Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Tournai Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Tournai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,700 in Brussels versus $2,179 in Tournai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,042 in Brussels versus $3,279 in Tournai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,384 in Brussels versus $4,379 in Tournai.

Living in Brussels is roughly 24% more expensive than in Tournai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 97% above, Tournai 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.03 €20.08

$22.92 €19.98

0.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.4 €79.7

$109 €94.8

-15.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.29 €13.33

$14.08 €12.27

8.59%

Cappuccino

$4.67 €4.07

$4.58 €3.99

1.97%

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

$3.85 €3.35

$3.64 €3.18

5.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 €2.88

$3.75 €3.27

-12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 €5.11

$5.76 €5.02

1.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 €5.09

$6.38 €5.56

-8.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.24

$1.36 €1.19

4.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 €2.55

$2.82 €2.46

3.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 €2.53

$2.22 €1.94

30.63%

Eggs

$5.38 €4.69

$3.73 €3.25

44.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.14 €15.81

$17.54 €15.29

3.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.27 €11.57

$12.20 €10.64

8.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.67 €19.76

$24.05 €20.97

-5.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 €2.89

$3.14 €2.74

5.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 €2.30

$2.50 €2.18

5.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 €2.47

$2.70 €2.35

4.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 €3.53

$3.50 €3.05

15.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 €2.42

$2.47 €2.15

12.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 €2.11

$1.93 €1.68

25.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.67

$1.54 €1.34

24.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.09 €0.95

15.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.72 €11.96

$13.05 €11.37

5.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.96 €8.68

$9.42 €8.21

5.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.38

$1.78 €1.55

53.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 €2.72

$2.12 €1.85

47.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 €2.56

$3.10 €2.70

-5.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 €56.0

$53.1 €46.30

20.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 €2.64

$5.64 €4.91

-46.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 €2.10

$2.72 €2.37

-11.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.61 €36.28

$37.11 €32.35

12.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 €1.87

$2.12 €1.85

1.42%

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

$36.3K €31.6K

$36.9K €32.1K

-1.61%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$34.9K €30.4K

-0.61%

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

$285 €248

$214 €187

32.96%

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

$22.03 €19.20

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 €49.46

$49.74 €43.35

14.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.06 €31.44

$37.94 €33.07

-4.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.79 €25.10

$20.36 €17.75

41.40%

Cinema Ticket

$16.25 €14.17

$15.78 €13.76

2.98%

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

$1,678 €1,463

$742 €647

126.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.0K €33.1K

$34.4K €30.0K

10.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €92.0

$116 €101

-9.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.02 €41.86

$53.8 €46.88

-10.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 €95.0

$106 €92.5

2.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 €131

$175 €152

-14.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,418 €1,236

$893 €778

58.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 €1,036

$842 €734

41.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,529 €2,205

$1,216 €1,060

107.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,058 €1,794

$1,037 €904

98.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,273 €4,596

$4,271 €3,723

23.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,999 €3,486

$3,071 €2,677

30.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,405 €2,968

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

3.46

9.25%

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

Last update for Brussels: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tournai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,418 in Brussels and $893 in Tournai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $91.0 in Brussels vs $109 in Tournai. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $373, with Tournai 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 Tournai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tournai wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Brussels. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tournai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,051 in Brussels and $3,269 in Tournai 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: $1,418 in Brussels versus $893 in Tournai. 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 Tournai – a meal for two runs $109 versus $91.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,179 in Tournai versus $2,700 in Brussels, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Tournai but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Tournai 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 Tournai 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 Tournai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.