Cost of Living Comparison Between Dilbeek and Brussels Cost of Living Comparison Between Dilbeek and Brussels

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,063 in Dilbeek versus $2,517 in Brussels.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,105 in Dilbeek versus $3,814 in Brussels.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,148 in Dilbeek versus $5,112 in Brussels.

Living in Dilbeek costs roughly 18% less than in Brussels, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dilbeek 54% above, Brussels 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.49 €20.10

$28.73 €24.59

-18.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.4 €80.0

$90.9 €77.8

2.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.88 €11.88

$14.81 €12.67

-6.28%

Cappuccino

$4.16 €3.56

$4.75 €4.06

-12.42%

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

$3.16 €2.70

$3.16 €2.71

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.57

$3.02 €2.58

-0.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.67 €4.85

$7.11 €6.08

-20.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 €4.89

$5.72 €4.90

-0.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 €1.11

$1.47 €1.26

-11.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 €2.38

$3.01 €2.58

-7.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 €1.96

$2.80 €2.40

-18.21%

Eggs

$4.10 €3.51

$4.82 €4.12

-14.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.82 €14.40

$16.73 €14.32

0.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.91 €10.19

$13.67 €11.70

-12.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.55 €15.88

$18.85 €16.14

-1.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 €2.63

$3.05 €2.61

0.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.00

$2.46 €2.10

-4.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 €2.26

$2.68 €2.29

-1.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 €2.66

$3.29 €2.81

-5.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$2.65 €2.27

-30.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 €1.83

$2.43 €2.08

-11.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.66 €1.42

-16.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.76

$1.12 €0.96

-21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.21 €10.45

$12.60 €10.79

-3.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.13 €7.82

$9.12 €7.81

0.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 €1.73

$2.59 €2.21

-22.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 €2.48

$3.28 €2.81

-11.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 €2.41

$2.96 €2.53

-5.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.6 €47.58

$59.3 €50.8

-6.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 €6.55

$7.42 €6.35

3.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 €1.99

$2.42 €2.07

-3.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.04 €29.14

$34.98 €29.94

-2.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.64

$1.86 €1.59

3.23%

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

$33.1K €28.3K

$34.4K €29.5K

-3.97%

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

$36.5K €31.3K

$35.6K €30.4K

2.75%

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

$229 €196

$264 €226

-13.29%

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

$21.50 €18.41

$21.23 €18.17

1.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.73 €42.57

$56.5 €48.37

-12.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.76 €33.18

$40.91 €35.02

-5.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 €14.41

$31.02 €26.56

-45.74%

Cinema Ticket

$14.91 €12.76

$14.78 €12.65

0.88%

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

$572 €489

$1,110 €950

-48.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K €11.7K

$22.1K €18.9K

-37.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €91.8

$104 €89.3

2.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.69 €42.53

$49.85 €42.67

-0.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €89.5

$114 €97.5

-8.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 €130

-0.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$909 €778

$1,329 €1,137

-31.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 €637

$1,080 €924

-31.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,361 €1,165

$2,304 €1,972

-40.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,099 €941

$1,755 €1,503

-37.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,559 €3,046

$5,099 €4,365

-30.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,445 €2,093

$3,823 €3,272

-36.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,553 €3,041

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.65

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

Last update for Dilbeek: April 26, 2026

Last update for Brussels: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $909 in Dilbeek and $1,329 in Brussels. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $93.0 in Dilbeek vs $91.0 in Brussels. Groceries flip the comparison at $348 vs $378, with Dilbeek cheaper for home cooking.

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

Dilbeek vs Brussels: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dilbeek wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Brussels. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Dilbeek the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,094 in Dilbeek and $3,775 in Brussels to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $909 in Dilbeek versus $1,329 in Brussels. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Brussels. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Dilbeek – a meal for two runs $93.0 versus $91.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,063 in Dilbeek versus $2,517 in Brussels, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dilbeek but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Dilbeek 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, Dilbeek 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 Dilbeek gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.