Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Diest Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Diest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,700 in Brussels versus $2,181 in Diest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,042 in Brussels versus $3,195 in Diest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,384 in Brussels versus $4,209 in Diest.

Living in Brussels is roughly 24% more expensive than in Diest, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 97% above, Diest 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.03 €20.08

$23.34 €20.35

-1.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.4 €79.7

$91.3 €79.6

0.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.29 €13.33

$12.38 €10.79

23.51%

Cappuccino

$4.67 €4.07

$3.73 €3.25

25.20%

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

$3.85 €3.35

$3.51 €3.06

9.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 €2.88

$2.82 €2.46

17.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.11

$5.60 €4.88

4.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 €5.09

$4.68 €4.08

24.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.24

$1.26 €1.10

12.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 €2.55

$2.89 €2.52

1.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 €2.53

$2.29 €2.00

26.64%

Eggs

$5.38 €4.69

$3.73 €3.25

44.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.14 €15.81

$17.71 €15.44

2.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.27 €11.57

$12.48 €10.88

6.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.67 €19.76

$20.49 €17.86

10.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 €2.89

$2.93 €2.56

12.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 €2.30

$2.37 €2.07

11.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 €2.47

$2.69 €2.35

5.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 €3.53

$3.11 €2.71

30.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 €2.42

$2.34 €2.04

18.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 €2.11

$1.93 €1.68

25.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.67

$1.52 €1.32

26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.03 €0.90

22.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.72 €11.96

$13.70 €11.94

0.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.96 €8.68

$8.12 €7.08

22.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.38

$2.01 €1.75

35.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 €2.72

$1.94 €1.69

60.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 €2.56

$3.16 €2.76

-6.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 €56.0

$50.3 €43.83

27.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 €2.64

$5.90 €5.14

-48.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 €2.10

$2.50 €2.18

-3.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.61 €36.28

$41.71 €36.36

-0.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 €1.87

$1.97 €1.72

9.14%

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

$36.3K €31.6K

$36.7K €31.9K

-1.04%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$35.2K €30.6K

-1.26%

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

$285 €248

$211 €184

35.06%

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

$22.03 €19.20

$21.68 €18.90

1.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 €49.46

$52.6 €45.82

7.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.06 €31.44

$37.53 €32.71

-3.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.79 €25.10

$20.60 €17.96

39.76%

Cinema Ticket

$16.25 €14.17

$15.71 €13.70

3.44%

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

$1,678 €1,463

$745 €650

125.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.0K €33.1K

$25.3K €22.0K

50.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €92.0

$106 €92.3

-0.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.02 €41.86

$48.58 €42.35

-1.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 €95.0

$105 €91.4

3.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 €131

$147 €128

2.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,418 €1,236

$958 €835

48.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 €1,036

$857 €747

38.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,529 €2,205

$1,410 €1,229

79.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,058 €1,794

$1,173 €1,023

75.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,273 €4,596

$4,123 €3,594

27.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,999 €3,486

$2,944 €2,566

35.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,405 €2,968

$2,162 €1,885

57.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

3.46

9.25%

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

Last update for Brussels: September 14, 2026

Last update for Diest: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,418 in Brussels and $958 in Diest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 57% 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: $91.0 in Brussels vs $91.0 in Diest. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $357, with Diest 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 Diest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Diest wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Brussels. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Diest the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 57% 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: $1,418 in Brussels versus $958 in Diest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Brussels. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Diest – a meal for two runs $91.0 versus $91.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,181 in Diest versus $2,700 in Brussels, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Diest but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Diest 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 Diest 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 Diest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.