Cost of Living Comparison Between Gent and Turnhout Cost of Living Comparison Between Gent and Turnhout

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,255 per month in Gent vs $1,834 in Turnhout, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,455 per month in Gent vs $2,636 in Turnhout, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,655 per month in Gent vs $3,439 in Turnhout, rent included.

Gent costs about 23% more than Turnhout, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Gent and Turnhout sit above the global median – Gent by 67%, Turnhout by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.23 €19.77

$17.54 €14.93

32.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$114 €97.1

$63.5 €54.0

79.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.98 €11.89

$11.38 €9.69

22.85%

Cappuccino

$4.31 €3.67

$3.67 €3.13

17.44%

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

$3.45 €2.94

$2.86 €2.44

20.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 €2.75

$2.54 €2.16

27.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.67 €4.82

$3.37 €2.87

68.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 €4.97

$3.62 €3.08

61.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.09

$0.93 €0.79

38.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 €2.33

$2.09 €1.77

31.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 €2.01

$3.00 €2.55

-21.33%

Eggs

$4.16 €3.54

$3.46 €2.95

20.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.46 €14.86

$11.95 €10.17

46.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.70 €9.96

$10.16 €8.65

15.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.93 €16.11

$17.33 €14.75

9.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 €2.66

$2.64 €2.24

18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 €2.11

$2.26 €1.92

9.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.22

$2.01 €1.71

29.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 €2.67

$2.57 €2.19

22.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 €1.60

$2.14 €1.83

-12.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.76

$1.64 €1.40

26.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.16

$1.13 €0.96

20.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.76

$1.24 €1.05

-28.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.84 €10.93

$7.47 €6.35

71.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.37 €7.97

$5.40 €4.59

73.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 €1.64

$1.30 €1.11

48.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 €2.58

$2.08 €1.77

46.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 €2.50

$2.92 €2.48

0.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.6 €49.85

$55.6 €47.34

5.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.95 €9.32

$6.22 €5.30

76.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 €2.31

$2.68 €2.28

1.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.9 €44.98

$34.99 €29.78

51.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 €1.62

$1.91 €1.63

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

$33.1K €28.2K

$29.9K €25.5K

10.59%

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

$38.5K €32.7K

$28.1K €23.9K

36.67%

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

$226 €192

$185 €157

22.50%

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

$23.52 €20.01

$21.34 €18.16

10.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.8 €43.25

$48.37 €41.16

5.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.43 €29.30

$75.7 €64.4

-54.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.25 €11.27

$17.29 €14.72

-23.37%

Cinema Ticket

$16.25 €13.83

$13.95 €11.87

16.49%

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

$572 €487

$658 €560

-13.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K €16.4K

$13.6K €11.5K

41.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 €95.5

$94.0 €80.0

19.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 €46.39

$31.92 €27.16

70.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €89.4

$68.5 €58.3

53.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 €141

$116 €98.4

42.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 €890

$820 €698

27.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 €774

$697 €593

30.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,761 €1,499

$1,063 €905

65.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,447 €1,231

$920 €783

57.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,539 €4,714

$3,442 €2,929

60.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,185 €2,710

$2,562 €2,180

24.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,328 €2,832

$2,783 €2,368

19.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.74

87.00%

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

Last update for Gent: April 14, 2026

Last update for Turnhout: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,046 in Gent versus $820 in Turnhout. 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 20% 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 $63 in Turnhout. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $293 – making Turnhout 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 Turnhout: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Gent is pricier by about 23%, 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 $3,382 per month in Gent and $2,751 in Turnhout. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Turnhout, 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 $2,255 in Gent and $1,834 in Turnhout. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Turnhout. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Turnhout, where all-in costs run around $1,834, than in Gent at $2,255. In Turnhout it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gent it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Turnhout – 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 Turnhout. 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.