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: $2,649 in Brussels versus $2,181 in Ninove.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,979 in Brussels versus $3,271 in Ninove.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,309 in Brussels versus $4,361 in Ninove.

Living in Brussels is roughly 21% more expensive than in Ninove, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 93% above, Ninove 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.25 €20.01

$22.80 €19.62

1.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.4 €81.2

$112 €96.3

-15.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.88 €12.81

$13.99 €12.04

6.36%

Cappuccino

$4.47 €3.85

$4.53 €3.89

-1.32%

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

$3.60 €3.10

$3.13 €2.69

15.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 €2.90

$3.04 €2.62

10.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 €5.12

$5.52 €4.75

7.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 €5.01

$6.36 €5.48

-8.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.37 €1.18

7.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 €2.51

$2.07 €1.79

41.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 €2.62

$2.26 €1.95

34.96%

Eggs

$5.48 €4.72

$3.95 €3.39

38.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.85 €15.36

$17.72 €15.24

0.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.43 €11.56

$12.63 €10.87

6.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.46 €20.19

$21.01 €18.08

11.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.85 €2.45

18.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 €2.33

$2.45 €2.11

10.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 €2.61

$2.81 €2.42

7.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 €3.71

$3.54 €3.05

21.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.36

$2.25 €1.94

22.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 €2.09

$1.95 €1.68

24.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.52 €1.31

28.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.05 €0.90

18.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.12 €12.15

$13.38 €11.51

5.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.48 €9.02

$9.37 €8.06

11.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 €2.44

$1.46 €1.26

94.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 €2.78

$2.09 €1.80

54.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 €2.42

$3.17 €2.73

-11.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.0 €55.1

$60.6 €52.2

5.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 €2.56

$5.98 €5.15

-50.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.77 €2.39

-23.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.45 €36.53

$37.83 €32.55

12.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 €1.85

$1.90 €1.64

13.68%

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

$36.4K €31.3K

$37.1K €32.0K

-2.09%

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

$34.4K €29.6K

$35.4K €30.5K

-2.77%

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

$285 €245

$205 €176

38.82%

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

$22.13 €19.05

$22.41 €19.28

-1.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 €47.71

$49.14 €42.28

12.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.05 €31.02

$36.84 €31.70

-2.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.90 €25.73

$21.11 €18.17

41.64%

Cinema Ticket

$16.36 €14.07

$14.11 €12.14

15.95%

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

$1,732 €1,490

$744 €641

132.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.7K €34.2K

$34.4K €29.6K

15.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 €93.4

$80.5 €69.3

34.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.07 €37.92

$53.0 €45.57

-16.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.4

$106 €91.1

4.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 €130

$174 €150

-13.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,458 €1,254

$969 €834

50.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 €1,035

$863 €742

39.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,533 €2,180

$1,435 €1,235

76.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 €1,794

$1,207 €1,038

72.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,250 €4,517

$4,430 €3,812

18.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,181 €3,598

$2,680 €2,306

56.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,402 €2,928

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.66

3.46

5.78%

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

Last update for Brussels: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ninove: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,458 in Brussels and $969 in Ninove. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $94.0 in Brussels vs $112 in Ninove. Groceries flip the comparison at $413 vs $356, 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 21% 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 $3,973 in Brussels and $3,271 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: $1,458 in Brussels versus $969 in Ninove. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% 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 $112 versus $94.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,181 in Ninove versus $2,649 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 21% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.