Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Turnhout Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Turnhout

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,570 in Brussels versus $1,826 in Turnhout.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,839 in Brussels versus $2,650 in Turnhout.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,107 in Brussels versus $3,473 in Turnhout.

Living in Brussels is roughly 41% more expensive than in Turnhout, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 92% above, Turnhout 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.46 €25.80

$17.25 €15.11

70.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.1 €82.4

$63.0 €55.2

49.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 €13.01

$11.73 €10.27

26.60%

Cappuccino

$4.91 €4.30

$3.62 €3.17

35.64%

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

$3.07 €2.69

$2.83 €2.48

8.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.56 €2.24

16.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 €6.03

$3.54 €3.10

94.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 €4.93

$3.74 €3.28

50.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.29

$1.01 €0.89

45.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 €2.63

$2.16 €1.89

39.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 €2.46

$2.92 €2.56

-3.77%

Eggs

$4.92 €4.30

$3.48 €3.05

41.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.71 €14.63

$11.76 €10.30

42.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.48 €11.80

$10.15 €8.89

32.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.53 €16.22

$17.06 €14.94

8.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 €2.68

$2.67 €2.34

14.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 €2.19

$2.27 €1.99

10.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 €2.31

$2.01 €1.76

31.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 €2.89

$2.60 €2.28

26.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 €2.25

$2.16 €1.89

18.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 €2.14

$1.64 €1.43

48.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.11 €0.97

53.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.97

$1.20 €1.05

-7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.30 €10.77

$7.32 €6.41

68.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.75 €8.54

$5.14 €4.50

89.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 €2.23

$1.31 €1.15

94.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.84

$2.08 €1.82

55.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.86 €2.50

$2.84 €2.49

0.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.4 €52.9

$57.3 €50.2

5.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 €6.52

$6.43 €5.63

15.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 €2.07

$2.55 €2.23

-7.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.82 €30.49

$34.62 €30.32

0.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.85 €1.62

-0.54%

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

$34.5K €30.2K

$29.6K €25.9K

16.62%

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

$35.5K €31.1K

$29.0K €25.4K

22.39%

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

$263 €230

$184 €161

43.19%

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

$21.70 €19.00

$21.22 €18.59

2.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.4 €49.36

$48.61 €42.57

15.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.72 €35.67

$75.7 €66.3

-46.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.11 €27.25

$16.72 €14.64

86.06%

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 €13.32

$13.64 €11.95

11.51%

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

$1,129 €989

$673 €589

67.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.3K €19.5K

$13.5K €11.8K

65.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.6

$93.0 €81.4

12.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.34 €43.21

$32.53 €28.49

51.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €100

$69.7 €61.1

63.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 €132

$117 €103

28.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 €1,155

$812 €711

62.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 €925

$690 €604

53.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,290 €2,006

$1,051 €920

117.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,756 €1,538

$907 €794

93.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,121 €4,485

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,112 €3,602

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,227 €2,827

$2,672 €2,340

20.78%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Turnhout: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,319 in Brussels and $812 in Turnhout. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 21% 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: $94.0 in Brussels vs $63.0 in Turnhout for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $377 vs $292 per month, with Turnhout cheaper across the board.

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 Turnhout: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Turnhout wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Brussels. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Turnhout the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 21% higher in Brussels, 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: $1,319 in Brussels versus $812 in Turnhout. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Brussels. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Turnhout – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $94.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,826 in Turnhout versus $2,570 in Brussels, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Turnhout but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Turnhout 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 Turnhout 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 Turnhout gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.