Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Aalst Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Aalst

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,700 in Brussels versus $2,166 in Aalst.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,042 in Brussels versus $3,254 in Aalst.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,384 in Brussels versus $4,342 in Aalst.

Living in Brussels is roughly 25% more expensive than in Aalst, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 97% above, Aalst 58% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.03 €20.08

$23.40 €20.40

-1.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.4 €79.7

$112 €97.5

-18.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.29 €13.33

$14.05 €12.25

8.83%

Cappuccino

$4.67 €4.07

$4.53 €3.95

3.09%

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

$3.85 €3.35

$3.66 €3.19

5.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 €2.88

$3.23 €2.82

2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.11

$5.72 €4.99

2.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 €5.09

$5.70 €4.97

2.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.24

$1.36 €1.19

4.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 €2.55

$2.83 €2.47

3.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 €2.53

$2.22 €1.93

30.63%

Eggs

$5.38 €4.69

$3.90 €3.40

37.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.14 €15.81

$17.87 €15.58

1.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.27 €11.57

$12.50 €10.90

6.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.67 €19.76

$22.79 €19.86

-0.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 €2.89

$3.10 €2.70

6.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 €2.30

$2.41 €2.11

9.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 €2.47

$2.66 €2.32

6.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 €3.53

$3.37 €2.94

20.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 €2.42

$2.53 €2.20

9.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 €2.11

$1.99 €1.74

21.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.67

$1.53 €1.33

25.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.04 €0.91

21.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.72 €11.96

$13.05 €11.38

5.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.96 €8.68

$9.20 €8.02

8.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.38

$1.85 €1.61

47.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 €2.72

$2.04 €1.78

52.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 €2.56

$3.22 €2.81

-8.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 €56.0

$54.0 €47.09

18.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 €2.64

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 €2.10

$2.38 €2.08

1.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.61 €36.28

$42.41 €36.97

-1.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 €1.87

$2.08 €1.81

3.37%

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

$36.3K €31.6K

$36.2K €31.5K

0.22%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$35.0K €30.5K

-0.72%

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

$285 €248

$214 €186

33.24%

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

$22.03 €19.20

$22.44 €19.56

-1.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 €49.46

$55.2 €48.10

2.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.06 €31.44

$37.49 €32.68

-3.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.79 €25.10

$18.59 €16.20

54.87%

Cinema Ticket

$16.25 €14.17

$15.63 €13.63

3.97%

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

$1,678 €1,463

$1,692 €1,475

-0.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.0K €33.1K

$34.9K €30.4K

8.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €92.0

$115 €99.9

-7.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.02 €41.86

$47.13 €41.08

1.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 €95.0

$106 €92.6

2.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 €131

$172 €150

-12.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,418 €1,236

$965 €842

46.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 €1,036

$832 €725

42.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,529 €2,205

$1,423 €1,241

77.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,058 €1,794

$1,167 €1,018

76.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,273 €4,596

$4,198 €3,659

25.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,999 €3,486

$2,989 €2,606

33.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,405 €2,968

$2,848 €2,483

19.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

3.46

9.25%

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

Last update for Brussels: September 14, 2026

Last update for Aalst: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,418 in Brussels and $965 in Aalst. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 20% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $91.0 in Brussels vs $112 in Aalst. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $370, with Aalst cheaper for home cooking.

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

Brussels vs Aalst: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brussels and Aalst differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($2,700 vs $2,166 including rent). Aalst is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 20% higher in Brussels, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,418 in Brussels versus $965 in Aalst. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Aalst – a meal for two runs $112 versus $91.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,700 per month in Brussels versus $2,166 in Aalst – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,166 in Aalst versus $2,700 in Brussels, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Aalst but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Aalst the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Brussels and Aalst are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Aalst gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.