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: $2,647 in Brussels versus $2,114 in Izegem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,973 in Brussels versus $3,129 in Izegem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,299 in Brussels versus $4,145 in Izegem.

Living in Brussels is roughly 25% more expensive than in Izegem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 92% above, Izegem 53% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.12 €19.94

$21.91 €18.90

5.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.4 €78.8

$80.9 €69.8

12.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.72 €12.69

$11.44 €9.86

28.67%

Cappuccino

$4.65 €4.01

$3.99 €3.44

16.54%

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

$3.72 €3.21

$3.28 €2.83

13.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €2.97

$2.91 €2.51

18.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 €5.07

$5.58 €4.81

5.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 €4.93

$4.60 €3.97

24.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.28 €1.10

16.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 €2.55

$2.93 €2.52

0.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 €2.49

$2.28 €1.96

26.32%

Eggs

$5.25 €4.53

$4.08 €3.52

28.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.02 €15.54

$12.09 €10.43

49.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.43 €11.58

$13.10 €11.30

2.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.67 €19.54

$19.62 €16.91

15.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 €2.94

$2.89 €2.49

17.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 €2.23

$2.31 €1.99

11.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 €2.57

$2.27 €1.96

31.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 €3.57

$2.42 €2.09

71.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 €2.32

$2.27 €1.96

18.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 €2.03

$1.80 €1.55

31.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.56 €1.35

20.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.08

$0.96 €0.83

30.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.21 €12.25

$13.93 €12.01

2.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 €8.84

$7.64 €6.58

34.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 €2.43

$2.10 €1.81

34.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 €2.70

$1.88 €1.62

66.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.99 €2.58

$3.18 €2.74

-5.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.8 €55.0

$57.2 €49.29

11.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 €2.66

$10.47 €9.03

-70.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.61 €2.25

-6.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.93 €36.16

$25.66 €22.12

63.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 €1.86

$1.85 €1.59

16.76%

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

$36.2K €31.2K

$36.4K €31.4K

-0.51%

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

$34.9K €30.1K

$34.5K €29.7K

1.28%

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

$291 €251

$215 €185

35.30%

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

$22.00 €18.97

$18.81 €16.22

16.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 €48.46

$55.5 €47.88

1.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.86 €30.92

$38.17 €32.91

-6.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.05 €25.05

$20.89 €18.01

39.06%

Cinema Ticket

$16.59 €14.30

$15.32 €13.21

8.29%

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

$1,710 €1,474

$722 €623

136.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.9K €32.7K

$17.1K €14.8K

120.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €91.8

$103 €88.4

3.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.27 €40.76

$27.51 €23.72

71.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 €96.6

$92.4 €79.7

21.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 €129

$153 €132

-1.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,403 €1,210

$975 €841

43.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 €1,069

$846 €730

46.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,521 €2,174

$1,455 €1,254

73.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 €1,834

$1,201 €1,035

77.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,246 €4,523

$4,124 €3,556

27.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,946 €3,403

$3,040 €2,622

29.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,418 €2,948

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

3.52

4.55%

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

Last update for Brussels: September 7, 2026

Last update for Izegem: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,403 in Brussels and $975 in Izegem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $91.0 in Brussels vs $81.0 in Izegem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $408 vs $335 per month, with Izegem 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 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 $3,970 in Brussels and $3,171 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: $1,403 in Brussels versus $975 in Izegem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% 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 $81.0 versus $91.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,114 in Izegem versus $2,647 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.