Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Izegem Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Izegem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,600 in Brussels versus $2,087 in Izegem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,882 in Brussels versus $3,259 in Izegem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,164 in Brussels versus $4,431 in Izegem.

Living in Brussels is roughly 25% more expensive than Izegem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 94% above, Izegem 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.38 €24.21

$22.89 €19.53

23.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.6 €78.1

$114 €97.5

-19.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.81 €12.63

$12.90 €11.00

14.81%

Cappuccino

$4.80 €4.09

$3.99 €3.40

20.30%

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

$3.12 €2.66

$3.45 €2.94

-9.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 €2.45

$3.07 €2.62

-6.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 €6.07

$5.48 €4.67

29.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 €5.01

$4.60 €3.92

27.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.30 €1.11

13.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 €2.54

$2.89 €2.46

3.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 €2.49

$2.66 €2.27

9.77%

Eggs

$4.83 €4.12

$4.19 €3.57

15.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.86 €14.38

$17.77 €15.15

-5.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.51 €11.53

$11.69 €9.97

15.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.40 €15.69

$22.25 €18.98

-17.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 €2.57

$2.90 €2.48

3.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.10

$2.35 €2.00

5.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 €2.33

$2.26 €1.93

20.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 €2.77

$3.27 €2.79

-0.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.21

$2.95 €2.52

-12.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 €2.06

$2.46 €2.10

-1.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.73 €1.48

$1.46 €1.25

18.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.95

$0.83 €0.71

34.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.52 €10.68

Wine (Bottle)

$9.26 €7.90

$7.81 €6.66

18.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 €2.22

$1.71 €1.46

52.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 €2.77

$1.96 €1.67

65.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 €2.51

$2.92 €2.49

0.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.6 €51.7

$57.0 €48.58

6.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.43 €6.34

$5.82 €4.97

27.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 €2.08

$2.53 €2.16

-3.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.88 €29.75

$46.48 €39.65

-24.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 €1.58

$1.89 €1.61

-2.12%

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

$34.7K €29.6K

$35.8K €30.5K

-2.96%

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

$35.4K €30.2K

$32.5K €27.7K

8.88%

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

$255 €217

$204 €174

24.95%

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

$21.82 €18.61

$25.62 €21.86

-14.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 €47.81

$52.0 €44.38

7.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.20 €35.14

$39.12 €33.37

5.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.04 €26.48

$17.27 €14.73

79.73%

Cinema Ticket

$15.03 €12.82

$14.78 €12.61

1.69%

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

$1,115 €951

$636 €543

75.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K €19.4K

$13.6K €11.6K

67.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €90.7

$109 €93.0

-2.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.45 €42.18

$48.11 €41.03

2.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €101

$115 €97.8

2.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 €131

$232 €198

-34.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 €1,115

$897 €765

45.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 €926

$760 €648

42.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,325 €1,983

$1,332 €1,136

74.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,810 €1,544

$1,103 €941

64.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,985 €4,252

$3,636 €3,102

37.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,738 €3,189

$2,465 €2,103

51.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,595 €3,067

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.65

3.27

11.62%

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

Last update for Brussels: April 21, 2026

Last update for Izegem: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,307 in Brussels and $897 in Izegem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $92 in Brussels vs $114 in Izegem. Groceries flip the comparison at $377 vs $359, with Izegem 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 Izegem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Izegem wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Brussels. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Izegem the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,899 in Brussels and $3,130 in Izegem 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: $1,307 in Brussels versus $897 in Izegem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Brussels. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Izegem – a meal for two runs $114 versus $92.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,087 in Izegem versus $2,600 in Brussels, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Izegem but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Izegem 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 Izegem 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 Izegem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.