Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Sint-Truiden Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Sint-Truiden

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,557 in Brussels versus $2,151 in Sint-Truiden.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,830 in Brussels versus $3,087 in Sint-Truiden.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,103 in Brussels versus $4,023 in Sint-Truiden.

Living in Brussels is roughly 19% more expensive than Sint-Truiden, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 90% above, Sint-Truiden 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.55 €24.60

$23.22 €20.01

22.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.8 €79.1

$93.8 €80.8

-2.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.02 €12.94

$13.12 €11.30

14.48%

Cappuccino

$4.63 €3.99

$3.86 €3.32

19.95%

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

$3.05 €2.63

$3.91 €3.37

-21.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 €2.62

$2.81 €2.42

8.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.90 €5.95

$5.29 €4.56

30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 €5.12

$6.20 €5.34

-4.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 €1.28

$1.14 €0.98

30.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 €2.57

$1.80 €1.56

65.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 €2.38

$3.03 €2.61

-8.58%

Eggs

$4.82 €4.15

$3.60 €3.10

33.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.35 €14.09

$13.91 €11.98

17.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.70 €11.80

$13.92 €11.99

-1.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.11 €16.47

$21.03 €18.12

-9.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 €2.54

$3.12 €2.69

-5.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 €2.14

$2.56 €2.21

-3.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$2.61 €2.25

6.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

$4.00 €3.44

-20.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$2.34 €2.01

14.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 €2.10

$1.66 €1.43

46.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 €1.43

$0.94 €0.81

76.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$0.85 €0.74

37.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.27 €10.57

$10.34 €8.91

18.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.60 €8.27

$8.17 €7.04

17.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 €2.23

$1.71 €1.47

51.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 €2.87

$2.32 €2.00

43.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.87 €2.47

$2.96 €2.55

-3.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.1 €51.8

$56.0 €48.22

7.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 €6.63

$5.96 €5.13

29.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.38 €2.05

$2.42 €2.09

-1.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.36 €29.60

$36.39 €31.36

-5.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.92 €1.66

-2.08%

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

$34.8K €30.0K

0.04%

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

$36.3K €31.3K

$38.8K €33.4K

-6.46%

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

$258 €223

$278 €240

-7.17%

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

$21.45 €18.48

$21.61 €18.62

-0.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.1 €49.17

$86.3 €74.4

-33.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.88 €34.36

$40.01 €34.48

-0.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.82 €27.42

$17.22 €14.83

84.79%

Cinema Ticket

$15.16 €13.06

$13.84 €11.92

9.54%

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

$1,105 €952

$516 €445

114.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K €19.0K

$13.5K €11.7K

62.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €92.2

$72.8 €62.8

46.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.11 €42.31

$39.95 €34.42

22.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €101

$105 €90.7

11.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 €132

$133 €114

15.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 €1,106

$845 €728

51.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 €914

$744 €641

42.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,333 €2,010

$1,175 €1,012

98.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 €1,526

$1,027 €885

72.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,017 €4,323

$4,045 €3,485

24.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,931 €3,387

$3,039 €2,618

29.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,345 €2,882

$2,090 €1,801

60.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.65

82.50%

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

Last update for Brussels: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sint-Truiden: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,283 in Brussels and $845 in Sint-Truiden. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 60% 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 $94.0 in Sint-Truiden. Groceries flip the comparison at $379 vs $346, with Sint-Truiden 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 Sint-Truiden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sint-Truiden wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Brussels. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sint-Truiden the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Brussels pays 60% 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: $1,283 in Brussels versus $845 in Sint-Truiden. 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 Sint-Truiden – a meal for two runs $94.0 versus $92.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,151 in Sint-Truiden versus $2,557 in Brussels, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sint-Truiden but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Sint-Truiden 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 Sint-Truiden 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 Sint-Truiden gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.