Cost of Living Comparison Between Gent and Diest Cost of Living Comparison Between Gent and Diest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,301 in Gent versus $2,181 in Diest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,595 in Gent versus $3,195 in Diest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,888 in Gent versus $4,209 in Diest.

Living in Gent is roughly 6% more expensive than in Diest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gent 68% above, Diest 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.55 €20.53

$23.34 €20.35

0.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 €103

$91.3 €79.6

28.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.25 €14.16

$12.38 €10.79

31.26%

Cappuccino

$4.45 €3.88

$3.73 €3.25

19.30%

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

$3.58 €3.12

$3.51 €3.06

1.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 €2.66

$2.82 €2.46

8.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.68 €4.95

$5.60 €4.88

1.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 €5.00

$4.68 €4.08

22.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.09

$1.26 €1.10

-0.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 €2.61

$2.89 €2.52

3.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 €1.95

$2.29 €2.00

-2.62%

Eggs

$4.31 €3.76

$3.73 €3.25

15.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.37 €16.88

$17.71 €15.44

9.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.57 €10.96

$12.48 €10.88

0.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.07 €17.50

$20.49 €17.86

-2.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 €2.44

$2.93 €2.56

-4.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 €2.16

$2.37 €2.07

4.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 €2.35

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 €2.64

$3.11 €2.71

-2.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 €1.91

$2.34 €2.04

-6.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 €1.79

$1.93 €1.68

6.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 €1.24

$1.52 €1.32

-6.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.99

$1.03 €0.90

9.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.78 €12.01

$13.70 €11.94

0.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.05 €7.89

$8.12 €7.08

11.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.71

$2.01 €1.75

-2.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 €2.15

$1.94 €1.69

27.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.45 €3.01

$3.16 €2.76

9.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.5 €53.6

$50.3 €43.83

22.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.64 €10.15

$5.90 €5.14

97.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 €2.64

$2.50 €2.18

21.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$53.9 €47.00

$41.71 €36.36

29.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.97 €1.72

2.54%

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

$37.0K €32.3K

$36.7K €31.9K

1.03%

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

$34.4K €30.0K

$35.2K €30.6K

-2.08%

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

$234 €204

$211 €184

10.91%

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

$21.36 €18.62

$21.68 €18.90

-1.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.91 €41.76

$52.6 €45.82

-8.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.27 €31.62

$37.53 €32.71

-3.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.27 €11.56

$20.60 €17.96

-35.58%

Cinema Ticket

$16.69 €14.55

$15.71 €13.70

6.24%

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

$575 €501

$745 €650

-22.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K €19.0K

$25.3K €22.0K

-13.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €96.6

$106 €92.3

4.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.80 €42.54

$48.58 €42.35

0.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 €98.0

$105 €91.4

7.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 €130

$147 €128

1.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 €1,083

$958 €835

29.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$916 €798

$857 €747

6.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,869 €1,629

$1,410 €1,229

32.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,571 €1,370

$1,173 €1,023

33.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,364 €4,675

$4,123 €3,594

30.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,156 €2,751

$2,944 €2,566

7.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,730 €3,252

$2,162 €1,885

72.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.2

3.46

-7.51%

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

Last update for Gent: September 12, 2026

Last update for Diest: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,243 in Gent and $958 in Diest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gent pays 73% 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: $118 in Gent vs $91.0 in Diest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $367 vs $357 per month, with Diest 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

Gent vs Diest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Diest wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Gent. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Diest the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 73% higher in Gent, 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: $1,243 in Gent versus $958 in Diest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Diest runs roughly 22% less than in Gent. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $575 in Gent versus $745 in Diest. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,181 in Diest versus $2,301 in Gent, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Diest but tight or insufficient in Gent. The gap between the two cities makes Diest 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, Gent and Diest 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 Diest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Gent. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.