Cost of Living Comparison Between Gent and Mons Cost of Living Comparison Between Gent and Mons

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,246 per month in Gent vs $1,926 in Mons, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,431 per month in Gent vs $2,883 in Mons, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,617 per month in Gent vs $3,840 in Mons, rent included.

Gent costs about 17% more than Mons, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Gent and Mons sit above the global median – Gent by 69%, Mons by 45%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.47 €20.33

$17.20 €14.90

36.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$115 €99.3

$87.7 €75.9

30.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.03 €12.15

$10.28 €8.90

36.48%

Cappuccino

$4.27 €3.70

$3.68 €3.19

16.03%

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

$3.54 €3.07

$2.63 €2.28

34.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 €2.90

$2.53 €2.19

32.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.64 €4.89

$4.50 €3.90

25.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 €5.11

$4.55 €3.94

29.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.24 €1.07

0.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 €2.40

$2.33 €2.01

18.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 €2.02

$2.31 €2.00

0.87%

Eggs

$4.14 €3.58

$4.31 €3.73

-3.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.71 €15.34

$17.52 €15.18

1.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.98 €10.37

$11.70 €10.13

2.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.66 €16.16

$19.11 €16.55

-2.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 €2.73

$2.88 €2.49

9.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 €2.11

$2.44 €2.11

-0.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 €2.30

$2.71 €2.34

-2.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.05 €2.65

$3.03 €2.63

0.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 €1.58

$1.92 €1.66

-5.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.12 €1.84

-3.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 €1.14

$1.38 €1.20

-4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 €0.83

$0.90 €0.78

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.85 €11.13

$10.18 €8.82

26.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.87 €7.68

$5.68 €4.92

56.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 €1.66

$1.93 €1.67

-0.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 €2.54

$2.92 €2.53

0.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

$2.90 €2.51

0.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.3 €50.5

$43.30 €37.50

34.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 €9.60

$11.03 €9.55

0.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.76 €2.39

$2.71 €2.35

1.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.7 €45.62

$53.6 €46.43

-1.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.92 €1.66

0.52%

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

$33.5K €29.0K

$33.4K €28.9K

0.36%

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

$38.5K €33.3K

$38.2K €33.0K

0.88%

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

$233 €201

$206 €178

12.99%

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

$22.81 €19.75

$23.14 €20.04

-1.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 €43.78

$50.2 €43.43

0.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.27 €29.67

$26.96 €23.35

27.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.47 €11.67

$16.83 €14.57

-19.96%

Cinema Ticket

$16.34 €14.15

$12.68 €10.98

28.86%

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

$582 €504

0.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.3K €16.7K

$19.2K €16.6K

0.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 €97.7

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 €45.63

$53.5 €46.30

-1.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €90.7

$104 €89.9

0.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 €141

$150 €130

8.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,043 €903

$665 €576

56.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$905 €783

$738 €639

22.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,805 €1,563

$1,147 €994

57.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,415 €1,226

$1,075 €931

31.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,677 €4,916

$3,916 €3,391

44.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,115 €2,698

$2,992 €2,591

4.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,555 €3,079

$2,846 €2,464

24.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.74

3.23

15.79%

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

Last update for Gent: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mons: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,043 in Gent versus $665 in Mons. 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 25% 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 $115 in Gent versus $88.0 in Mons. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $339 – making Mons 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 Mons: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Gent is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,370 per month in Gent and $2,889 in Mons. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mons, 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 $2,246 in Gent and $1,926 in Mons. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 35% less in Mons. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Mons, where all-in costs run around $1,926, than in Gent at $2,246. In Mons it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gent it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mons – 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 Mons. 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.