Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Herentals Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Herentals

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,517 in Brussels versus $1,914 in Herentals.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,814 in Brussels versus $2,771 in Herentals.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,112 in Brussels versus $3,629 in Herentals.

Living in Brussels is roughly 31% more expensive than Herentals, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 88% above, Herentals 43% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.73 €24.59

$26.06 €22.31

10.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.9 €77.8

$64.0 €54.7

42.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.81 €12.67

$13.44 €11.50

10.19%

Cappuccino

$4.75 €4.06

$2.42 €2.07

96.28%

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

$3.16 €2.71

$2.01 €1.72

57.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.58

$1.78 €1.52

69.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 €6.08

$2.34 €2.00

203.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 €4.90

$2.77 €2.37

106.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.26

$0.68 €0.58

116.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 €2.58

$2.09 €1.79

44.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 €2.40

$2.03 €1.74

37.93%

Eggs

$4.82 €4.12

$2.52 €2.16

91.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.73 €14.32

$10.27 €8.79

62.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.67 €11.70

$10.29 €8.81

32.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.85 €16.14

$16.36 €14.00

15.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 €2.61

$2.85 €2.44

7.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 €2.10

$1.79 €1.53

37.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 €2.29

$1.76 €1.51

52.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 €2.81

$3.29 €2.82

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 €2.27

$1.13 €0.97

134.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 €2.08

$1.89 €1.62

28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 €1.42

$1.13 €0.96

46.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.96

$0.33 €0.28

239.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.60 €10.79

$12.54 €10.73

0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.12 €7.81

$6.83 €5.85

33.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 €2.21

$0.84 €0.72

208.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 €2.81

$1.60 €1.37

105.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 €2.53

$2.86 €2.45

3.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.3 €50.8

$56.0 €47.91

5.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.42 €6.35

$7.57 €6.48

-1.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.42 €2.07

$3.06 €2.62

-20.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.98 €29.94

$34.13 €29.22

2.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.59

$1.85 €1.58

0.54%

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

$34.4K €29.5K

$32.4K €27.7K

6.31%

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

$35.6K €30.4K

$34.2K €29.3K

3.94%

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

$264 €226

$172 €147

53.39%

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

$21.23 €18.17

$21.16 €18.11

0.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 €48.37

$57.3 €49.06

-1.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.91 €35.02

$37.93 €32.47

7.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.02 €26.56

$16.88 €14.45

83.77%

Cinema Ticket

$14.78 €12.65

$15.09 €12.91

-2.05%

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

$1,110 €950

$605 €518

83.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.1K €18.9K

$13.7K €11.7K

60.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.3

$82.1 €70.2

27.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.85 €42.67

$48.12 €41.19

3.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €97.5

$116 €99.2

-1.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 €130

$115 €98.4

32.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 €1,137

$911 €780

45.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 €924

$763 €653

41.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,304 €1,972

$1,364 €1,167

68.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,755 €1,503

$1,090 €933

61.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,099 €4,365

$3,664 €3,136

39.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,823 €3,272

$2,435 €2,085

56.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,553 €3,041

$2,368 €2,027

50.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.65

3.1

17.74%

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

Last update for Brussels: April 26, 2026

Last update for Herentals: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,329 in Brussels and $911 in Herentals. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 50% 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 $64.0 in Herentals for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $262 per month, with Herentals 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 Herentals: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Herentals wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Brussels. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Herentals the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Brussels pays 50% 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: $1,329 in Brussels versus $911 in Herentals. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Brussels. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Herentals – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $91.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,914 in Herentals versus $2,517 in Brussels, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Herentals but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Herentals 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 Herentals 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 Herentals gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.