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: $2,570 in Brussels versus $2,079 in Mechelen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,839 in Brussels versus $3,152 in Mechelen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,107 in Brussels versus $4,225 in Mechelen.

Living in Brussels is roughly 24% more expensive than in Mechelen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 92% above, Mechelen 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.46 €25.78

$23.19 €20.29

27.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.1 €82.3

$114 €99.4

-17.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 €12.99

$12.49 €10.93

18.90%

Cappuccino

$4.91 €4.29

$4.17 €3.65

17.75%

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

$3.07 €2.69

$3.47 €3.04

-11.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$3.03 €2.65

-1.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 €6.02

$5.61 €4.91

22.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 €4.92

$4.53 €3.96

24.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.29

$1.25 €1.09

17.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 €2.63

$2.73 €2.39

10.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 €2.46

$2.27 €1.99

23.79%

Eggs

$4.92 €4.30

$4.04 €3.53

21.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.71 €14.62

$17.27 €15.11

-3.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.48 €11.79

$11.92 €10.43

13.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.53 €16.21

$18.73 €16.39

-1.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 €2.67

$2.94 €2.57

4.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 €2.19

$2.47 €2.16

1.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 €2.31

$2.36 €2.06

11.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 €2.88

$3.14 €2.74

4.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 €2.25

$1.89 €1.65

35.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 €2.13

$2.13 €1.86

14.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 €1.48

$1.32 €1.15

28.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.97

$0.83 €0.72

33.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.30 €10.76

$12.97 €11.35

-5.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.75 €8.53

$9.26 €8.10

5.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 €2.23

$1.85 €1.62

37.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.83

$2.32 €2.03

39.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.86 €2.50

$3.26 €2.85

-12.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.4 €52.8

$57.2 €50.0

5.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 €6.51

$5.72 €5.01

30.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 €2.07

$2.48 €2.17

-4.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.82 €30.46

$47.14 €41.24

-26.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.61

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

$34.5K €30.2K

$33.2K €29.0K

4.11%

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

$35.5K €31.0K

$33.2K €29.0K

6.85%

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

$263 €230

$207 €181

27.32%

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

$21.70 €18.99

$24.88 €21.76

-12.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.4 €49.31

$50.8 €44.42

11.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.72 €35.63

$31.09 €27.20

30.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.11 €27.22

$13.98 €12.23

122.53%

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 €13.31

$14.91 €13.04

2.01%

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

$1,129 €988

$580 €507

94.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.3K €19.5K

$13.6K €11.9K

64.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.5

$110 €96.0

-4.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.34 €43.16

$52.4 €45.87

-5.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €99.9

$108 €94.6

5.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 €132

$163 €143

-7.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 €1,154

$905 €792

45.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 €924

$754 €660

40.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,290 €2,004

$1,350 €1,181

69.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,756 €1,536

$1,084 €948

62.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,121 €4,481

$4,489 €3,927

14.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,112 €3,598

$3,133 €2,741

31.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,227 €2,824

$2,257 €1,975

42.99%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Mechelen: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,319 in Brussels and $905 in Mechelen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 43% 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: $94.0 in Brussels vs $114 in Mechelen. Groceries flip the comparison at $377 vs $345, 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 24% 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.

Average pay runs 43% higher in Brussels, 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: $1,319 in Brussels versus $905 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 $114 versus $94.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,079 in Mechelen versus $2,570 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 24% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.