Cost of Living Comparison Between Belgium and India Cost of Living Comparison Between Belgium and India

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,054 in Belgium versus $388 in India.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,057 in Belgium versus $617 in India.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,059 in Belgium versus $846 in India.

Living in Belgium is roughly 429% more expensive than in India on average.

Belgium (54% above) and India (71% below) straddle the global median.

Belgium ($1,760$2,570) and India ($265$913) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Belgium
India
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.90 €20.00
$2.53 ₹244
805.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$90.7 €79.3
$13.73 ₹1,322
560.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.35 €10.79
$4.00 ₹385
208.75%
Cappuccino
$4.16 €3.63
$1.91 ₹184
117.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13 €2.73
$0.43 ₹41.85
627.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.62
$0.17 ₹16.11
1664.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.36 €4.69
$1.93 ₹186
177.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.56 €3.99
$3.54 ₹341
28.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Belgium
India
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.30 €1.14
$0.73 ₹69.9
78.08%
White Bread (500g)
$2.60 €2.28
$0.52 ₹50.1
400.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.43 €2.12
$0.73 ₹69.9
232.88%
Eggs
$4.07 €3.55
$0.95 ₹91.4
328.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.32 €13.39
$5.32 ₹512
187.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.22 €10.67
$3.10 ₹299
294.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.80 €16.42
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 €2.49
$2.16 ₹208
31.94%
Banana (1kg)
$2.45 €2.14
$0.70 ₹67.7
250.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.66 €2.32
$1.05 ₹101
153.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.98 €2.61
$0.53 ₹50.8
462.26%
Potato (1kg)
$2.23 €1.95
$0.39 ₹37.66
471.79%
Onion (1kg)
$1.84 €1.61
$0.48 ₹46.64
283.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 €1.29
$0.52 ₹49.78
184.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02 €0.89
$0.36 ₹34.33
183.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.19 €10.65
$4.02 ₹387
203.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.93 €7.80
$7.28 ₹701
22.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 €1.64
$1.90 ₹183
-1.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 €1.96
$3.03 ₹292
-26.07%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.84 ₹562
-
🚌 Getting Around
Belgium
India
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.94 €2.57
$0.36 ₹34.66
716.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.4 €49.28
$9.84 ₹948
473.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.82 €5.96
$0.95 ₹91.8
617.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.48 €2.17
$0.30 ₹29.03
726.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$43.47 €37.98
$1.79 ₹172
2328.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.95 €1.70
$1.21 ₹117
61.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.0K €29.7K
$13.9K ₹1.3M
145.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.3K €28.2K
$22.4K ₹2.2M
44.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belgium
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$221 €193
$40.16 ₹3,867
450.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.52 €20.55
$3.76 ₹362
525.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$57.7 €50.4
$8.04 ₹774
617.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Belgium
India
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.86 €33.95
$16.25 ₹1,565
139.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.73 €18.99
$7.56 ₹728
187.43%
Cinema Ticket
$14.88 €13.00
$3.43 ₹330
333.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Belgium
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$652 €570
$69.7 ₹6,713
835.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K €13.8K
$1,852 ₹178.3K
754.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Belgium
India
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$107 €93.1
$25.59 ₹2,463
316.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.31 €40.46
$26.30 ₹2,532
76.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 €96.3
$44.89 ₹4,322
145.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$142 €124
$33.20 ₹3,197
328.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Belgium
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$952 €832
$174 ₹16.8K
445.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$843 €737
$112 ₹10.8K
649.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,537 €1,343
$405 ₹39.0K
279.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,318 €1,152
$258 ₹24.8K
411.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,367 €3,815
$1,263 ₹121.6K
245.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,075 €2,687
$653 ₹62.8K
371.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Belgium
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,041 €2,657
$424 ₹40.8K
617.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.64
9.02
-59.65%

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

Last update for Belgium: July 12, 2026

Last update for India: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $912 in Belgium, $127 in India. Capital cities: $1,319 in Brussels vs $242 in Delhi.

National salary averages: $2,869 in Belgium, $398 in India. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 618% higher in Belgium.

Dining out costs 745% more in Belgium.

Public transport is 500% more expensive in Belgium.

Salaries are 621% higher in Belgium, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Belgium.

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 India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in Belgium compare to the cost in India?
At $2,165 per month in Belgium and $589 in India, there's a 268% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do daily expenses compare in Belgium vs India?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in India: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Is rent more expensive in Belgium or in India?
Rent in Belgium is consistently higher than in India across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Can you live in both Belgium and India on $1,000 per month?
In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Belgium it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Which country is better for expats: Belgium or India?
It depends on what you're after: India wins on affordability; Belgium may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Belgium vs other spots: cost of living compared

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