Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Antwerp Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Antwerp

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,649 in Brussels versus $2,254 in Antwerp.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,979 in Brussels versus $3,494 in Antwerp.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,309 in Brussels versus $4,733 in Antwerp.

Living in Brussels is roughly 18% more expensive than in Antwerp, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 93% above, Antwerp 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.25 €19.99

$23.50 €20.21

-1.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.4 €81.1

$110 €94.3

-13.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.88 €12.79

$14.16 €12.17

5.08%

Cappuccino

$4.47 €3.85

$4.40 €3.78

1.59%

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

$3.60 €3.10

$3.82 €3.28

-5.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 €2.90

$3.76 €3.24

-10.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 €5.12

$5.65 €4.86

5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 €5.01

$6.54 €5.62

-10.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.36 €1.17

8.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 €2.51

$2.77 €2.38

5.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 €2.62

$2.34 €2.01

30.34%

Eggs

$5.48 €4.71

$3.77 €3.24

45.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.85 €15.35

$18.24 €15.68

-2.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.43 €11.55

$12.53 €10.77

7.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.46 €20.17

$23.99 €20.62

-2.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 €2.91

$3.04 €2.61

11.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 €2.33

$2.42 €2.08

11.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 €2.61

$2.80 €2.40

8.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 €3.71

$3.35 €2.88

28.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.36

$2.45 €2.11

12.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 €2.09

$2.01 €1.73

20.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 €1.67

$1.52 €1.31

28.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.11 €0.95

11.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.12 €12.14

$13.31 €11.45

6.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.48 €9.01

$9.17 €7.88

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 €2.44

$1.84 €1.58

54.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 €2.78

$2.09 €1.80

54.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 €2.42

$3.56 €3.06

-20.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.0 €55.0

$56.5 €48.60

13.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 €2.56

$5.77 €4.96

-48.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.71 €2.33

-22.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.45 €36.49

$45.88 €39.44

-7.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 €1.85

$2.14 €1.84

0.93%

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

$36.4K €31.3K

$37.4K €32.2K

-2.87%

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

$215 €185

32.44%

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

$22.13 €19.03

$22.55 €19.39

-1.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 €47.67

$48.51 €41.70

14.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.05 €30.99

$39.38 €33.85

-8.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.90 €25.71

$28.36 €24.38

5.43%

Cinema Ticket

$16.36 €14.06

$15.53 €13.35

5.34%

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

$1,732 €1,489

$1,693 €1,455

2.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.7K €34.2K

$34.1K €29.3K

16.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 €93.3

$113 €97.3

-4.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.07 €37.89

$53.5 €45.95

-17.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.4

$107 €92.3

3.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 €130

$173 €148

-12.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,458 €1,253

$1,081 €929

34.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 €1,034

$875 €752

37.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,533 €2,178

$1,676 €1,441

51.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 €1,792

$1,385 €1,190

50.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,250 €4,513

$4,573 €3,932

14.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,181 €3,594

$3,194 €2,746

30.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,402 €2,925

$3,146 €2,705

8.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.66

3.46

5.78%

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

Last update for Brussels: August 30, 2026

Last update for Antwerp: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,458 in Brussels and $1,081 in Antwerp. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 8% 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 $110 in Antwerp. Groceries flip the comparison at $413 vs $375, with Antwerp 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 Antwerp: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brussels and Antwerp differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($2,649 vs $2,254 including rent). Antwerp is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 8% 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 $1,081 in Antwerp. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Antwerp runs roughly 13% less than in Brussels. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,732 in Brussels versus $1,693 in Antwerp. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,254 in Antwerp versus $2,649 in Brussels, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Antwerp but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Antwerp 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 Antwerp 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 Antwerp 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.