Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Aarschot Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Aarschot

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,649 in Brussels versus $2,023 in Aarschot.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,979 in Brussels versus $2,948 in Aarschot.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,309 in Brussels versus $3,873 in Aarschot.

Living in Brussels is roughly 31% more expensive than in Aarschot, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 93% above, Aarschot 47% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.25 €20.01

$18.85 €16.22

23.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.4 €81.2

$81.9 €70.5

15.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.88 €12.81

$11.55 €9.94

28.83%

Cappuccino

$4.47 €3.85

$3.74 €3.22

19.52%

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

$3.60 €3.10

$3.28 €2.82

9.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 €2.90

$2.70 €2.32

24.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 €5.12

$5.49 €4.72

8.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 €5.01

$4.78 €4.11

21.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.25 €1.07

17.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 €2.51

$2.95 €2.54

-1.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 €2.62

$2.34 €2.01

30.34%

Eggs

$5.48 €4.72

$3.82 €3.29

43.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.85 €15.36

$11.93 €10.27

49.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.43 €11.56

$12.09 €10.41

11.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.46 €20.19

$15.84 €13.63

48.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.82 €2.43

20.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 €2.33

$2.29 €1.97

18.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 €2.61

$2.28 €1.96

32.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 €3.71

$2.38 €2.05

81.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.36

$2.38 €2.05

15.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 €2.09

$1.82 €1.57

33.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.51 €1.30

29.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 €1.06

$0.94 €0.80

31.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.12 €12.15

$10.37 €8.92

36.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.48 €9.02

$7.11 €6.12

47.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 €2.44

$2.16 €1.86

31.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 €2.78

$1.87 €1.61

72.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 €2.42

$3.25 €2.80

-13.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.0 €55.1

$57.7 €49.67

10.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 €2.56

$5.09 €4.38

-41.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.57 €2.21

-17.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.45 €36.53

$17.46 €15.02

143.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 €1.85

$1.91 €1.64

13.09%

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

$36.4K €31.3K

$36.1K €31.1K

0.66%

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

$34.4K €29.6K

$35.1K €30.2K

-1.91%

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

$285 €245

$216 €186

31.91%

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

$22.13 €19.05

$18.67 €16.06

18.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 €47.71

$56.1 €48.23

-1.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.05 €31.02

$37.21 €32.02

-3.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.90 €25.73

$22.61 €19.45

32.24%

Cinema Ticket

$16.36 €14.07

$15.10 €13.00

8.34%

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

$1,732 €1,490

$726 €625

138.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.7K €34.2K

$17.1K €14.7K

131.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 €93.4

$85.0 €73.2

27.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.07 €37.92

$27.01 €23.24

63.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.4

$92.7 €79.7

19.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 €130

$153 €132

-1.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,458 €1,254

$989 €851

47.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 €1,035

$847 €729

42.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,533 €2,180

$1,459 €1,255

73.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 €1,794

$1,211 €1,042

72.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,250 €4,517

$4,317 €3,715

21.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,181 €3,598

$2,719 €2,340

53.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,402 €2,928

$3,235 €2,784

5.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.66

3.52

3.98%

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

Last update for Brussels: August 30, 2026

Last update for Aarschot: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,458 in Brussels and $989 in Aarschot. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 5% 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: $94.0 in Brussels vs $82.0 in Aarschot for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $413 vs $316 per month, with Aarschot cheaper across the board.

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 Aarschot: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aarschot is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% 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: $1,458 in Brussels versus $989 in Aarschot. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Brussels. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Aarschot – a meal for two runs $82.0 versus $94.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,023 in Aarschot versus $2,649 in Brussels, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Aarschot but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Aarschot 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 Aarschot 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 Aarschot gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.