Cost of Living Comparison Between Antwerp and Genk Cost of Living Comparison Between Antwerp and Genk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,193 in Antwerp versus $1,879 in Genk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,408 in Antwerp versus $2,871 in Genk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,623 in Antwerp versus $3,863 in Genk.

Living in Antwerp is roughly 17% more expensive than in Genk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Antwerp 59% above, Genk 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.56 €20.32

$23.06 €19.88

2.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 €94.4

$92.2 €79.5

18.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.11 €12.17

$14.22 €12.26

-0.77%

Cappuccino

$4.44 €3.83

$4.25 €3.66

4.47%

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

$3.66 €3.15

$2.63 €2.27

39.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 €3.13

$2.37 €2.04

53.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.55 €4.79

$4.75 €4.09

16.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.24 €5.38

$4.11 €3.54

51.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.23

$1.03 €0.88

37.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 €2.40

$2.82 €2.44

-1.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 €1.93

Eggs

$3.84 €3.31

$3.79 €3.27

1.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.00 €15.52

$9.17 €7.91

96.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.17 €10.49

$7.67 €6.62

58.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.94 €20.65

$11.83 €10.20

102.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 €2.68

$2.50 €2.16

24.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.53 €2.18

-3.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 €2.42

$2.68 €2.31

4.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 €2.93

$3.18 €2.74

6.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 €2.22

$2.47 €2.13

4.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$2.03 €1.75

-0.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.59 €1.37

0.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 €0.91

$1.05 €0.91

0.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.45 €11.60

$13.33 €11.50

0.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.46 €8.16

$7.72 €6.66

22.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 €1.53

$1.72 €1.48

2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.84

$1.15 €0.99

85.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.59 €3.09

$3.43 €2.96

4.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.1 €50.1

$58.5 €50.4

-0.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 €4.87

$5.78 €4.99

-2.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.74 €2.36

$2.75 €2.37

-0.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.36 €39.98

$46.31 €39.94

0.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.97 €1.70

7.11%

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

$36.4K €31.4K

$23.1K €19.9K

57.61%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$28.3K €24.4K

23.76%

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

$215 €185

$175 €151

22.33%

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

$22.67 €19.55

$20.95 €18.06

8.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 €43.22

$42.79 €36.90

17.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.45 €33.15

$38.93 €33.57

-1.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.42 €23.64

$29.59 €25.52

-7.33%

Cinema Ticket

$15.90 €13.71

$15.87 €13.69

0.19%

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

$1,652 €1,425

$287 €248

475.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.2K €30.3K

-0.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 €101

$114 €97.9

2.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 €46.23

$47.76 €41.18

12.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €91.6

$80.4 €69.4

32.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$175 €151

$108 €93.4

61.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,092 €942

$975 €840

12.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$871 €751

$723 €624

20.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,725 €1,488

$1,357 €1,170

27.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,422 €1,226

$1,122 €968

26.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,549 €3,923

$2,716 €2,342

67.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,234 €2,788

$1,984 €1,711

63.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,147 €2,713

$2,364 €2,038

33.12%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Genk: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,092 in Antwerp and $975 in Genk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Antwerp pays 33% 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 Antwerp vs $92.0 in Genk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $374 vs $275 per month, with Genk 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 Genk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Antwerp and Genk differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($2,193 vs $1,879 including rent). Genk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 33% 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: $1,092 in Antwerp versus $975 in Genk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Genk runs roughly 1% less than in Antwerp. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,652 in Antwerp versus $287 in Genk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,879 in Genk versus $2,193 in Antwerp, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Genk but tight or insufficient in Antwerp. The gap between the two cities makes Genk 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 Genk 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 Genk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Antwerp. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.