Cost of Living Comparison Between Cary, NC and Brussels Cost of Living Comparison Between Cary, NC and Brussels

😐 Solo nomad: Cary, NC is 8.8% more expensive than Brussels without rent, and 19.8% more expensive with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Cary, NC is 9.5% cheaper than Brussels without rent, and 13.7% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.86 $17.86

$29.40 €24.93

-39.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.6 $97.6

$92.0 €78.0

6.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.58 $10.58

$15.35 €13.02

-31.07%

Cappuccino

$5.04 $5.04

$4.84 €4.10

4.13%

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

$2.01 $2.01

$3.18 €2.69

-36.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.98 €2.53

-37.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.98 $4.98

$7.04 €5.97

-29.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 $6.91

$5.69 €4.82

21.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.47 €1.25

-25.17%

White Bread (500g)

$5.35 $5.35

$2.99 €2.54

78.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.15 $6.15

$2.92 €2.48

110.62%

Eggs

$4.65 $4.65

$5.07 €4.30

-8.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.46 $20.46

$16.83 €14.27

21.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.51 $12.51

$13.47 €11.42

-7.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.44 $17.44

$18.82 €15.96

-7.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.82 $5.82

$3.05 €2.58

90.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.49 €2.11

-26.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$2.68 €2.28

63.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.49 $6.49

$3.13 €2.65

107.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.59 €2.20

-6.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.55 €2.17

34.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.72 €1.46

72.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.11 €0.94

74.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.56 $9.56

$12.39 €10.51

-22.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.83 $11.83

$9.44 €8.00

25.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.59 €2.20

-7.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.28 €2.78

56.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.96 €2.51

-37.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.1 $60.1

$59.6 €50.5

0.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 $3.59

$7.38 €6.26

-51.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.43 €2.06

-34.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.05 $29.05

$34.32 €29.11

-15.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.92 €1.63

-56.25%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$35.3K €29.9K

-15.50%

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

$28.9K $28.9K

$35.9K €30.4K

-19.40%

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

$170 $170

$261 €221

-34.73%

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

$48.70 $48.70

$21.20 €17.98

129.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.8 $61.8

$56.1 €47.60

10.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.8 $75.8

$40.69 €34.50

86.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.61 €26.81

Cinema Ticket

$13.65 $13.65

$14.93 €12.66

-8.57%

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

$1,474 $1,474

$1,104 €937

33.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$22.8K €19.3K

1.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.34 $47.34

$108 €91.5

-56.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.74 $32.74

$48.63 €41.24

-32.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 $130

$115 €97.2

13.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$151 €128

-7.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 $1,818

$1,304 €1,106

39.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 $1,614

$1,075 €912

50.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,642 $2,642

$2,348 €1,991

12.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,718 $2,718

$1,796 €1,523

51.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,814 $2,814

$4,951 €4,199

-43.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,597 $2,597

$3,787 €3,211

-31.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,009 $6,009

$3,582 €3,038

67.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

3.65

72.88%

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

Last update for Cary, NC: April 11, 2026

Last update for Brussels: April 14, 2026

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

Cary, NC vs other spots: cost of living compared

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