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: $2,649 in Brussels versus $2,233 in Turnhout.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,979 in Brussels versus $3,247 in Turnhout.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,309 in Brussels versus $4,261 in Turnhout.

Living in Brussels is roughly 19% more expensive than in Turnhout, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 93% above, Turnhout 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.25 €19.99

$23.03 €19.80

0.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.4 €81.1

$66.9 €57.5

41.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.88 €12.79

$16.41 €14.11

-9.32%

Cappuccino

$4.47 €3.85

$4.25 €3.66

5.18%

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

$3.60 €3.10

$3.23 €2.77

11.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 €2.90

$2.93 €2.52

15.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 €5.12

$5.51 €4.74

7.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 €5.01

$5.06 €4.35

15.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.09 €0.93

34.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 €2.51

$1.71 €1.47

70.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 €2.62

$2.31 €1.98

32.03%

Eggs

$5.48 €4.71

$4.27 €3.68

28.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.85 €15.35

$10.40 €8.94

71.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.43 €11.55

$9.52 €8.19

41.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.46 €20.17

$20.14 €17.32

16.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 €2.91

$2.91 €2.50

16.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 €2.33

$2.55 €2.19

6.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 €2.61

$2.75 €2.36

10.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 €3.71

$3.05 €2.62

41.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.36

$2.29 €1.97

20.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 €2.09

$2.00 €1.72

21.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 €1.67

$1.17 €1.01

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.10 €0.94

12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.12 €12.14

$13.40 €11.52

5.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.48 €9.01

$5.16 €4.44

103.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 €2.44

$1.76 €1.51

61.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 €2.78

$2.57 €2.21

25.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 €2.42

$2.87 €2.47

-1.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.0 €55.0

$52.1 €44.76

22.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 €2.56

$11.70 €10.06

-74.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.99 €2.57

-29.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.45 €36.49

$53.4 €45.92

-20.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 €1.85

$1.94 €1.66

11.34%

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

$36.4K €31.3K

$37.5K €32.3K

-3.12%

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

$34.4K €29.6K

$35.1K €30.2K

-1.92%

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

$285 €245

$227 €196

25.17%

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

$22.13 €19.03

$21.54 €18.52

2.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 €47.67

$48.05 €41.31

15.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.05 €30.99

$129 €111

-72.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.90 €25.71

$23.48 €20.18

27.34%

Cinema Ticket

$16.36 €14.06

$13.86 €11.91

18.04%

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

$1,732 €1,489

$579 €498

198.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.7K €34.2K

$22.5K €19.3K

76.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 €93.3

$112 €96.1

-2.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.07 €37.89

$50.1 €43.03

-11.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.4

$114 €97.6

-2.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 €130

$148 €127

2.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,458 €1,253

$943 €811

54.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 €1,034

$822 €707

46.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,533 €2,178

$1,287 €1,107

96.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 €1,792

$1,164 €1,001

79.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,250 €4,513

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,181 €3,594

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,402 €2,925

$2,678 €2,303

27.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.66

3.2

14.37%

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

Last update for Brussels: August 30, 2026

Last update for Turnhout: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,458 in Brussels and $943 in Turnhout. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 27% 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 $67.0 in Turnhout for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $413 vs $303 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 19% 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 27% 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: $1,458 in Brussels versus $943 in Turnhout. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% 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 $67.0 versus $94.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,233 in Turnhout versus $2,649 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 19% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.