Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Mechelen Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Mechelen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,511 in Brussels versus $2,064 in Mechelen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,815 in Brussels versus $3,172 in Mechelen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,120 in Brussels versus $4,280 in Mechelen.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 87% above, Mechelen 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.39 €24.42

$23.34 €20.07

21.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.7 €79.7

$115 €98.9

-19.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.30 €13.16

$12.87 €11.07

18.88%

Cappuccino

$4.84 €4.16

$4.24 €3.65

14.15%

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

$3.11 €2.68

$3.30 €2.83

-5.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 €2.56

$3.07 €2.64

-2.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.12 €6.13

$5.43 €4.67

31.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 €5.01

$4.61 €3.97

26.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.30 €1.11

19.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 €2.59

$2.72 €2.34

10.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 €2.41

$2.30 €1.98

21.74%

Eggs

$4.89 €4.21

$4.02 €3.46

21.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.57 €14.26

$17.76 €15.28

-6.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.48 €11.60

$11.80 €10.15

14.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.92 €16.27

$19.03 €16.37

-0.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 €2.55

$2.92 €2.51

1.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 €2.18

$2.43 €2.09

4.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$2.38 €2.04

16.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 €2.70

$3.06 €2.63

2.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 €2.21

$1.92 €1.65

33.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.09 €1.80

17.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.32 €1.13

30.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$0.81 €0.70

43.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.57 €10.82

$12.85 €11.05

-2.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.47 €8.15

$9.53 €8.19

-0.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 €2.16

$1.85 €1.59

35.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.79

$2.35 €2.02

37.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 €2.42

$3.21 €2.76

-12.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.6 €52.1

$55.8 €47.96

8.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.59 €6.53

$5.86 €5.04

29.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 €2.00

$2.44 €2.09

-4.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.30 €29.51

$45.41 €39.06

-24.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.90 €1.63

-2.63%

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

$34.1K €29.3K

$33.3K €28.7K

2.19%

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

$35.4K €30.5K

$32.4K €27.9K

9.32%

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

$262 €226

$209 €180

25.69%

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

$21.44 €18.44

$25.23 €21.70

-15.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 €48.33

$51.1 €43.95

9.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.19 €35.44

$31.02 €26.68

32.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.33 €26.95

$13.75 €11.83

127.85%

Cinema Ticket

$15.24 €13.11

$14.84 €12.77

2.70%

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

$1,117 €961

$568 €488

96.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K €19.6K

$13.3K €11.5K

71.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €92.5

$113 €97.1

-4.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.48 €41.70

$50.6 €43.53

-4.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €100

$107 €92.4

8.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 €129

$161 €139

-6.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 €1,134

$898 €773

46.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,066 €917

$760 €654

40.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,318 €1,994

$1,374 €1,182

68.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,804 €1,552

$1,100 €946

64.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,112 €4,397

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,902 €3,357

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,338 €2,871

$2,285 €1,966

46.07%

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 Mechelen: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,318 in Brussels and $898 in Mechelen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 46% 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: $93.0 in Brussels vs $115 in Mechelen. Groceries flip the comparison at $379 vs $347, with Mechelen 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 Mechelen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mechelen wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Brussels. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mechelen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Brussels pays 46% 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: $1,318 in Brussels versus $898 in Mechelen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Brussels. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mechelen – a meal for two runs $115 versus $93.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,064 in Mechelen versus $2,511 in Brussels, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Mechelen but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Mechelen 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 Mechelen 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 Mechelen 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.