Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Heist-op-den-Berg Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Heist-op-den-Berg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,511 in Brussels versus $2,171 in Heist-op-den-Berg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,815 in Brussels versus $3,228 in Heist-op-den-Berg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,120 in Brussels versus $4,284 in Heist-op-den-Berg.

Living in Brussels is roughly 16% more expensive than Heist-op-den-Berg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 87% above, Heist-op-den-Berg 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.39 €24.42

$23.04 €19.82

23.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.7 €79.7

$90.9 €78.2

1.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.30 €13.16

$13.18 €11.34

16.08%

Cappuccino

$4.84 €4.16

$3.98 €3.42

21.61%

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

$3.11 €2.68

$4.00 €3.44

-22.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 €2.56

$3.37 €2.90

-11.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.12 €6.13

$5.08 €4.37

40.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 €5.01

$6.52 €5.61

-10.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.41 €1.21

9.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 €2.59

$3.21 €2.76

-6.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 €2.41

$3.09 €2.66

-9.39%

Eggs

$4.89 €4.21

$3.64 €3.13

34.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.57 €14.26

$17.46 €15.02

-5.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.48 €11.60

$9.80 €8.43

37.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.92 €16.27

$21.08 €18.14

-10.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 €2.55

$2.33 €2.00

27.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 €2.18

$2.33 €2.01

8.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$2.32 €2.00

19.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 €2.70

$2.27 €1.96

38.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 €2.21

$2.34 €2.01

9.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.58 €1.36

55.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 €1.48

$0.96 €0.83

79.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$1.25 €1.08

-7.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.57 €10.82

$13.23 €11.38

-4.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.47 €8.15

$7.90 €6.80

19.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 €2.16

$1.92 €1.65

30.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.79

$2.37 €2.04

36.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 €2.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.6 €52.1

$57.6 €49.57

5.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.59 €6.53

$5.84 €5.02

29.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 €2.00

$2.44 €2.10

-4.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.30 €29.51

$36.68 €31.55

-6.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.86 €1.60

-0.54%

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

$34.1K €29.3K

$51.5K €44.3K

-33.87%

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

$35.4K €30.5K

$30.6K €26.3K

15.94%

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

$262 €226

$275 €237

-4.55%

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

$21.44 €18.44

$21.12 €18.17

1.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 €48.33

$78.0 €67.1

-27.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.19 €35.44

$39.26 €33.77

4.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.33 €26.95

$17.16 €14.77

82.58%

Cinema Ticket

$15.24 €13.11

$15.70 €13.51

-2.93%

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

$1,117 €961

$612 €527

82.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K €19.6K

$13.5K €11.6K

69.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €92.5

$124 €106

-13.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.48 €41.70

$48.96 €42.12

-0.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €100

$125 €107

-6.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 €129

$137 €118

9.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 €1,134

$910 €783

44.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,066 €917

$748 €644

42.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,318 €1,994

$1,368 €1,176

69.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,804 €1,552

$1,091 €938

65.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,112 €4,397

$3,866 €3,325

32.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,902 €3,357

$3,245 €2,791

20.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,338 €2,871

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 1, 2026

Last update for Heist-op-den-Berg: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,318 in Brussels and $910 in Heist-op-den-Berg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $93.0 in Brussels vs $91.0 in Heist-op-den-Berg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $379 vs $343 per month, with Heist-op-den-Berg 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 Heist-op-den-Berg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

You'd need roughly $3,766 in Brussels and $3,256 in Heist-op-den-Berg 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: $1,318 in Brussels versus $910 in Heist-op-den-Berg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Brussels. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Heist-op-den-Berg – a meal for two runs $91.0 versus $93.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,171 in Heist-op-den-Berg versus $2,511 in Brussels, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Heist-op-den-Berg but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Heist-op-den-Berg 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 Heist-op-den-Berg 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 Heist-op-den-Berg 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.