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: $2,557 in Brussels versus $1,903 in Herentals.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,830 in Brussels versus $2,817 in Herentals.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,103 in Brussels versus $3,731 in Herentals.

Living in Brussels is roughly 34% more expensive than Herentals, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 90% above, Herentals 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.55 €24.60

$25.56 €22.02

11.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.8 €79.1

$64.6 €55.6

42.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.02 €12.94

$13.10 €11.29

14.66%

Cappuccino

$4.63 €3.99

$2.50 €2.16

85.20%

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

$3.05 €2.63

$2.06 €1.78

48.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 €2.62

$1.74 €1.50

74.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.90 €5.95

$2.28 €1.97

202.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 €5.12

$2.77 €2.38

114.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 €1.28

$0.66 €0.57

125.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 €2.57

$2.11 €1.82

41.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 €2.38

$2.13 €1.83

30.05%

Eggs

$4.82 €4.15

$2.46 €2.12

95.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.35 €14.09

$10.34 €8.91

58.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.70 €11.80

$10.44 €9.00

31.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.11 €16.47

$16.33 €14.07

17.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 €2.54

$2.96 €2.55

-0.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 €2.14

$1.76 €1.52

40.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$1.79 €1.54

54.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

$3.28 €2.83

-3.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$1.14 €0.98

134.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 €2.10

$1.90 €1.63

28.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.18 €1.02

40.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$0.33 €0.29

254.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.27 €10.57

$12.20 €10.51

0.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.60 €8.27

$7.02 €6.05

36.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 €2.23

$0.89 €0.77

191.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 €2.87

$1.67 €1.44

99.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.87 €2.47

$2.94 €2.54

-2.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.1 €51.8

$56.8 €48.96

5.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 €6.63

$7.71 €6.64

-0.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.38 €2.05

$3.04 €2.62

-21.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.36 €29.60

$35.39 €30.49

-2.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.87 €1.61

0.53%

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

$34.8K €30.0K

$32.1K €27.7K

8.41%

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

$36.3K €31.3K

$35.3K €30.4K

2.91%

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

$258 €223

$170 €147

51.88%

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

$21.45 €18.48

$21.52 €18.54

-0.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.1 €49.17

$56.4 €48.63

1.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.88 €34.36

$38.70 €33.34

3.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.82 €27.42

$16.83 €14.50

89.07%

Cinema Ticket

$15.16 €13.06

$14.99 €12.92

1.13%

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

$1,105 €952

$621 €535

77.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K €19.0K

$13.3K €11.4K

66.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €92.2

$80.7 €69.5

32.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.11 €42.31

$49.67 €42.79

-1.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €101

$115 €99.0

2.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 €132

$117 €101

30.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 €1,106

$892 €769

43.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 €914

$745 €642

42.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,333 €2,010

$1,328 €1,144

75.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 €1,526

$1,096 €944

61.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,017 €4,323

$4,008 €3,454

25.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,931 €3,387

$2,999 €2,584

31.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,345 €2,882

$2,279 €1,963

46.80%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Herentals: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,283 in Brussels and $892 in Herentals. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 47% 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: $92.0 in Brussels vs $65.0 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 34% 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 47% 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: $1,283 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 $65.0 versus $92.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,903 in Herentals versus $2,557 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 34% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.