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: $2,061 in Belgium versus $388 in India.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,060 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 431% more expensive than India on average.

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

Belgium ($1,726$2,511) and India ($264$888) 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
$23.17 €19.93
$2.49 ₹237
830.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$92.9 €79.9
$14.20 ₹1,353
554.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.30 €10.58
$3.98 ₹379
209.05%
Cappuccino
$4.21 €3.63
$1.88 ₹179
123.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 €2.74
$0.44 ₹41.98
622.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 €2.47
$0.19 ₹18.57
1410.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.45 €4.69
$2.02 ₹192
169.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.57 €3.93
$3.45 ₹329
32.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Belgium
India
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 €1.08
$0.72 ₹68.3
73.61%
White Bread (500g)
$2.60 €2.24
$0.52 ₹49.26
400.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.48 €2.13
$0.72 ₹68.7
244.44%
Eggs
$4.17 €3.59
$0.93 ₹88.8
348.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.03 €12.93
$5.24 ₹499
186.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.22 €10.51
$3.07 ₹292
298.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.21 €16.52
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.87 €2.47
$2.17 ₹207
32.26%
Banana (1kg)
$2.32 €1.99
$0.76 ₹72.2
205.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.58 €2.22
$1.05 ₹100
145.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.07 €2.64
$0.53 ₹50.7
479.25%
Potato (1kg)
$2.27 €1.95
$0.39 ₹37.53
482.05%
Onion (1kg)
$1.84 €1.59
$0.49 ₹46.81
275.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.50 €1.29
$0.52 ₹49.35
188.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.06 €0.92
$0.33 ₹31.13
221.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.20 €10.49
$4.05 ₹386
201.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.99 €7.74
$7.39 ₹704
21.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.96 €1.69
$1.84 ₹175
6.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 €1.93
$2.90 ₹277
-22.76%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.65 ₹538
-
🚌 Getting Around
Belgium
India
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.81 €2.42
$0.36 ₹34.59
680.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$57.6 €49.53
$9.74 ₹928
491.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.84 €5.88
$0.95 ₹90.6
620.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.62 €2.25
$0.30 ₹28.64
773.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$43.32 €37.26
$1.73 ₹165
2404.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.93 €1.66
$1.23 ₹117
56.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K €28.8K
$13.9K ₹1.3M
141.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K €28.5K
$22.6K ₹2.2M
46.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belgium
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$222 €191
$40.88 ₹3,894
443.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.02 €20.66
$3.91 ₹372
514.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$57.4 €49.34
$7.81 ₹744
634.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Belgium
India
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.45 €33.08
$16.15 ₹1,538
138.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.88 €18.82
$7.49 ₹713
192.12%
Cinema Ticket
$15.02 €12.92
$3.42 ₹326
339.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Belgium
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$646 €556
$69.9 ₹6,660
824.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K €13.7K
$1,793 ₹170.8K
785.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Belgium
India
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$106 €91.3
$25.83 ₹2,460
310.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.44 €39.08
$26.61 ₹2,535
70.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 €95.2
$45.24 ₹4,309
144.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$143 €123
$33.68 ₹3,208
324.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Belgium
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$981 €844
$178 ₹17.0K
450.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$851 €732
$115 ₹10.9K
642.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,508 €1,297
$407 ₹38.8K
270.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,292 €1,111
$264 ₹25.1K
390.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,479 €3,853
$1,240 ₹118.1K
261.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,131 €2,693
$631 ₹60.1K
396.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Belgium
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,077 €2,647
$432 ₹41.2K
612.15%
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: May 30, 2026

Last update for India: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $910 in Belgium, $127 in India. Capital cities: $1,318 in Brussels vs $239 in Delhi.

National salary averages: $2,906 in Belgium, $398 in India. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 617% higher in Belgium.

Dining out costs 745% more in Belgium.

Public transport is 500% more expensive in Belgium.

Salaries are 630% higher in Belgium, giving Belgium stronger purchasing power.

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 India?
At $2,119 per month in Belgium and $576 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?
India is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 India?
Rent in Belgium beats 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 works in regional areas but 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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