Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Ninove Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Ninove

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,511 in Brussels versus $2,091 in Ninove.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,815 in Brussels versus $3,216 in Ninove.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,120 in Brussels versus $4,341 in Ninove.

Living in Brussels is roughly 20% more expensive than Ninove, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 87% above, Ninove 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.39 €24.42

$22.95 €19.74

23.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.7 €79.7

$120 €103

-22.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.30 €13.16

$12.86 €11.06

18.97%

Cappuccino

$4.84 €4.16

$4.04 €3.47

19.80%

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

$3.11 €2.68

$3.35 €2.88

-7.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 €2.56

$3.11 €2.68

-4.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.12 €6.13

$5.09 €4.37

39.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 €5.01

$4.68 €4.03

24.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.38 €1.18

12.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 €2.59

$2.06 €1.78

46.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 €2.41

$2.73 €2.35

2.56%

Eggs

$4.89 €4.21

$4.01 €3.45

21.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.57 €14.26

$17.52 €15.07

-5.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.48 €11.60

$11.96 €10.28

12.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.92 €16.27

$20.44 €17.59

-7.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 €2.55

$2.93 €2.52

1.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 €2.18

$2.33 €2.00

8.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$2.29 €1.97

20.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 €2.70

$3.44 €2.96

-8.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 €2.21

$2.33 €2.01

10.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.47 €1.26

17.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$0.87 €0.75

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.57 €10.82

$12.52 €10.77

0.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.47 €8.15

$9.35 €8.05

1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 €2.16

$1.45 €1.25

73.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.79

$2.02 €1.73

60.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 €2.42

$2.92 €2.51

-3.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.6 €52.1

$55.7 €47.91

8.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.59 €6.53

$5.63 €4.84

34.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 €2.00

$2.44 €2.10

-4.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.30 €29.51

$45.83 €39.42

-25.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.89 €1.62

-2.12%

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

$34.1K €29.3K

$36.3K €31.2K

-6.15%

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

$35.4K €30.5K

$33.6K €28.9K

5.45%

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

$262 €226

$204 €176

28.55%

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

$21.44 €18.44

$25.64 €22.06

-16.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 €48.33

$51.7 €44.45

8.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.19 €35.44

$38.30 €32.95

7.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.33 €26.95

$17.07 €14.68

83.54%

Cinema Ticket

$15.24 €13.11

$13.72 €11.80

11.08%

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

$1,117 €961

$652 €561

71.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K €19.6K

$13.7K €11.8K

66.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €92.5

$82.0 €70.5

31.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.48 €41.70

$49.96 €42.98

-2.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €100

$117 €101

-1.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 €129

$236 €203

-36.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 €1,134

$888 €764

48.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,066 €917

$756 €651

40.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,318 €1,994

$1,354 €1,165

71.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,804 €1,552

$1,105 €950

63.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,112 €4,397

$3,915 €3,368

30.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,902 €3,357

$3,049 €2,622

28.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,338 €2,871

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 Ninove: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,318 in Brussels and $888 in Ninove. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $93.0 in Brussels vs $120 in Ninove. Groceries flip the comparison at $379 vs $348, with Ninove 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 Ninove: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ninove wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Brussels. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ninove the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,766 in Brussels and $3,137 in Ninove 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 $888 in Ninove. 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 Ninove – a meal for two runs $120 versus $93.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,091 in Ninove versus $2,511 in Brussels, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ninove but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Ninove 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 Ninove 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 Ninove gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.