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: $2,570 in Brussels versus $2,126 in Heist-op-den-Berg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,839 in Brussels versus $3,200 in Heist-op-den-Berg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,107 in Brussels versus $4,273 in Heist-op-den-Berg.

Living in Brussels is roughly 21% more expensive than in Heist-op-den-Berg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 92% above, Heist-op-den-Berg 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.46 €25.78

$22.94 €20.07

28.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.1 €82.3

$93.5 €81.8

0.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 €12.99

$13.37 €11.70

11.07%

Cappuccino

$4.91 €4.29

$3.82 €3.34

28.53%

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

$3.07 €2.69

$3.91 €3.42

-21.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$3.32 €2.90

-10.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 €6.02

$5.06 €4.43

35.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 €4.92

$6.49 €5.68

-13.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.29

$1.40 €1.22

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 €2.63

$3.13 €2.74

-3.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 €2.46

$3.20 €2.80

-12.19%

Eggs

$4.92 €4.30

$3.74 €3.27

31.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.71 €14.62

$17.22 €15.07

-2.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.48 €11.79

$9.83 €8.60

37.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.53 €16.21

$21.46 €18.78

-13.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 €2.67

$2.33 €2.04

31.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 €2.19

$2.24 €1.96

11.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 €2.31

$2.36 €2.06

11.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 €2.88

$2.33 €2.04

41.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 €2.25

$2.35 €2.05

9.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 €2.13

$1.66 €1.45

46.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 €1.48

$0.95 €0.83

78.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.97

$1.28 €1.12

-13.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.30 €10.76

$13.53 €11.83

-9.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.75 €8.53

$8.42 €7.37

15.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 €2.23

$1.90 €1.66

34.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.83

$2.50 €2.19

29.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.86 €2.50

$2.81 €2.46

1.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.4 €52.8

$57.7 €50.5

4.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 €6.51

$5.74 €5.02

29.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 €2.07

$2.42 €2.12

-2.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.82 €30.46

$36.97 €32.35

-5.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.82 €1.60

1.10%

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

$34.5K €30.2K

$52.7K €46.1K

-34.45%

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

$35.5K €31.0K

$31.4K €27.5K

12.93%

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

$263 €230

$282 €246

-6.60%

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

$21.70 €18.99

$21.28 €18.62

1.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.4 €49.31

$76.8 €67.2

-26.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.72 €35.63

$38.66 €33.82

5.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.11 €27.22

$16.93 €14.81

83.76%

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 €13.31

$15.36 €13.44

-0.98%

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

$1,129 €988

$623 €545

81.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.3K €19.5K

$13.6K €11.9K

63.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.5

$127 €111

-17.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.34 €43.16

$49.69 €43.47

-0.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €99.9

$123 €107

-6.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 €132

$137 €120

9.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 €1,154

$897 €785

47.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 €924

$740 €647

42.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,290 €2,004

$1,362 €1,192

68.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,756 €1,536

$1,121 €980

56.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,121 €4,481

$4,111 €3,596

24.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,112 €3,598

$2,959 €2,589

38.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,227 €2,824

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Heist-op-den-Berg: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,319 in Brussels and $897 in Heist-op-den-Berg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $94.0 in Brussels vs $94.0 in Heist-op-den-Berg. Groceries flip the comparison at $377 vs $345, with Heist-op-den-Berg 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 Heist-op-den-Berg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Heist-op-den-Berg wins on cost – living expenses run 21% 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 $3,855 in Brussels and $3,189 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: $1,319 in Brussels versus $897 in Heist-op-den-Berg. 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 Heist-op-den-Berg – a meal for two runs $94.0 versus $94.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,126 in Heist-op-den-Berg versus $2,570 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 21% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.