Cost of Living Comparison Between Dendermonde and Brussels Cost of Living Comparison Between Dendermonde and Brussels

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,931 in Dendermonde versus $2,600 in Brussels.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,929 in Dendermonde versus $3,882 in Brussels.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,926 in Dendermonde versus $5,164 in Brussels.

Living in Dendermonde costs roughly 26% less than in Brussels, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dendermonde 44% above, Brussels 94% above.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Dendermonde
Brussels
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.37 โ‚ฌ14.82
$28.38 โ‚ฌ24.21
-38.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$91.8 โ‚ฌ78.3
$91.6 โ‚ฌ78.1
0.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.47 โ‚ฌ9.78
$14.81 โ‚ฌ12.63
-22.55%
Cappuccino
$4.19 โ‚ฌ3.57
$4.80 โ‚ฌ4.09
-12.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.44 โ‚ฌ2.93
$3.12 โ‚ฌ2.66
10.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 โ‚ฌ2.97
$2.88 โ‚ฌ2.45
20.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.03 โ‚ฌ4.29
$7.11 โ‚ฌ6.07
-29.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.62 โ‚ฌ3.08
$5.87 โ‚ฌ5.01
-38.33%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Dendermonde
Brussels
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.37 โ‚ฌ1.16
$1.47 โ‚ฌ1.26
-6.80%
White Bread (500g)
$2.15 โ‚ฌ1.83
$2.98 โ‚ฌ2.54
-27.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.93 โ‚ฌ2.50
$2.92 โ‚ฌ2.49
0.34%
Eggs
$3.59 โ‚ฌ3.06
$4.83 โ‚ฌ4.12
-25.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.79 โ‚ฌ10.06
$16.86 โ‚ฌ14.38
-30.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.41 โ‚ฌ11.44
$13.51 โ‚ฌ11.53
-0.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.22 โ‚ฌ14.68
$18.40 โ‚ฌ15.69
-6.41%
Apples (1kg)
$2.66 โ‚ฌ2.27
$3.01 โ‚ฌ2.57
-11.63%
Banana (1kg)
$2.27 โ‚ฌ1.93
$2.47 โ‚ฌ2.10
-8.10%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.08 โ‚ฌ1.78
$2.73 โ‚ฌ2.33
-23.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.66 โ‚ฌ2.27
$3.24 โ‚ฌ2.77
-17.90%
Potato (1kg)
$2.13 โ‚ฌ1.82
$2.59 โ‚ฌ2.21
-17.76%
Onion (1kg)
$1.63 โ‚ฌ1.39
$2.42 โ‚ฌ2.06
-32.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.52 โ‚ฌ1.30
$1.73 โ‚ฌ1.48
-12.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 โ‚ฌ1.04
$1.12 โ‚ฌ0.95
8.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.67 โ‚ฌ10.81
$12.52 โ‚ฌ10.68
1.20%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.66 โ‚ฌ6.53
$9.26 โ‚ฌ7.90
-17.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.34 โ‚ฌ2.00
$2.60 โ‚ฌ2.22
-10.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15 โ‚ฌ1.84
$3.25 โ‚ฌ2.77
-33.85%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Dendermonde
Brussels
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.88 โ‚ฌ2.46
$2.94 โ‚ฌ2.51
-2.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$55.6 โ‚ฌ47.44
$60.6 โ‚ฌ51.7
-8.25%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.19 โ‚ฌ5.28
$7.43 โ‚ฌ6.34
-16.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.54 โ‚ฌ2.17
$2.44 โ‚ฌ2.08
4.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.67 โ‚ฌ29.57
$34.88 โ‚ฌ29.75
-0.60%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.84 โ‚ฌ1.57
$1.85 โ‚ฌ1.58
-0.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.6K โ‚ฌ26.1K
$34.7K โ‚ฌ29.6K
-11.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.3K โ‚ฌ24.2K
$35.4K โ‚ฌ30.2K
-19.85%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dendermonde
Brussels
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$185 โ‚ฌ158
$255 โ‚ฌ217
-27.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.08 โ‚ฌ18.83
$21.82 โ‚ฌ18.61
1.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.53 โ‚ฌ40.55
$56.1 โ‚ฌ47.81
-15.20%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Dendermonde
Brussels
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.43 โ‚ฌ32.78
$41.20 โ‚ฌ35.14
-6.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.08 โ‚ฌ14.57
$31.04 โ‚ฌ26.48
-44.97%
Cinema Ticket
$14.57 โ‚ฌ12.43
$15.03 โ‚ฌ12.82
-3.06%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Dendermonde
Brussels
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$667 โ‚ฌ569
$1,115 โ‚ฌ951
-40.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.3K โ‚ฌ11.4K
$22.8K โ‚ฌ19.4K
-41.44%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Dendermonde
Brussels
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105 โ‚ฌ89.4
$106 โ‚ฌ90.7
-1.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.64 โ‚ฌ27.84
$49.45 โ‚ฌ42.18
-33.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.4 โ‚ฌ80.5
$118 โ‚ฌ101
-19.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 โ‚ฌ113
$153 โ‚ฌ131
-13.37%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Dendermonde
Brussels
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$906 โ‚ฌ773
$1,307 โ‚ฌ1,115
-30.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$757 โ‚ฌ645
$1,085 โ‚ฌ926
-30.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,377 โ‚ฌ1,174
$2,325 โ‚ฌ1,983
-40.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,104 โ‚ฌ942
$1,810 โ‚ฌ1,544
-39.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,572 โ‚ฌ3,047
$4,985 โ‚ฌ4,252
-28.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,138 โ‚ฌ1,823
$3,738 โ‚ฌ3,189
-42.82%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Dendermonde
Brussels
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,466 โ‚ฌ2,957
$3,595 โ‚ฌ3,067
-3.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.83
3.65
4.93%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Dendermonde: April 20, 2026

Last update for Brussels: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $906 in Dendermonde and $1,307 in Brussels. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 4% 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 Dendermonde vs $92 in Brussels for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $377 per month, with Dendermonde 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
Dendermonde vs Brussels: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Dendermonde or Brussels?
Dendermonde wins on cost โ€“ living expenses run 35% lower than in Brussels. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Dendermonde the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Dendermonde or Brussels?
On paper, Brussels earns 4% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Dendermonde vs Brussels?
Rent for a central apartment: $906 in Dendermonde versus $1,307 in Brussels. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Dendermonde or Brussels?
Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Brussels. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Dendermonde vs Brussels?
Dining out is cheaper in Dendermonde โ€“ a meal for two runs $92.0 versus $92.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Dendermonde or Brussels?
At $1,931 in Dendermonde versus $2,600 in Brussels, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dendermonde but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Dendermonde the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Dendermonde or Brussels?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ€“ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
How safe is Dendermonde compared to Brussels?
Safety-wise, Dendermonde 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Dendermonde gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 35% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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