuccino

$4.13 €3.62

$4.03 €3.53

2.48%

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

$3.34 €2.93

$3.33 €2.91

0.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 €2.68

$3.03 €2.65

0.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.68 €4.97

$5.61 €4.92

1.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 €3.99

$4.68 €4.10

-2.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 €1.19

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 €2.52

$2.76 €2.42

4.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.74 €2.40

$2.72 €2.38

0.74%

Eggs

$3.99 €3.49

$4.02 €3.52

-0.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.73 €15.53

$16.83 €14.74

5.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.67 €10.22

$11.65 €10.20

0.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.44 €19.66

$18.55 €16.25

20.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 €2.53

$3.02 €2.64

-4.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 €2.14

$2.37 €2.07

2.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 €2.00

$2.27 €1.99

0.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 €2.92

$3.46 €3.03

-3.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.84 €2.49

$2.65 €2.32

7.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 €2.12

$2.41 €2.11

0.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.71

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.83 €11.24

$12.54 €10.99

2.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.17 €8.03

$9.14 €8.01

0.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.78 €1.56

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.02 €1.77

-0.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 €2.58

$2.95 €2.58

-0.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.18 €40.45

$57.7 €50.6

-19.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.94 €5.20

$5.71 €5.00

4.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.55 €2.23

$2.36 €2.07

8.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.00 €40.29

$34.64 €30.34

32.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 €1.61

$1.86 €1.63

-1.61%

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

$36.2K €31.7K

$35.3K €30.9K

2.44%

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

$33.4K €29.3K

$33.4K €29.2K

0.22%

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

$201 €176

$203 €178

-0.72%

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

$24.97 €21.87

$21.87 €19.15

14.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 €45.08

$57.6 €50.5

-10.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.55 €39.02

$39.10 €34.24

13.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.39 €22.24

$17.00 €14.89

49.35%

Cinema Ticket

$15.03 €13.16

$15.00 €13.13

0.20%

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

$653 €572

$610 €534

7.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K €12.0K

$13.3K €11.7K

3.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €96.6

$108 €94.2

2.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.85 €42.78

$48.48 €42.46

0.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €103

$115 €101

1.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$231 €202

$158 €138

46.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,034 €905

$971 €850

6.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$850 €745

$897 €785

-5.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,574 €1,378

$1,379 €1,208

14.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 €1,146

$1,101 €964

18.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,414 €3,865

$3,182 €2,787

38.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,075 €2,693

$2,984 €2,613

3.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,937 €2,573

$2,739 €2,398

7.26%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Aalst: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,034 in Antwerp and $971 in Aalst. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Antwerp pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $122 in Antwerp vs $104 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 and Aalst differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($2,171 vs $2,231 including rent). Antwerp 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: $1,034 in Antwerp versus $971 in Aalst. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Antwerp – a meal for two runs $122 versus $104 in Aalst. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,171 per month in Antwerp versus $2,231 in Aalst – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,171 in Antwerp versus $2,231 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.

Expats usually find Antwerp gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Aalst. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.