Cost of Living Comparison Between Gent and Vilvoorde Cost of Living Comparison Between Gent and Vilvoorde

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Gent vs $2,008 in Vilvoorde, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,458 per month in Gent vs $3,042 in Vilvoorde, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,624 per month in Gent vs $4,076 in Vilvoorde, rent included.

Gent costs about 14% more than Vilvoorde, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Gent and Vilvoorde sit above the global median – Gent by 71%, Vilvoorde by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.09 €19.76

$17.57 €15.04

31.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$114 €97.8

$93.4 €79.9

22.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.92 €11.92

$11.43 €9.79

21.78%

Cappuccino

$4.18 €3.58

$4.12 €3.53

1.46%

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

$3.43 €2.94

$3.48 €2.98

-1.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 €2.88

$3.18 €2.73

5.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 €5.03

$4.89 €4.18

20.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 €4.94

$3.79 €3.25

52.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 €1.08

$1.24 €1.06

1.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 €2.27

$2.14 €1.83

23.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 €2.01

$2.31 €1.97

1.73%

Eggs

$4.16 €3.56

$3.50 €3.00

18.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.21 €14.73

$12.13 €10.38

41.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.77 €10.08

$11.98 €10.26

-1.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.50 €15.83

$17.43 €14.92

6.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 €2.69

$2.75 €2.35

14.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 €2.08

$2.37 €2.03

2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 €2.25

$2.03 €1.73

29.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 €2.60

$2.67 €2.28

13.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 €1.65

$1.91 €1.63

1.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 €1.84

$1.66 €1.42

29.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.34 €1.15

2.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.76

$0.89 €0.77

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.75 €10.91

$12.66 €10.83

0.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.58 €8.20

$9.28 €7.94

3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.02 €1.73

-3.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.16 €1.85

34.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.46

$5.92 €5.07

-51.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.0 €49.65

$34.56 €29.58

67.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.88 €9.31

$6.45 €5.52

68.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.76 €2.36

$2.65 €2.27

4.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$54.3 €46.44

$34.60 €29.62

56.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.89 €1.62

2.65%

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

$32.9K €28.2K

$29.9K €25.6K

10.35%

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

$37.9K €32.5K

$37.5K €32.1K

1.20%

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

$233 €199

$232 €198

0.54%

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

$23.48 €20.10

$21.75 €18.62

7.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 €42.90

$50.6 €43.32

-0.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.04 €30.00

$26.18 €22.41

33.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.69 €11.72

$17.13 €14.66

-20.08%

Cinema Ticket

$16.16 €13.83

$14.41 €12.33

12.14%

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

$585 €501

$648 €555

-9.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.3K €16.5K

$13.7K €11.7K

40.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 €96.9

$113 €96.5

0.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 €45.56

$32.81 €28.09

62.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.2

$107 €91.8

-2.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 €138

$163 €139

-1.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 €891

$877 €751

18.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$924 €791

$829 €710

11.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,772 €1,517

$1,404 €1,202

26.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,395 €1,194

$1,225 €1,048

13.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,459 €4,673

$3,103 €2,657

75.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,195 €2,735

$2,558 €2,190

24.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,338 €2,857

$3,896 €3,335

-14.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.74

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

Last update for Gent: April 25, 2026

Last update for Vilvoorde: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,041 in Gent versus $877 in Vilvoorde. 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 17% higher in Vilvoorde, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $114 in Gent versus $93.0 in Vilvoorde. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $348 vs $313 – making Vilvoorde 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 Vilvoorde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Gent is pricier by about 14%, 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 $3,436 per month in Gent and $3,012 in Vilvoorde. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vilvoorde, 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 $2,291 in Gent and $2,008 in Vilvoorde. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 68% less in Vilvoorde. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Vilvoorde, where all-in costs run around $2,008, than in Gent at $2,291. In Vilvoorde it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gent it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vilvoorde – 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 Vilvoorde. 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.