Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Mortsel Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Mortsel

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,564 in Brussels versus $2,084 in Mortsel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,864 in Brussels versus $3,195 in Mortsel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,165 in Brussels versus $4,306 in Mortsel.

Living in Brussels is roughly 23% more expensive than in Mortsel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.46 €25.02

$23.58 €20.73

20.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.9 €80.8

$115 €101

-19.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.99 €13.18

$12.88 €11.32

16.38%

Cappuccino

$4.66 €4.10

$4.11 €3.61

13.38%

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

$3.16 €2.78

$3.44 €3.03

-8.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 €2.59

$3.18 €2.80

-7.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.97 €6.13

$5.50 €4.84

26.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 €5.15

$4.59 €4.04

27.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 €1.36

$1.36 €1.19

13.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 €2.53

$2.70 €2.37

6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 €2.55

$2.39 €2.10

21.34%

Eggs

$4.90 €4.31

$4.17 €3.67

17.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.38 €14.40

$17.26 €15.17

-5.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.67 €12.02

$11.80 €10.37

15.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.02 €16.72

$21.73 €19.10

-12.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 €2.65

$2.93 €2.57

2.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 €2.22

$2.34 €2.06

7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.35

$2.33 €2.05

14.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.31 €2.91

$3.18 €2.80

4.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 €2.26

$1.90 €1.67

35.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 €2.22

$2.13 €1.87

18.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 €1.51

$1.32 €1.16

30.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.03

$0.86 €0.76

36.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.19 €10.72

$12.76 €11.22

-4.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.47 €8.33

$9.00 €7.91

5.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 €2.31

$2.02 €1.78

29.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 €2.95

$2.33 €2.05

43.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.86 €2.51

$2.62 €2.30

9.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 €52.2

$55.7 €48.95

6.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.53 €6.62

$5.86 €5.15

28.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 €2.15

$2.53 €2.22

-3.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.20 €30.06

$46.35 €40.75

-26.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 €1.63

$1.90 €1.67

-2.63%

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

$35.0K €30.8K

$33.9K €29.8K

3.24%

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

$36.6K €32.2K

$33.3K €29.3K

9.93%

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

$256 €225

$228 €200

12.64%

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

$21.65 €19.04

$23.13 €20.34

-6.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 €50.3

$51.2 €44.98

11.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.31 €36.31

$38.11 €33.50

8.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.18 €27.41

$16.96 €14.91

83.84%

Cinema Ticket

$14.89 €13.09

$14.84 €13.04

0.34%

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

$1,103 €970

$578 €509

90.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.6K €19.9K

$13.7K €12.1K

64.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €92.2

$113 €99.0

-6.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.80 €43.78

$49.90 €43.87

-0.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €103

$105 €92.2

11.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 €136

$165 €145

-6.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 €1,130

$917 €806

40.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,091 €959

$764 €672

42.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,348 €2,064

$1,369 €1,204

71.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,772 €1,557

$1,106 €972

60.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,041 €4,431

$3,604 €3,168

39.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,262 €3,747

$3,024 €2,658

40.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,194 €2,808

$2,406 €2,115

32.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.65

3.5

4.29%

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

Last update for Brussels: July 22, 2026

Last update for Mortsel: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,285 in Brussels and $917 in Mortsel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 33% 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: $92.0 in Brussels vs $115 in Mortsel. Groceries flip the comparison at $380 vs $355, with Mortsel 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 Mortsel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mortsel wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Brussels. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mortsel the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 33% 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: $1,285 in Brussels versus $917 in Mortsel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Brussels. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mortsel – 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 $2,084 in Mortsel versus $2,564 in Brussels, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Mortsel but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Mortsel 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 Mortsel 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 Mortsel gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.