Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Ostend Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Ostend

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,511 in Brussels versus $1,982 in Ostend.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,815 in Brussels versus $3,074 in Ostend.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,120 in Brussels versus $4,166 in Ostend.

Living in Brussels is roughly 27% more expensive than Ostend, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 87% above, Ostend 48% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.39 €24.42

$23.93 €20.58

18.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.7 €79.7

$117 €101

-20.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.30 €13.16

$12.51 €10.76

22.30%

Cappuccino

$4.84 €4.16

$4.26 €3.67

13.62%

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

$3.11 €2.68

$3.48 €3.00

-10.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 €2.56

$3.18 €2.74

-6.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.12 €6.13

$5.41 €4.66

31.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 €5.01

$4.57 €3.93

27.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.33 €1.14

16.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 €2.59

$2.86 €2.46

5.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 €2.41

$2.56 €2.20

9.37%

Eggs

$4.89 €4.21

$4.18 €3.60

16.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.57 €14.26

$15.64 €13.45

5.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.48 €11.60

$11.61 €9.98

16.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.92 €16.27

$22.01 €18.93

-14.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 €2.55

$3.02 €2.60

-1.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 €2.18

$1.95 €1.68

29.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$2.36 €2.03

17.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 €2.70

$2.88 €2.48

9.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 €2.21

$1.99 €1.71

29.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.01 €1.73

22.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.45 €1.25

18.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$1.06 €0.91

9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.57 €10.82

$11.92 €10.25

5.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.47 €8.15

$6.79 €5.84

39.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 €2.16

$1.76 €1.51

42.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.79

$1.91 €1.64

69.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 €2.42

$3.43 €2.95

-18.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.6 €52.1

$41.07 €35.33

47.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.59 €6.53

$3.37 €2.90

125.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 €2.00

$2.55 €2.20

-8.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.30 €29.51

$37.79 €32.50

-9.24%

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

$25.8K €22.2K

31.83%

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

$35.4K €30.5K

$28.0K €24.1K

26.74%

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

$262 €226

$247 €213

6.23%

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

$21.44 €18.44

$24.93 €21.44

-14.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 €48.33

$61.3 €52.7

-8.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.19 €35.44

$35.42 €30.47

16.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.33 €26.95

$17.23 €14.82

81.83%

Cinema Ticket

$15.24 €13.11

$15.09 €12.98

0.99%

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

$1,117 €961

$409 €352

172.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K €19.6K

$6,577 €5,657

247.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €92.5

$100 €86.2

7.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.48 €41.70

$46.17 €39.72

5.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €100

$106 €91.6

9.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 €129

$160 €137

-6.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 €1,134

$826 €710

59.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,066 €917

$664 €571

60.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,318 €1,994

$1,197 €1,030

93.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,804 €1,552

$943 €811

91.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,112 €4,397

$3,861 €3,321

32.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,902 €3,357

$1,987 €1,709

96.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,338 €2,871

$3,233 €2,781

3.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.65

3.33

9.61%

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

Last update for Brussels: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ostend: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,318 in Brussels and $826 in Ostend. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 3% 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 $117 in Ostend. Groceries flip the comparison at $379 vs $345, with Ostend 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 Ostend: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ostend wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Brussels. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ostend the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Brussels pays 3% 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 $826 in Ostend. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Brussels. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ostend – a meal for two runs $117 versus $93.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,982 in Ostend versus $2,511 in Brussels, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Ostend but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Ostend 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 Ostend 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 Ostend gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.