For one person, living is cheaper in Belgium: $2,201 a month against $2,626 in Australia, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Belgium and in Australia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $2,201 per month in Belgium vs $2,626 in Australia, rent included.
Belgium $2,201
Australia $2,626
A couple spends around $3,255 per month in Belgium vs $3,810 in Australia, rent included.
Belgium $3,255
Australia $3,810
A family of three spends $4,309 per month in Belgium vs $4,994 in Australia, rent included.
Belgium $4,309
Australia $4,994
📏
The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,068–$3,303) than in Belgium ($1,774–$2,584), so city choice matters more there.
🌍
The cost of living in Belgium is roughly 16% lower than in Australia on average.
📊
Both Belgium and Australia are pricier than the global median – Belgium by 62%, Australia by 93%.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Belgium
Australia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.69€20.32
$17.65A$25.08
28.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.9€80.5
$85.2A$121
5.52%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.32€11.93
$11.09A$15.76
20.11%
Cappuccino
$4.03€3.61
$3.90A$5.54
3.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40€3.04
$2.85A$4.05
19.30%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97€2.66
$2.31A$3.29
28.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.67€5.08
$7.53A$10.70
-24.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.17€4.63
$8.59A$12.20
-39.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Belgium
Australia
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.32€1.18
$1.76A$2.50
-25.00%
White Bread(500g)
$2.52€2.26
$2.81A$3.99
-10.32%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.30€2.06
$2.24A$3.19
2.68%
Eggs
$4.16€3.72
$5.02A$7.14
-17.13%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.45€13.84
$9.87A$14.02
56.53%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.14€10.87
$9.32A$13.24
30.26%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.36€18.23
$14.86A$21.13
37.01%
Apples(1kg)
$2.74€2.45
$3.82A$5.42
-28.27%
Banana(1kg)
$2.36€2.11
$2.92A$4.16
-19.18%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.74€2.46
$3.13A$4.46
-12.46%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.32€2.98
$4.81A$6.83
-30.98%
Potato(1kg)
$2.22€1.99
$2.80A$3.98
-20.71%
Onion(1kg)
$1.82€1.63
$2.38A$3.38
-23.53%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.54€1.38
$2.37A$3.37
-35.02%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09€0.98
$1.65A$2.35
-33.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$12.97€11.61
$39.13A$55.6
-66.85%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.06€8.12
$13.93A$19.80
-34.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90€1.70
$4.96A$7.05
-61.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37€2.12
$5.17A$7.35
-54.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Belgium
Australia
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.43€3.07
$2.42A$3.44
41.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$62.1€55.6
$94.6A$134
-34.35%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.64€5.05
$3.49A$4.97
61.60%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.62€2.34
$1.60A$2.27
63.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$44.53€39.88
$39.84A$56.6
11.77%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.97€1.76
$1.39A$1.97
41.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.7K€31.1K
$30.0KA$42.7K
15.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.3K€32.5K
$25.8KA$36.6K
40.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belgium
Australia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$229€205
$205A$291
11.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.44€20.10
$28.33A$40.27
-20.79%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.9€48.28
$58.8A$83.5
-8.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Belgium
Australia
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.15€31.48
$55.7A$79.1
-36.84%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.81€18.63
$19.57A$27.82
6.34%
Cinema Ticket
$14.90€13.35
$15.38A$21.86
-3.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Belgium
Australia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,055€944
$2,145A$3,049
-50.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$29.1K€26.0K
$18.3KA$26.1K
58.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Belgium
Australia
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105€94.0
$78.3A$111
34.06%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.39€43.34
$56.3A$80.0
-14.00%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$106€94.7
$115A$164
-8.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$147€132
$123A$175
19.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Belgium
Australia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$981€879
$1,591A$2,261
-38.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$869€778
$1,293A$1,837
-32.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,529€1,369
$2,524A$3,588
-39.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,279€1,146
$2,005A$2,850
-36.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,522€4,050
$8,751A$12.4K
-48.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,161€2,831
$6,260A$8,898
-49.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Belgium
Australia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,999€2,686
$3,984A$5,663
-24.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.64
5.93
-38.62%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Belgium: October 25, 2026
Last update for Australia: October 27, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Belgium
$869 39.5%
Australia
$1.3K 49.2% ↑ 48.7%$424
🛒Groceries & Markets
Belgium
$350 15.9%
Australia
$374 14.3% ↑ 7%$24
🍽Eating Out
Belgium
$334 15.2%
Australia
$297 11.3% ↓ 11.2%$37
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belgium
$306 13.9%
Australia
$292 11.1% ↓ 4.4%$13
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Belgium
$183 8.3%
Australia
$168 6.4% ↓ 8.2%$15
🚌Getting Around
Belgium
$95 4.3%
Australia
$116 4.4% ↑ 22.4%$21
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Belgium
$65 3%
Australia
$86 3.3% ↑ 33%$21
🏠Accommodation & Living
Belgium
$1.3K 29.7%
Australia
$2K 40.2% ↑ 56.7%$726
🛒Groceries & Markets
Belgium
$823 19.1%
Australia
$848 17% ↑ 3.1%$25
🍽Eating Out
Belgium
$1.1K 26.1%
Australia
$1K 20.4% ↓ 9.5%$107
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belgium
$328 7.6%
Australia
$320 6.4% ↓ 2.3%$7.5
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Belgium
$406 9.4%
Australia
$373 7.5% ↓ 8.2%$33
🚌Getting Around
Belgium
$196 4.6%
Australia
$236 4.7% ↑ 20.6%$40
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Belgium
$151 3.5%
Australia
$192 3.9% ↑ 27.7%$42
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $930 in Belgium vs $1,383 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,393 in Brussels and $1,749 in Canberra.
💰Average salary: $2,913 in Belgium vs $3,874 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 49% higher in Australia.
⭐Public transport is 56% more expensive in Australia.
⭐Salaries are 33% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.
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
Belgium vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Belgium?
Belgium is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 16% lower on average.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia: a central one-bedroom averages $1,383 versus $930 in Belgium.
Should I move to Australia or to Belgium?
Belgium is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.