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: $2,561 in Brussels versus $1,881 in Herentals.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,869 in Brussels versus $2,804 in Herentals.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,177 in Brussels versus $3,727 in Herentals.

Living in Brussels is roughly 36% more expensive than in Herentals, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 92% above, Herentals 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.81 €25.12

$25.77 €22.47

11.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.4 €79.7

$62.7 €54.7

45.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.92 €13.01

$13.06 €11.38

14.24%

Cappuccino

$4.75 €4.14

$2.49 €2.17

90.76%

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

$3.16 €2.76

$2.06 €1.80

53.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 €2.52

$1.84 €1.60

57.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 €6.00

$2.33 €2.03

195.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 €5.13

$2.84 €2.48

107.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.28

$0.67 €0.58

119.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 €2.59

$2.10 €1.83

41.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 €2.43

$2.13 €1.85

30.99%

Eggs

$4.80 €4.18

$2.52 €2.20

90.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.96 €14.78

$10.58 €9.22

60.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.44 €11.72

$10.57 €9.21

27.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.55 €16.17

$16.47 €14.36

12.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 €2.70

$2.82 €2.46

9.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 €2.20

$1.77 €1.54

42.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 €2.34

$1.72 €1.50

55.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.31 €2.89

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 €2.24

$1.15 €1.00

123.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 €2.18

$1.90 €1.65

31.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 €1.45

$1.13 €0.98

46.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.02

$0.31 €0.27

277.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.25 €10.68

$12.58 €10.96

-2.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.60 €8.37

$6.80 €5.93

41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 €2.28

$0.82 €0.71

219.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 €2.85

$1.60 €1.39

104.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 €2.59

$2.81 €2.45

5.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 €53.4

$55.7 €48.53

10.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.58 €6.61

$7.66 €6.68

-1.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 €2.10

$3.13 €2.73

-23.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.16 €30.65

$35.00 €30.51

0.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.66

$1.86 €1.62

2.15%

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

$34.4K €30.0K

$32.1K €28.0K

7.07%

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

$36.7K €32.0K

$35.3K €30.8K

3.94%

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

$262 €229

$173 €150

52.03%

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

$21.22 €18.50

$21.42 €18.67

-0.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 €48.84

$57.2 €49.88

-2.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.98 €35.72

$38.51 €33.58

6.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.27 €27.26

$16.67 €14.53

87.58%

Cinema Ticket

$14.90 €12.99

$14.82 €12.92

0.54%

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

$1,134 €989

$604 €526

87.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K €19.2K

$13.4K €11.7K

63.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €92.3

$79.8 €69.5

32.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.87 €43.48

$49.97 €43.56

-0.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €103

$114 €99.7

3.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 €132

$118 €103

28.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 €1,118

$892 €778

43.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 €935

$745 €649

43.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,343 €2,042

$1,368 €1,192

71.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,763 €1,537

$1,121 €977

57.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,149 €4,489

$3,924 €3,421

31.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,220 €3,679

$3,012 €2,626

40.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,148 €2,744

$2,236 €1,949

40.79%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Herentals: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,282 in Brussels and $892 in Herentals. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 41% 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 $63.0 in Herentals for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $379 vs $265 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 36% 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.

Average pay runs 41% 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: $1,282 in Brussels versus $892 in Herentals. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% 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 $63.0 versus $91.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,881 in Herentals versus $2,561 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 36% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.