Cost of Living Comparison Between Gent and Herentals Cost of Living Comparison Between Gent and Herentals

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,234 per month in Gent vs $1,869 in Herentals, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,453 per month in Gent vs $2,790 in Herentals, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,672 per month in Gent vs $3,712 in Herentals, rent included.

Gent costs about 20% more than Herentals, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Gent and Herentals sit above the global median – Gent by 67%, Herentals by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.21 €20.30

$25.65 €22.44

-9.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$114 €99.7

$62.4 €54.6

82.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €12.04

$13.35 €11.68

3.15%

Cappuccino

$4.13 €3.62

$2.48 €2.17

66.53%

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

$3.38 €2.95

$2.06 €1.80

64.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 €2.81

$1.76 €1.54

82.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.73 €5.01

$2.35 €2.06

143.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 €4.92

$2.71 €2.37

107.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.12

$0.63 €0.55

103.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 €2.34

$2.03 €1.77

31.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 €2.09

$2.11 €1.84

13.27%

Eggs

$4.09 €3.58

$2.44 €2.14

67.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.33 €15.16

$10.56 €9.24

64.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.70 €10.24

$10.60 €9.27

10.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.65 €16.32

$16.14 €14.12

15.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 €2.65

$2.87 €2.51

5.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.06

$1.72 €1.51

36.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 €2.40

$1.72 €1.51

59.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 €2.64

$3.21 €2.80

-5.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$1.18 €1.03

56.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 €1.89

$1.89 €1.65

14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.20

$1.13 €0.99

21.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.79

$0.31 €0.27

193.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.92 €11.31

$12.66 €11.07

2.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.86 €7.75

$6.96 €6.09

27.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 €1.69

$0.84 €0.73

129.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 €2.63

$1.60 €1.40

87.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.84 €2.48

4.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.9 €51.5

$57.4 €50.2

2.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.13 €9.74

$7.31 €6.39

52.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 €2.34

$3.14 €2.75

-14.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.4 €45.83

$35.26 €30.85

48.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.93 €1.69

-4.66%

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

$33.4K €29.2K

$32.2K €28.2K

3.58%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$35.0K €30.6K

8.22%

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

$229 €201

$176 €154

30.53%

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

$23.39 €20.47

$21.37 €18.70

9.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.38 €43.20

$55.7 €48.72

-11.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.78 €30.43

$38.16 €33.39

-8.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.65 €11.94

$17.01 €14.89

-19.75%

Cinema Ticket

$16.40 €14.35

$15.24 €13.33

7.61%

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

$583 €510

$608 €532

-4.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K €17.0K

$13.5K €11.8K

44.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €96.8

$82.4 €72.1

34.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 €47.18

$49.79 €43.56

8.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €92.7

$115 €100

-7.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 €144

$115 €101

43.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,040 €910

$907 €794

14.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$907 €793

$762 €666

19.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,760 €1,540

$1,338 €1,171

31.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,408 €1,232

$1,089 €953

29.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,793 €5,068

$3,914 €3,424

48.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,065 €2,681

$2,977 €2,604

2.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,578 €3,130

$2,299 €2,011

55.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.74

3.1

20.65%

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

Last update for Gent: July 12, 2026

Last update for Herentals: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,040 in Gent versus $907 in Herentals. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 56% higher in Gent, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $114 in Gent versus $62.0 in Herentals. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $262 – making Herentals the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Herentals: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Gent is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,351 per month in Gent and $2,804 in Herentals. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Herentals, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,234 in Gent and $1,869 in Herentals. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Herentals. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Herentals, where all-in costs run around $1,869, than in Gent at $2,234. In Herentals it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gent it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Herentals – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Herentals. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Gent makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.