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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,940 in Cary, NC versus $2,511 in Brussels.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,386 in Cary, NC versus $3,815 in Brussels.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,833 in Cary, NC versus $5,120 in Brussels.

Living in Cary, NC is roughly 17% more expensive than Brussels, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cary, NC 119% above, Brussels 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.88 $17.88

$28.39 €24.42

-37.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.0 $97.0

$92.7 €79.7

4.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.43 $10.43

$15.30 €13.16

-31.83%

Cappuccino

$4.96 $4.96

$4.84 €4.16

2.48%

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

$2.00 $2.00

$3.11 €2.68

-35.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.98 €2.56

-37.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.09 $5.09

$7.12 €6.13

-28.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 $6.69

$5.83 €5.01

14.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.55 €1.33

-28.39%

White Bread (500g)

$5.47 $5.47

$3.01 €2.59

81.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.28 $6.28

$2.80 €2.41

124.29%

Eggs

$4.75 $4.75

$4.89 €4.21

-2.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.23 $20.23

$16.57 €14.26

22.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.51 $12.51

$13.48 €11.60

-7.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.92 $17.92

$18.92 €16.27

-5.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$2.96 €2.55

86.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.53 €2.18

-30.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$2.77 €2.39

50.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 $6.67

$3.14 €2.70

112.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.57 €2.21

-2.72%

Onion (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.46 €2.12

40.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.72 €1.48

71.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.16 €1.00

70.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.36 $9.36

$12.57 €10.82

-25.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.83 $9.83

$9.47 €8.15

3.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.51 €2.16

-3.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 $4.86

$3.24 €2.79

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.81 €2.42

-35.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.5 $59.5

$60.6 €52.1

-1.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$7.59 €6.53

-53.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.33 €2.00

-31.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.81 $28.81

$34.30 €29.51

-16.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.85 €1.59

-56.76%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$34.1K €29.3K

-14.05%

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

$29.2K $29.2K

$35.4K €30.5K

-17.72%

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

$169 $169

$262 €226

-35.59%

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

$50.3 $50.3

$21.44 €18.44

134.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.5 $62.5

$56.2 €48.33

11.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.3 $75.3

$41.19 €35.44

82.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.33 €26.95

Cinema Ticket

$13.58 $13.58

$15.24 €13.11

-10.89%

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

$1,491 $1,491

$1,117 €961

33.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$22.8K €19.6K

2.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.21 $48.21

$107 €92.5

-55.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.94 $31.94

$48.48 €41.70

-34.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$116 €100

10.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 $136

$150 €129

-9.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$1,318 €1,134

33.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 $1,581

$1,066 €917

48.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,668 $2,668

$2,318 €1,994

15.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,748 $2,748

$1,804 €1,552

52.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,862 $2,862

$5,112 €4,397

-44.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,652 $2,652

$3,902 €3,357

-32.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,996 $5,996

$3,338 €2,871

79.61%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Brussels: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,765 in Cary, NC and $1,318 in Brussels. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cary, NC pays 80% 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: $97.0 in Cary, NC vs $93.0 in Brussels for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $467 vs $379 per month, with Brussels 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

Cary, NC vs Brussels: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brussels wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Cary, NC. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Brussels the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Cary, NC pays 80% 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: $1,765 in Cary, NC versus $1,318 in Brussels. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Cary, NC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Brussels – a meal for two runs $93.0 versus $97.0 in Cary, NC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Brussels is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Cary, NC and Brussels 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 Brussels gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Cary, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.