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: $2,556 in Brussels versus $2,089 in Diest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,814 in Brussels versus $3,128 in Diest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,072 in Brussels versus $4,168 in Diest.

Living in Brussels is roughly 22% more expensive than Diest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 92% above, Diest 57% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.32 €25.25

$22.73 €19.57

28.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.8 €79.9

$92.5 €79.7

0.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.27 €13.15

$12.03 €10.36

26.93%

Cappuccino

$4.64 €3.99

$3.71 €3.20

25.07%

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

$3.07 €2.64

$3.45 €2.97

-11.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 €2.51

$3.15 €2.71

-7.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.77 €5.83

$5.61 €4.83

20.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$4.76 €4.10

20.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 €1.28

$1.28 €1.11

16.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.93 €2.52

$2.77 €2.39

5.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.89 €2.49

$2.55 €2.19

13.33%

Eggs

$5.08 €4.37

$4.18 €3.60

21.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.87 €14.52

$17.28 €14.88

-2.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.88 €11.96

$11.42 €9.83

21.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.70 €16.11

$21.37 €18.41

-12.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.66 €2.29

11.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 €2.19

$2.35 €2.03

8.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 €2.29

$2.34 €2.01

13.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 €2.83

$2.98 €2.56

10.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 €2.25

$2.15 €1.85

21.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$2.15 €1.85

14.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 €1.42

$1.46 €1.26

13.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.96

$0.95 €0.81

16.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.61 €10.85

$12.56 €10.82

0.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.67 €8.33

$8.62 €7.43

12.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 €2.15

$1.69 €1.46

47.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 €2.82

$1.93 €1.66

69.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.82 €2.43

5.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.0 €52.5

$55.9 €48.15

9.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.39 €6.36

$5.87 €5.06

25.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.44 €2.10

0.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.05 €29.32

$37.84 €32.58

-10.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.89 €1.63

2.12%

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

$34.9K €30.0K

$33.4K €28.7K

4.48%

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

$35.4K €30.5K

$31.5K €27.1K

12.41%

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

$254 €219

$207 €178

22.60%

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

$21.68 €18.67

$24.66 €21.24

-12.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 €48.63

$51.8 €44.63

8.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.07 €35.37

$39.17 €33.73

4.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.96 €27.52

$17.28 €14.88

84.95%

Cinema Ticket

$15.12 €13.02

$14.88 €12.81

1.61%

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

$1,128 €972

$612 €527

84.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K €19.5K

$13.6K €11.7K

66.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.6

$105 €90.3

0.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.81 €42.03

$49.66 €42.76

-1.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €100

$108 €93.3

7.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 €133

$155 €134

-0.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 €1,110

$892 €768

44.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 €943

$761 €656

43.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,263 €1,949

$1,357 €1,169

66.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,759 €1,515

$1,092 €940

61.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,058 €4,356

$4,123 €3,550

22.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,075 €3,509

$3,040 €2,617

34.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,370 €2,902

$2,189 €1,885

53.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.65

3.42

6.73%

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

Last update for Brussels: June 16, 2026

Last update for Diest: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,289 in Brussels and $892 in Diest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 54% 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: $93.0 in Brussels vs $93.0 in Diest. Groceries flip the comparison at $380 vs $350, 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 22% 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.

Brussels pays 54% more on average, 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: $1,289 in Brussels versus $892 in Diest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% 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 $93.0 versus $93.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,089 in Diest versus $2,556 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 22% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.