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: $2,564 in Brussels versus $2,100 in Izegem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,864 in Brussels versus $3,243 in Izegem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,165 in Brussels versus $4,387 in Izegem.

Living in Brussels is roughly 22% more expensive than in Izegem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 92% above, Izegem 57% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.46 €24.93

$22.93 €20.09

24.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.9 €80.5

$115 €101

-20.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.99 €13.13

$12.90 €11.30

16.20%

Cappuccino

$4.66 €4.09

$4.07 €3.57

14.50%

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

$3.16 €2.77

$3.47 €3.04

-8.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 €2.58

$3.13 €2.74

-5.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.97 €6.11

$5.70 €5.00

22.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 €5.13

$4.49 €3.94

30.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 €1.35

$1.33 €1.16

15.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 €2.52

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 €2.54

$2.63 €2.30

10.27%

Eggs

$4.90 €4.30

$4.00 €3.51

22.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.38 €14.35

$18.20 €15.94

-10.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.67 €11.98

$11.95 €10.47

14.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.02 €16.66

$21.85 €19.14

-12.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 €2.64

$2.91 €2.55

3.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 €2.21

$2.36 €2.07

6.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.34

$2.34 €2.05

14.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.31 €2.90

$3.40 €2.98

-2.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 €2.25

$2.84 €2.48

-9.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 €2.21

$2.38 €2.08

6.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 €1.50

$1.47 €1.28

17.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.02

$0.86 €0.75

36.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.19 €10.68

$12.87 €11.27

-5.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.47 €8.30

$7.53 €6.59

25.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 €2.30

$1.69 €1.48

55.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 €2.94

$1.91 €1.68

75.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.86 €2.50

$2.86 €2.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 €52.0

$57.7 €50.6

2.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.53 €6.60

$5.87 €5.14

28.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 €2.15

$2.54 €2.22

-3.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.20 €29.96

$45.89 €40.21

-25.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.86 €1.63

-0.54%

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

$35.0K €30.7K

$36.4K €31.9K

-3.89%

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

$36.6K €32.1K

$32.7K €28.6K

12.08%

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

$256 €225

$205 €179

25.20%

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

$21.65 €18.97

$24.86 €21.78

-12.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 €50.1

$52.4 €45.87

9.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.31 €36.19

$38.55 €33.78

7.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.18 €27.32

$16.75 €14.67

86.15%

Cinema Ticket

$14.89 €13.05

$15.28 €13.39

-2.55%

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

$1,103 €967

$659 €577

67.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.6K €19.8K

$13.7K €12.0K

64.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.9

$113 €99.1

-7.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.80 €43.63

$48.96 €42.90

1.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €102

0.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 €135

$230 €202

-32.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 €1,126

$897 €786

43.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,091 €956

$765 €671

42.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,348 €2,057

$1,360 €1,192

72.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,772 €1,552

$1,086 €952

63.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,041 €4,416

$4,010 €3,513

25.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,262 €3,734

$2,976 €2,607

43.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,194 €2,798

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Izegem: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,285 in Brussels and $897 in Izegem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $92.0 in Brussels vs $115 in Izegem. Groceries flip the comparison at $380 vs $360, 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 22% 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 $3,845 in Brussels and $3,151 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: $1,285 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 $115 versus $92.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,100 in Izegem versus $2,564 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 22% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.