Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Arlon Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Arlon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,600 per month in Brussels vs $2,062 in Arlon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,882 per month in Brussels vs $2,943 in Arlon, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,164 per month in Brussels vs $3,825 in Arlon, rent included.

Brussels costs about 26% more than Arlon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Brussels and Arlon sit above the global median – Brussels by 94%, Arlon by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.38 €24.21

$17.59 €15.00

61.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.6 €78.1

$94.3 €80.4

-2.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.81 €12.63

$9.33 €7.96

58.74%

Cappuccino

$4.80 €4.09

$2.90 €2.48

65.52%

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

$3.12 €2.66

$3.08 €2.63

1.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 €2.45

$2.26 €1.93

27.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 €6.07

$3.96 €3.38

79.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 €5.01

$3.81 €3.25

54.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.27 €1.09

15.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 €2.54

$2.21 €1.88

34.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 €2.49

$2.22 €1.90

31.53%

Eggs

$4.83 €4.12

$3.88 €3.31

24.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.86 €14.38

$15.05 €12.84

12.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.51 €11.53

$11.37 €9.70

18.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.40 €15.69

$21.17 €18.06

-13.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 €2.57

$3.32 €2.83

-9.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.10

$1.17 €0.99

111.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 €2.33

$2.25 €1.92

21.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 €2.77

$3.18 €2.72

1.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.21

$1.77 €1.51

46.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 €2.06

$2.22 €1.90

9.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.73 €1.48

$1.78 €1.52

-2.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.95

$0.88 €0.75

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.52 €10.68

$9.41 €8.03

33.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.26 €7.90

$6.94 €5.92

33.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 €2.22

$2.09 €1.78

24.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 €2.77

$1.17 €1.00

177.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 €2.51

$2.44 €2.08

20.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.6 €51.7

$55.9 €47.66

8.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.43 €6.34

$4.03 €3.44

84.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 €2.08

$3.19 €2.72

-23.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.88 €29.75

$41.30 €35.23

-15.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 €1.58

$1.86 €1.59

-0.54%

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

$34.7K €29.6K

$35.1K €29.9K

-1.14%

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

$35.4K €30.2K

$28.8K €24.6K

22.82%

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

$255 €217

$275 €234

-7.38%

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

$21.82 €18.61

$26.02 €22.20

-16.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 €47.81

$54.6 €46.56

2.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.20 €35.14

$39.00 €33.27

5.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.04 €26.48

$17.19 €14.66

80.57%

Cinema Ticket

$15.03 €12.82

$9.20 €7.85

63.37%

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

$1,115 €951

$611 €521

82.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K €19.4K

$13.5K €11.5K

69.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €90.7

$85.5 €72.9

24.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.45 €42.18

$48.68 €41.53

1.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €101

$51.5 €43.96

128.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 €131

$117 €99.6

31.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 €1,115

$882 €753

48.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 €926

$893 €761

21.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,325 €1,983

$1,647 €1,405

41.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,810 €1,544

$1,097 €936

64.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,985 €4,252

$3,541 €3,021

40.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,738 €3,189

$2,443 €2,084

53.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,595 €3,067

$2,601 €2,219

38.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.65

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

Last update for Brussels: April 21, 2026

Last update for Arlon: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,307 in Brussels versus $882 in Arlon. 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 38% higher in Brussels, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92 in Brussels versus $94 in Arlon. Groceries tell a different story – $377 in Brussels vs $327 in Arlon – so Arlon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Arlon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brussels costs about 26% more than Arlon, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,899 per month in Brussels and $3,092 in Arlon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,600 in Brussels and $2,062 in Arlon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 8% less in Arlon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arlon, where all-in costs run around $2,062, than in Brussels at $2,600. In Arlon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brussels it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Arlon – 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 Arlon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brussels makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.