Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Geel Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Geel

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,557 in Brussels versus $2,081 in Geel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,830 in Brussels versus $2,929 in Geel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,103 in Brussels versus $3,776 in Geel.

Living in Brussels is roughly 23% more expensive than Geel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 90% above, Geel 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.55 €24.60

$17.52 €15.10

62.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.8 €79.1

$64.2 €55.3

42.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.02 €12.94

$10.87 €9.37

38.18%

Cappuccino

$4.63 €3.99

$3.66 €3.15

26.50%

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

$3.05 €2.63

$2.93 €2.52

4.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 €2.62

$2.82 €2.43

7.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.90 €5.95

$4.75 €4.10

45.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 €5.12

$3.56 €3.07

66.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 €1.28

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 €2.57

$2.93 €2.52

1.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 €2.38

$2.79 €2.40

-0.72%

Eggs

$4.82 €4.15

$5.02 €4.33

-3.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.35 €14.09

$16.91 €14.57

-3.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.70 €11.80

$13.87 €11.95

-1.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.11 €16.47

$18.56 €15.99

2.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 €2.54

$2.93 €2.53

0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 €2.14

$2.44 €2.10

1.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$2.78 €2.40

-0.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

$3.16 €2.72

0.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$2.68 €2.31

-0.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 €2.10

$2.42 €2.08

0.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.70 €1.47

-2.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$0.77 €0.66

51.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.27 €10.57

$12.64 €10.89

-2.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.60 €8.27

$9.45 €8.14

1.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 €2.23

$2.61 €2.25

-0.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 €2.87

$3.22 €2.77

3.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.87 €2.47

$2.84 €2.44

1.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.1 €51.8

$55.8 €48.10

7.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 €6.63

$7.57 €6.52

1.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.38 €2.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.36 €29.60

$35.03 €30.19

-1.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.92 €1.65

-2.08%

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

$34.8K €30.0K

$24.9K €21.5K

39.64%

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

$36.3K €31.3K

$35.4K €30.5K

2.57%

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

$258 €223

$173 €149

49.36%

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

$21.45 €18.48

$21.56 €18.58

-0.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.1 €49.17

$56.9 €49.04

0.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.88 €34.36

$39.87 €34.35

0.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.82 €27.42

$17.31 €14.91

83.82%

Cinema Ticket

$15.16 €13.06

$14.94 €12.87

1.47%

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

$1,105 €952

$625 €539

76.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K €19.0K

$13.5K €11.6K

63.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €92.2

$105 €90.6

1.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.11 €42.31

$49.70 €42.82

-1.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €101

$118 €102

-0.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 €132

$153 €131

0.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 €1,106

$946 €815

35.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 €914

$806 €694

31.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,333 €2,010

$1,104 €951

111.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 €1,526

$1,001 €863

76.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,017 €4,323

$3,989 €3,437

25.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,931 €3,387

$3,400 €2,930

15.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,345 €2,882

$2,469 €2,127

35.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.65

21.67%

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

Last update for Brussels: June 8, 2026

Last update for Geel: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,283 in Brussels and $946 in Geel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 36% 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: $92.0 in Brussels vs $64.0 in Geel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $379 vs $375 per month, with Geel 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 Geel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Geel wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Brussels. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Geel the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Brussels pays 36% 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: $1,283 in Brussels versus $946 in Geel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Brussels. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Geel – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $92.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,081 in Geel versus $2,557 in Brussels, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Geel but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Geel 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 Geel 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 Geel gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.