Cost of Living Comparison Between Braine-l'Alleud and Gent Cost of Living Comparison Between Braine-l'Alleud and Gent

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,969 per month in Braine-l'Alleud vs $2,291 in Gent, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,968 per month in Braine-l'Alleud vs $3,458 in Gent, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,967 per month in Braine-l'Alleud vs $4,624 in Gent, rent included.

Braine-l'Alleud is about 14% cheaper than Gent, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Braine-l'Alleud and Gent sit above the global median – Braine-l'Alleud by 47%, Gent by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.36 €19.99

$23.09 €19.76

1.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.0 €78.7

$114 €97.8

-19.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.43 €11.49

$13.92 €11.92

-3.52%

Cappuccino

$4.01 €3.43

$4.18 €3.58

-4.07%

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

$4.02 €3.44

$3.43 €2.94

17.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.90

$3.37 €2.88

0.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.14 €4.40

$5.87 €5.03

-12.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.42 €5.49

$5.77 €4.94

11.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.26 €1.08

11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 €2.68

$2.65 €2.27

18.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 €2.70

$2.35 €2.01

34.04%

Eggs

$3.64 €3.12

$4.16 €3.56

-12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.65 €15.10

$17.21 €14.73

2.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.98 €8.55

$11.77 €10.08

-15.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.32 €18.25

$18.50 €15.83

15.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €1.99

$3.14 €2.69

-26.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 €1.94

$2.43 €2.08

-7.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 €2.02

$2.63 €2.25

-10.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 €1.94

$3.04 €2.60

-25.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.35 €2.01

$1.93 €1.65

21.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 €1.37

$2.15 €1.84

-25.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 €0.78

$1.37 €1.17

-33.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 €1.06

$0.89 €0.76

39.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.29 €11.38

$12.75 €10.91

4.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.08 €7.77

$9.58 €8.20

-5.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 €1.63

$1.94 €1.66

-2.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.05

$2.90 €2.48

-17.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 €2.20

$2.88 €2.46

-10.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.70 €37.41

$58.0 €49.65

-24.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 €4.94

$10.88 €9.31

-46.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 €2.33

$2.76 €2.36

-1.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.36 €31.12

$54.3 €46.44

-32.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 €1.56

$1.94 €1.66

-5.67%

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

$53.0K €45.4K

$32.9K €28.2K

60.97%

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

$31.4K €26.8K

$37.9K €32.5K

-17.36%

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

$108 €92.7

$233 €199

-53.54%

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

$20.82 €17.82

$23.48 €20.10

-11.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.9 €61.5

$50.1 €42.90

43.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.44 €32.90

$35.04 €30.00

9.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.85 €14.43

$13.69 €11.72

23.08%

Cinema Ticket

$14.00 €11.98

$16.16 €13.83

-13.37%

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

$604 €517

$585 €501

3.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K €12.0K

$19.3K €16.5K

-27.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 €107

$113 €96.9

10.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.75 €42.58

$53.2 €45.56

-6.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 €106

$104 €89.2

18.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 €118

$161 €138

-14.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$898 €768

$1,041 €891

-13.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$753 €645

$924 €791

-18.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 €1,142

$1,772 €1,517

-24.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,112 €952

$1,395 €1,194

-20.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,563 €3,050

$5,459 €4,673

-34.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,438 €2,087

$3,195 €2,735

-23.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,443 €4,659

$3,338 €2,857

63.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.14

3.74

-16.04%

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

Last update for Braine-l'Alleud: April 26, 2026

Last update for Gent: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $898 in Braine-l'Alleud versus $1,041 in Gent. 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 63% higher in Braine-l'Alleud, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92.0 in Braine-l'Alleud versus $114 in Gent. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $348 – making Braine-l'Alleud the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Braine-l'Alleud vs Gent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Gent is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,954 per month in Braine-l'Alleud and $3,436 in Gent. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Braine-l'Alleud, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92.0 in Braine-l'Alleud and $114 in Gent. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,969 in Braine-l'Alleud and $2,291 in Gent. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Braine-l'Alleud, where all-in costs run around $1,969, than in Gent at $2,291. In Braine-l'Alleud it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gent it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Braine-l'Alleud – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Braine-l'Alleud. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Gent makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.