Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Hamont-Achel Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Hamont-Achel

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,557 in Brussels versus $2,210 in Hamont-Achel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,830 in Brussels versus $3,197 in Hamont-Achel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,103 in Brussels versus $4,183 in Hamont-Achel.

Living in Brussels is roughly 16% more expensive than Hamont-Achel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 90% above, Hamont-Achel 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.55 €24.60

$17.21 €14.83

65.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.8 €79.1

$90.9 €78.3

0.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.02 €12.94

$12.14 €10.46

23.72%

Cappuccino

$4.63 €3.99

$3.48 €3.00

33.05%

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

$3.05 €2.63

$3.13 €2.70

-2.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 €2.62

$2.33 €2.01

30.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.90 €5.95

$4.69 €4.04

47.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 €5.12

$3.69 €3.18

60.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 €1.28

$1.32 €1.13

12.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 €2.57

$2.80 €2.42

6.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 €2.38

$2.38 €2.05

16.39%

Eggs

$4.82 €4.15

$3.75 €3.23

28.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.35 €14.09

$26.07 €22.46

-37.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.70 €11.80

$11.19 €9.64

22.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.11 €16.47

$21.81 €18.79

-12.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 €2.54

$3.38 €2.91

-13.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 €2.14

$2.50 €2.15

-0.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$3.09 €2.67

-10.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

$3.19 €2.75

-0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$3.04 €2.62

-12.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 €2.10

$2.21 €1.91

10.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.76 €1.52

-5.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$0.91 €0.78

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.27 €10.57

$9.54 €8.22

28.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.60 €8.27

$9.42 €8.11

1.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 €2.23

$2.12 €1.83

22.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 €2.87

$2.99 €2.58

11.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.87 €2.47

$2.95 €2.54

-2.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.1 €51.8

$57.2 €49.27

5.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 €6.63

$4.96 €4.28

55.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.38 €2.05

$2.34 €2.01

1.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.36 €29.60

$40.42 €34.82

-14.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.93 €1.66

-2.59%

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

$34.8K €30.0K

$34.1K €29.4K

2.08%

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

$36.3K €31.3K

$28.8K €24.8K

26.03%

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

$258 €223

$345 €297

-24.98%

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

$21.45 €18.48

$28.68 €24.71

-25.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.1 €49.17

$61.0 €52.6

-6.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.88 €34.36

$38.83 €33.45

2.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.82 €27.42

$16.66 €14.35

91.00%

Cinema Ticket

$15.16 €13.06

$15.39 €13.26

-1.49%

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

$1,105 €952

$620 €534

78.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K €19.0K

$13.5K €11.6K

63.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €92.2

$85.9 €74.0

24.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.11 €42.31

$47.36 €40.81

3.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €101

$111 €95.3

6.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 €132

$167 €144

-8.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 €1,106

$888 €765

44.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 €914

$741 €638

43.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,333 €2,010

$1,359 €1,171

71.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 €1,526

$1,091 €940

62.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,017 €4,323

$3,972 €3,422

26.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,931 €3,387

$3,428 €2,953

14.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,345 €2,882

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.65

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

Last update for Brussels: June 8, 2026

Last update for Hamont-Achel: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,283 in Brussels and $888 in Hamont-Achel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $92.0 in Brussels vs $91.0 in Hamont-Achel. Groceries flip the comparison at $379 vs $392, with Brussels 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 Hamont-Achel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamont-Achel wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Brussels. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hamont-Achel the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,836 in Brussels and $3,316 in Hamont-Achel to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,283 in Brussels versus $888 in Hamont-Achel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Brussels pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Hamont-Achel – a meal for two runs $91.0 versus $92.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,210 in Hamont-Achel versus $2,557 in Brussels, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamont-Achel but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Hamont-Achel 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 Hamont-Achel 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 Hamont-Achel gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.