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: $2,561 in Brussels versus $2,172 in Aalst.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,869 in Brussels versus $3,194 in Aalst.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,177 in Brussels versus $4,217 in Aalst.

Living in Brussels is roughly 18% more expensive than in Aalst, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 92% above, Aalst 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.81 €24.95

$22.81 €19.75

26.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.4 €79.2

$105 €90.9

-12.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.92 €12.92

$12.68 €10.98

17.67%

Cappuccino

$4.75 €4.11

$4.03 €3.49

17.87%

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

$3.16 €2.74

$3.42 €2.96

-7.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 €2.50

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 €5.96

$5.65 €4.89

21.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 €5.09

$4.51 €3.90

30.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.28

$1.32 €1.15

11.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 €2.57

$2.84 €2.46

4.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 €2.41

$2.72 €2.36

2.57%

Eggs

$4.80 €4.15

$4.10 €3.55

17.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.96 €14.68

$16.64 €14.41

1.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.44 €11.64

$11.94 €10.34

12.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.55 €16.07

$18.69 €16.18

-0.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 €2.69

$3.01 €2.61

2.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 €2.19

$2.37 €2.05

6.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 €2.32

$2.24 €1.94

19.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.31 €2.87

$3.29 €2.85

0.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 €2.23

$2.67 €2.31

-3.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 €2.17

$2.33 €2.02

7.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 €1.44

$1.43 €1.24

16.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.02

$0.83 €0.71

40.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.25 €10.61

Wine (Bottle)

$9.60 €8.32

$8.87 €7.68

8.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 €2.27

$1.71 €1.48

53.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 €2.83

$1.99 €1.73

64.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 €2.57

$2.83 €2.45

4.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 €53.1

$57.2 €49.56

7.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.58 €6.56

$5.63 €4.88

34.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 €2.08

$2.41 €2.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.16 €30.45

$34.66 €30.02

1.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.65

$1.92 €1.67

-1.04%

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

$34.4K €29.8K

$34.5K €29.9K

-0.28%

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

$36.7K €31.8K

$33.4K €29.0K

9.65%

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

$262 €227

$202 €175

30.14%

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

$21.22 €18.37

$21.13 €18.30

0.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 €48.51

$57.5 €49.80

-2.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.98 €35.49

$38.55 €33.38

6.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.27 €27.08

$17.11 €14.82

82.76%

Cinema Ticket

$14.90 €12.90

$15.09 €13.06

-1.26%

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

$1,134 €982

$615 €533

84.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K €19.1K

$13.3K €11.5K

65.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €91.7

$105 €91.1

0.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.87 €43.19

$48.42 €41.93

2.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €102

$115 €99.7

2.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 €131

$158 €136

-4.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 €1,110

$970 €840

32.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 €928

$885 €766

21.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,343 €2,029

$1,356 €1,174

72.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,763 €1,526

$1,098 €951

60.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,149 €4,459

$3,137 €2,717

64.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,220 €3,655

$2,912 €2,522

44.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,148 €2,726

$2,650 €2,295

18.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.65

3.27

11.62%

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

Last update for Brussels: July 26, 2026

Last update for Aalst: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,282 in Brussels and $970 in Aalst. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 19% 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 $105 in Aalst. Groceries flip the comparison at $379 vs $348, 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 18% in total monthly costs ($2,561 vs $2,172 including rent). Aalst is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 19% 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: $1,282 in Brussels versus $970 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 $105 versus $91.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,561 per month in Brussels versus $2,172 in Aalst – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,172 in Aalst versus $2,561 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 18% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.