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: $2,561 in Brussels versus $1,917 in Tournai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,869 in Brussels versus $2,893 in Tournai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,177 in Brussels versus $3,870 in Tournai.

Living in Brussels is roughly 34% more expensive than in Tournai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 92% above, Tournai 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.81 €24.95

$17.19 €14.89

67.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.4 €79.2

$93.0 €80.5

-1.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.92 €12.92

$11.73 €10.16

27.20%

Cappuccino

$4.75 €4.11

$4.25 €3.68

11.76%

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

$3.16 €2.74

$3.58 €3.10

-11.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 €2.50

$3.51 €3.04

-17.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 €5.96

$4.91 €4.25

40.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 €5.09

$3.63 €3.15

61.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.28

$1.33 €1.15

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 €2.57

$2.16 €1.87

37.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 €2.41

$2.96 €2.57

-5.74%

Eggs

$4.80 €4.15

$3.49 €3.02

37.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.96 €14.68

$11.70 €10.13

44.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.44 €11.64

$13.38 €11.59

0.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.55 €16.07

$17.62 €15.26

5.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 €2.69

$2.63 €2.28

17.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 €2.19

$2.35 €2.03

7.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 €2.32

$2.05 €1.78

30.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.31 €2.87

$2.67 €2.31

23.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 €2.23

$2.23 €1.93

15.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 €2.17

$1.72 €1.49

45.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 €1.44

$1.59 €1.38

4.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.02

$1.26 €1.09

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.25 €10.61

$8.53 €7.39

43.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.60 €8.32

$8.90 €7.71

7.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 €2.27

$2.41 €2.09

8.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 €2.83

$2.11 €1.82

54.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 €2.57

$2.92 €2.53

1.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 €53.1

$55.8 €48.34

9.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.58 €6.56

$6.21 €5.38

22.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 €2.08

$2.54 €2.20

-5.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.16 €30.45

$35.05 €30.35

0.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.65

$1.86 €1.61

2.15%

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

$34.4K €29.8K

$30.5K €26.4K

12.72%

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

$36.7K €31.8K

$28.3K €24.5K

29.57%

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

$262 €227

$180 €156

45.73%

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

$21.22 €18.37

$21.44 €18.57

-1.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 €48.51

$47.37 €41.02

18.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.98 €35.49

$37.92 €32.84

8.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.27 €27.08

$16.74 €14.50

86.80%

Cinema Ticket

$14.90 €12.90

$14.60 €12.64

2.05%

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

$1,134 €982

$658 €570

72.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K €19.1K

$13.5K €11.7K

63.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €91.7

$102 €88.4

3.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.87 €43.19

$32.49 €28.14

53.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €102

$95.2 €82.4

24.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 €131

$131 €114

14.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 €1,110

$897 €777

42.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 €928

$744 €644

44.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,343 €2,029

$1,370 €1,186

71.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,763 €1,526

$1,110 €961

58.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,149 €4,459

$4,066 €3,521

26.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,220 €3,655

$2,535 €2,195

66.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,148 €2,726

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.65

3.83

-4.70%

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

Last update for Brussels: July 26, 2026

Last update for Tournai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,282 in Brussels and $897 in Tournai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $91.0 in Brussels vs $93.0 in Tournai. Groceries flip the comparison at $379 vs $330, 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 34% 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 $3,842 in Brussels and $2,875 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: $1,282 in Brussels versus $897 in Tournai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% 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 $93.0 versus $91.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,917 in Tournai versus $2,561 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 34% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.