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: $2,511 in Brussels versus $2,131 in Izegem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,815 in Brussels versus $3,238 in Izegem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,120 in Brussels versus $4,345 in Izegem.

Living in Brussels is roughly 18% more expensive than Izegem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 87% above, Izegem 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.39 €24.63

$23.59 €20.46

20.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.7 €80.4

$117 €101

-20.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.30 €13.27

$12.76 €11.07

19.91%

Cappuccino

$4.84 €4.20

$4.02 €3.49

20.40%

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

$3.11 €2.70

$3.49 €3.03

-10.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 €2.58

$3.03 €2.63

-1.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.12 €6.18

$5.46 €4.73

30.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 €5.05

$4.65 €4.04

25.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 €1.35

$1.37 €1.19

13.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 €2.61

$2.79 €2.42

7.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 €2.43

$2.65 €2.30

5.66%

Eggs

$4.89 €4.25

$4.01 €3.48

21.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.57 €14.38

$17.82 €15.46

-7.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.48 €11.70

$11.68 €10.13

15.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.92 €16.41

$21.92 €19.02

-13.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 €2.57

$3.04 €2.64

-2.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 €2.19

$2.34 €2.03

8.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 €2.41

$2.27 €1.97

22.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 €2.72

$3.39 €2.94

-7.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 €2.23

$2.93 €2.54

-12.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 €2.14

$2.46 €2.13

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 €1.49

$1.43 €1.24

20.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.01

$0.84 €0.73

38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.57 €10.91

$12.88 €11.18

-2.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.47 €8.22

$7.64 €6.63

23.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 €2.18

$1.72 €1.49

45.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.81

$1.94 €1.69

67.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 €2.44

$2.94 €2.55

-4.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.6 €52.6

$57.4 €49.81

5.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.59 €6.58

$5.68 €4.92

33.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 €2.02

$2.52 €2.19

-7.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.30 €29.76

$46.44 €40.29

-26.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 €1.61

$1.92 €1.67

-3.65%

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

$34.1K €29.6K

$35.6K €30.9K

-4.24%

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

$35.4K €30.7K

$32.8K €28.5K

7.89%

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

$262 €228

$207 €180

26.60%

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

$21.44 €18.60

$25.22 €21.88

-14.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 €48.74

$51.4 €44.58

9.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.19 €35.74

$37.96 €32.94

8.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.33 €27.19

$17.18 €14.90

82.36%

Cinema Ticket

$15.24 €13.22

$14.78 €12.82

3.11%

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

$1,117 €969

$640 €555

74.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K €19.8K

$13.3K €11.5K

71.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €93.3

$111 €96.5

-3.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.48 €42.06

$49.86 €43.26

-2.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €101

$118 €102

-1.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 €130

$230 €200

-34.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 €1,144

$896 €778

47.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,066 €925

$764 €663

39.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,318 €2,011

$1,375 €1,193

68.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,804 €1,565

$1,103 €957

63.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,112 €4,435

$3,920 €3,401

30.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,902 €3,386

$3,059 €2,654

27.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,338 €2,896

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Izegem: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,318 in Brussels and $896 in Izegem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $93.0 in Brussels vs $117 in Izegem. Groceries flip the comparison at $379 vs $358, 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 18% 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 $3,766 in Brussels and $3,197 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: $1,318 in Brussels versus $896 in Izegem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% 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 $117 versus $93.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,131 in Izegem versus $2,511 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 18% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.