Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Cary, NC Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Cary, NC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,570 in Brussels versus $3,038 in Cary, NC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,839 in Brussels versus $4,477 in Cary, NC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,107 in Brussels versus $5,916 in Cary, NC.

Living in Brussels costs roughly 15% less than in Cary, NC, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 92% above, Cary, NC 127% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.46 €25.78

$18.06 $18.06

63.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.1 €82.3

$98.5 $98.5

-4.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 €12.99

$10.56 $10.56

40.62%

Cappuccino

$4.91 €4.29

$5.22 $5.22

-5.94%

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

$3.07 €2.69

$2.08 $2.08

47.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.86 $1.86

59.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 €6.02

$4.90 $4.90

40.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 €4.92

$6.74 $6.74

-16.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.29

$1.16 $1.16

26.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 €2.63

$5.61 $5.61

-46.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 €2.46

$6.03 $6.03

-53.40%

Eggs

$4.92 €4.30

$4.53 $4.53

8.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.71 €14.62

$20.88 $20.88

-19.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.48 €11.79

$12.52 $12.52

7.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.53 €16.21

$17.94 $17.94

3.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 €2.67

$5.83 $5.83

-47.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 €2.19

$1.76 $1.76

42.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 €2.31

$4.27 $4.27

-38.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 €2.88

$6.78 $6.78

-51.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 €2.25

$2.55 $2.55

0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 €2.13

$3.43 $3.43

-28.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 €1.48

$2.92 $2.92

-41.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.97

$1.97 $1.97

-43.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.30 €10.76

$9.36 $9.36

31.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.75 €8.53

$9.93 $9.93

-1.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 €2.23

$2.29 $2.29

11.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.83

$4.95 $4.95

-34.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.86 €2.50

$1.90 $1.90

50.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.4 €52.8

$59.4 $59.4

1.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 €6.51

$3.57 $3.57

108.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 €2.07

$1.65 $1.65

43.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.82 €30.46

$29.23 $29.23

19.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.61

$0.79 $0.79

132.91%

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

$34.5K €30.2K

$29.8K $29.8K

15.95%

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

$35.5K €31.0K

$28.6K $28.6K

24.03%

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

$263 €230

$171 $171

54.28%

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

$21.70 €18.99

$49.09 $49.09

-55.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.4 €49.31

$62.6 $62.6

-9.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.72 €35.63

$75.6 $75.6

-46.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.11 €27.22

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 €13.31

$13.72 $13.72

10.86%

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

$1,129 €988

$1,484 $1,484

-23.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.3K €19.5K

$23.4K $23.4K

-4.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.5

$48.87 $48.87

113.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.34 €43.16

$32.38 $32.38

52.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €99.9

$127 $127

-9.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 €132

$137 $137

10.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 €1,154

$1,770 $1,770

-25.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 €924

$1,587 $1,587

-33.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,290 €2,004

$2,657 $2,657

-13.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,756 €1,536

$2,748 $2,748

-36.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,121 €4,481

$2,810 $2,810

82.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,112 €3,598

$2,678 $2,678

53.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,227 €2,824

$5,861 $5,861

-44.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.65

6.31

-42.16%

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

Last update for Brussels: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cary, NC: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,319 in Brussels and $1,770 in Cary, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cary, NC pays 82% 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 $99.0 in Cary, NC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $377 vs $471 per month, with Brussels 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 Cary, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brussels wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Cary, NC. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Brussels the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 82% lower in Cary, NC. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,319 in Brussels versus $1,770 in Cary, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Cary, NC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Brussels – a meal for two runs $94.0 versus $99.0 in Cary, NC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,570 in Brussels versus $3,038 in Cary, NC, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Brussels but tight or insufficient in Cary, NC. The gap between the two cities makes Brussels 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 Cary, NC 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 Brussels gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Cary, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.