Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Brasschaat Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Brasschaat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,570 per month in Brussels vs $2,050 in Brasschaat, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,839 per month in Brussels vs $3,197 in Brasschaat, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,107 per month in Brussels vs $4,345 in Brasschaat, rent included.

Brussels costs about 25% more than Brasschaat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Brussels and Brasschaat sit above the global median – Brussels by 92%, Brasschaat by 53%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.46 €25.78

$23.17 €20.27

27.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.1 €82.3

$114 €100

-17.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 €12.99

$12.62 €11.04

17.67%

Cappuccino

$4.91 €4.29

$4.19 €3.66

17.18%

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

$3.07 €2.69

$3.41 €2.98

-9.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$3.04 €2.66

-2.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 €6.02

$5.55 €4.85

23.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 €4.92

$5.27 €4.61

6.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.29

$1.24 €1.09

18.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 €2.63

$2.79 €2.44

7.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 €2.46

$2.40 €2.10

17.08%

Eggs

$4.92 €4.30

$3.95 €3.46

24.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.71 €14.62

$17.45 €15.27

-4.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.48 €11.79

$11.79 €10.31

14.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.53 €16.21

$18.72 €16.38

-1.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 €2.67

$2.93 €2.56

4.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 €2.19

$2.35 €2.06

6.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 €2.31

$2.72 €2.38

-2.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 €2.88

$3.38 €2.96

-2.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 €2.25

$2.81 €2.46

-8.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 €2.13

$2.16 €1.89

12.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 €1.48

$1.38 €1.21

23.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.97

$0.98 €0.85

13.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.30 €10.76

$12.53 €10.96

-1.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.75 €8.53

$9.17 €8.02

6.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 €2.23

$2.01 €1.75

26.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.83

$2.59 €2.26

25.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.86 €2.50

$2.82 €2.47

1.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.4 €52.8

$57.6 €50.4

4.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 €6.51

$5.80 €5.08

28.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 €2.07

$2.54 €2.22

-7.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.82 €30.46

$46.61 €40.78

-25.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.87 €1.63

-1.60%

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

$34.5K €30.2K

$34.1K €29.9K

1.11%

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

$35.5K €31.0K

$32.8K €28.7K

8.11%

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

$263 €230

$208 €182

26.32%

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

$21.70 €18.99

$23.22 €20.32

-6.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.4 €49.31

$51.8 €45.32

8.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.72 €35.63

$38.22 €33.44

6.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.11 €27.22

$16.73 €14.64

85.95%

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 €13.31

$14.93 €13.06

1.88%

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

$1,129 €988

$569 €497

98.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.3K €19.5K

$13.5K €11.8K

64.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.5

$111 €97.2

-5.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.34 €43.16

$49.84 €43.61

-1.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €99.9

$105 €91.5

9.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 €132

$164 €144

-8.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 €1,154

$921 €806

43.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 €924

$741 €648

42.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,290 €2,004

$1,527 €1,336

49.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,756 €1,536

$1,230 €1,076

42.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,121 €4,481

$4,479 €3,918

14.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,112 €3,598

$2,646 €2,315

55.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,227 €2,824

$2,936 €2,568

9.94%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Brasschaat: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,319 in Brussels versus $921 in Brasschaat. 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 10% 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 $94.0 in Brussels versus $114 in Brasschaat. Groceries tell a different story – $377 in Brussels vs $353 in Brasschaat – so Brasschaat 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 Brasschaat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brussels costs about 25% more than Brasschaat, 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 $3,855 per month in Brussels and $3,075 in Brasschaat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Brasschaat, 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 $2,570 in Brussels and $2,050 in Brasschaat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Brasschaat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Brasschaat, where all-in costs run around $2,050, than in Brussels at $2,570. In Brasschaat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brussels it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Brasschaat – 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 Brasschaat. 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.