Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Hasselt Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Hasselt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,700 in Brussels versus $2,081 in Hasselt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,042 in Brussels versus $3,159 in Hasselt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,384 in Brussels versus $4,238 in Hasselt.

Living in Brussels is roughly 30% more expensive than in Hasselt, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 97% above, Hasselt 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.03 €20.08

$23.49 €20.47

-1.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.4 €79.7

$104 €90.4

-11.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.29 €13.33

$13.94 €12.15

9.68%

Cappuccino

$4.67 €4.07

$3.98 €3.47

17.34%

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

$3.85 €3.35

$3.82 €3.33

0.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 €2.88

$3.32 €2.89

-0.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.11

$5.24 €4.57

11.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 €5.09

$5.83 €5.08

0.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.24

$1.41 €1.22

0.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 €2.55

$2.67 €2.33

9.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 €2.53

$2.30 €2.00

26.09%

Eggs

$5.38 €4.69

$3.31 €2.89

62.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.14 €15.81

$8.16 €7.11

122.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.27 €11.57

$12.22 €10.65

8.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.67 €19.76

$24.01 €20.93

-5.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 €2.89

$2.04 €1.78

62.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 €2.30

$1.80 €1.57

46.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 €2.47

$2.76 €2.41

2.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 €3.53

$2.70 €2.36

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 €2.42

$1.91 €1.66

45.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 €2.11

$1.34 €1.17

80.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.67

$1.10 €0.96

74.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.09 €0.95

15.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.72 €11.96

$13.12 €11.43

4.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.96 €8.68

$9.49 €8.27

4.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.38

$1.60 €1.39

70.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 €2.72

$2.08 €1.81

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 €2.56

$3.22 €2.81

-8.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 €56.0

$34.29 €29.89

87.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 €2.64

$5.82 €5.07

-47.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 €2.10

$2.84 €2.48

-15.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.61 €36.28

$36.57 €31.88

13.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 €1.87

$1.90 €1.66

13.16%

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

$36.3K €31.6K

$36.0K €31.4K

0.69%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$35.2K €30.7K

-1.30%

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

$285 €248

$214 €187

32.69%

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

$22.03 €19.20

$20.37 €17.75

8.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 €49.46

$49.16 €42.86

15.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.06 €31.44

$28.73 €25.04

25.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.79 €25.10

$9.39 €8.18

206.60%

Cinema Ticket

$16.25 €14.17

$15.81 €13.78

2.78%

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

$1,678 €1,463

$1,670 €1,455

0.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.0K €33.1K

$34.2K €29.8K

11.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €92.0

$116 €101

-9.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.02 €41.86

$53.3 €46.45

-9.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 €95.0

$105 €91.3

4.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 €131

$134 €117

12.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,418 €1,236

$935 €815

51.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 €1,036

$832 €725

42.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,529 €2,205

$1,482 €1,292

70.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,058 €1,794

$1,275 €1,111

61.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,273 €4,596

$4,661 €4,063

13.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,999 €3,486

$2,537 €2,212

57.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,405 €2,968

$3,145 €2,741

8.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

3.42

10.53%

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

Last update for Brussels: September 14, 2026

Last update for Hasselt: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,418 in Brussels and $935 in Hasselt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 8% 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 $104 in Hasselt. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $323, with Hasselt 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 Hasselt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hasselt wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Brussels. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hasselt the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 8% 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 $935 in Hasselt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

Dining out is cheaper in Hasselt – a meal for two runs $104 versus $91.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,081 in Hasselt versus $2,700 in Brussels, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Hasselt but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Hasselt 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 Hasselt 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 Hasselt gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.