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: $2,513 in Brussels versus $1,834 in Turnhout.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,838 in Brussels versus $2,636 in Turnhout.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,163 in Brussels versus $3,439 in Turnhout.

Living in Brussels is roughly 37% more expensive than Turnhout, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 87% above, Turnhout 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.40 €25.02

$17.54 €14.93

67.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.0 €78.3

$63.5 €54.0

44.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.35 €13.06

$11.38 €9.69

34.89%

Cappuccino

$4.84 €4.11

$3.67 €3.13

31.88%

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

$3.18 €2.70

$2.86 €2.44

11.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 €2.53

$2.54 €2.16

17.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.04 €5.99

$3.37 €2.87

108.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 €4.84

$3.62 €3.08

57.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.25

$0.93 €0.79

58.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 €2.55

$2.09 €1.77

43.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 €2.49

$3.00 €2.55

-2.67%

Eggs

$5.07 €4.32

$3.46 €2.95

46.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.83 €14.32

$11.95 €10.17

40.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.47 €11.46

$10.16 €8.65

32.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.82 €16.01

$17.33 €14.75

8.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 €2.59

$2.64 €2.24

15.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 €2.12

$2.26 €1.92

10.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 €2.28

$2.01 €1.71

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.13 €2.66

$2.57 €2.19

21.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.21

$2.14 €1.83

21.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 €2.17

$1.64 €1.40

55.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 €1.46

$1.13 €0.96

52.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.94

$1.24 €1.05

-10.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.39 €10.55

$7.47 €6.35

65.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.44 €8.03

$5.40 €4.59

74.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 €2.20

$1.30 €1.11

99.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 €2.79

$2.08 €1.77

57.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 €2.52

$2.92 €2.48

1.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.6 €50.7

$55.6 €47.34

7.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.38 €6.28

$6.22 €5.30

18.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.43 €2.07

$2.68 €2.28

-9.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.32 €29.21

$34.99 €29.78

-1.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.63

$1.91 €1.63

0.52%

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

$35.3K €30.0K

$29.9K €25.5K

17.81%

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

$35.9K €30.5K

$28.1K €23.9K

27.45%

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

$261 €222

$185 €157

41.19%

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

$21.20 €18.04

$21.34 €18.16

-0.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 €47.77

$48.37 €41.16

16.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.69 €34.63

$75.7 €64.4

-46.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.61 €26.90

$17.29 €14.72

82.82%

Cinema Ticket

$14.93 €12.71

$13.95 €11.87

7.03%

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

$1,104 €940

$658 €560

67.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K €19.4K

$13.6K €11.5K

68.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 €91.8

$94.0 €80.0

14.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.63 €41.39

$31.92 €27.16

52.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €97.5

$68.5 €58.3

67.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 €128

$116 €98.4

30.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 €1,110

$820 €698

58.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 €915

$697 €593

54.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,348 €1,998

$1,063 €905

120.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,796 €1,529

$920 €783

95.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,951 €4,214

$3,442 €2,929

43.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,787 €3,223

$2,562 €2,180

47.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,582 €3,048

$2,783 €2,368

28.72%

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: April 14, 2026

Last update for Turnhout: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,304 in Brussels and $820 in Turnhout. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 29% 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 in Brussels vs $63 in Turnhout for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $379 vs $293 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 37% 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.

Brussels pays 29% 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: $1,304 in Brussels versus $820 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 $92.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,834 in Turnhout versus $2,513 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 37% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.