Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlon and Brussels

For one person, living is cheaper in Arlon: $2,033 a month against $2,584 in Brussels, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Arlon, Belgium
Brussels, Belgium
Arlon
🇧🇪 Belgium
$2,033
/mo nomad
Brussels
🇧🇪 Belgium
$2,584
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Arlon and in Brussels

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Arlon and in Brussels actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,033 per month in Arlon vs $2,584 in Brussels, rent included.

  • Arlon $2,033
  • Brussels $2,584

A couple spends around $3,132 per month in Arlon vs $3,923 in Brussels, rent included.

  • Arlon $3,132
  • Brussels $3,923

A family of three spends $4,232 per month in Arlon vs $5,262 in Brussels, rent included.

  • Arlon $4,232
  • Brussels $5,262

Arlon is about 21% cheaper than Brussels, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Arlon and Brussels sit above the global median – Arlon by 49%, Brussels by 90%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Arlon
Brussels
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.02 €15.29
$22.51 €20.22
-24.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$91.1 €81.8
$91.2 €81.9
-0.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.21 €10.07
$15.19 €13.65
-26.20%
Cappuccino
$2.86 €2.57
$4.55 €4.08
-37.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 €2.41
$3.63 €3.26
-26.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 €2.32
$3.02 €2.71
-14.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.41 €3.06
$5.69 €5.11
-40.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.39 €3.94
$5.55 €4.98
-20.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Arlon
Brussels
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 €1.07
$1.35 €1.21
-11.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 €1.39
$2.76 €2.48
-44.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.36 €2.12
$2.84 €2.55
-16.90%
Eggs
$3.77 €3.39
$5.19 €4.66
-27.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.58 €13.09
$17.84 €16.03
-18.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.54 €10.36
$13.04 €11.71
-11.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.33 €13.77
$21.85 €19.63
-29.84%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 €2.74
$3.13 €2.81
-2.56%
Banana (1kg)
$1.09 €0.98
$2.42 €2.18
-54.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 €1.96
$2.81 €2.53
-22.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.05 €2.74
$4.03 €3.62
-24.32%
Potato (1kg)
$1.67 €1.50
$2.46 €2.21
-32.11%
Onion (1kg)
$2.08 €1.87
$2.18 €1.96
-4.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.71 €1.54
$1.86 €1.67
-8.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 €1.00
$1.22 €1.10
-9.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.99 €8.08
$13.60 €12.22
-33.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.92 €7.11
$9.57 €8.59
-17.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.01 €1.81
$2.70 €2.43
-25.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 €0.99
$3.00 €2.70
-63.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Arlon
Brussels
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.24 €2.01
$2.76 €2.48
-18.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.07 €36.89
$61.6 €55.4
-33.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.95 €3.55
$2.95 €2.65
33.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.61 €2.35
$2.24 €2.01
16.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.95 €15.23
$40.78 €36.63
-58.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 €1.78
$2.06 €1.85
-3.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.5K €31.9K
$34.8K €31.3K
2.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.6K €32.9K
$35.7K €32.0K
2.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Arlon
Brussels
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$263 €236
$280 €252
-6.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.91 €22.37
$21.20 €19.04
17.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.8 €47.43
$52.0 €46.72
1.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Arlon
Brussels
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$32.34 €29.05
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.29 €21.82
$27.74 €24.92
-12.44%
Cinema Ticket
$9.08 €8.15
$15.88 €14.27
-42.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Arlon
Brussels
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$851 €765
$1,596 €1,434
-46.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$36.2K €32.5K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Arlon
Brussels
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.4 €76.7
$101 €90.9
-15.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.5 €45.38
$46.78 €42.03
7.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$49.54 €44.50
$114 €102
-56.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 €99.4
$143 €129
-22.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Arlon
Brussels
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$897 €806
$1,393 €1,251
-35.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$921 €827
$1,160 €1,042
-20.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,681 €1,510
$2,518 €2,262
-33.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,701 €1,528
$2,076 €1,865
-18.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,215 €3,786
$4,877 €4,381
-13.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,897 €3,501
$3,718 €3,340
4.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Arlon
Brussels
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,868 €2,576
$3,392 €3,047
-15.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.65
3.71
-1.62%

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

Last update for Arlon: October 24, 2026

Last update for Brussels: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Arlon
$921
Brussels
$1.2K 26% $239
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Arlon
$341
Brussels
$353 3.7% $13
Groceries & Markets
Arlon
$302
Brussels
$391 29.4% $89
Eating Out
Arlon
$251
Brussels
$346 38% $95
Clothing & Footwear
Arlon
$133
Brussels
$182 36.7% $49
Getting Around
Arlon
$67
Brussels
$87 29.5% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Arlon
$18 *
Brussels
$64 253% $46

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $897 in Arlon versus $1,393 in Brussels. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 18% higher in Brussels, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91 in Arlon versus $91 in Brussels. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $391 – making Arlon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇪 Arlon
🇧🇪 Brussels
🕒 Local time
18:41 6:41 PM
18:41 6:41 PM
Same time as Arlon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
28,759
188,137 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Arlon Brussels 170 km
From you
  • Arlon
  • Brussels

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Arlon vs Brussels: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Arlon or Brussels?
Brussels costs about 27% more than Arlon, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Arlon and in Brussels?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,050 per month in Arlon and $3,876 in Brussels. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Arlon or Brussels?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Arlon, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $897 there versus $1,393 in Brussels.
How expensive is transport in Arlon compared to Brussels?
Public transport costs about 33% less in Arlon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Are groceries more expensive in Arlon or in Brussels?
Groceries cost about 29% more in Brussels, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Arlon or in Brussels?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,033 in Arlon and $2,584 in Brussels. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Arlon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Arlon compared to Brussels?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Arlon or to Brussels?
If budget matters most, go with Arlon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brussels makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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