Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hasselt and Gent

For one person, living is cheaper in Hasselt: $2,021 a month against $2,229 in Gent, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Hasselt, Belgium
Gent, Belgium
Hasselt
🇧🇪 Belgium
$2,021
/mo nomad
Gent
🇧🇪 Belgium
$2,229
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hasselt and in Gent

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hasselt and in Gent actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,021 per month in Hasselt vs $2,229 in Gent, rent included.

  • Hasselt $2,021
  • Gent $2,229

A couple spends around $3,042 per month in Hasselt vs $3,454 in Gent, rent included.

  • Hasselt $3,042
  • Gent $3,454

A family of three spends $4,063 per month in Hasselt vs $4,679 in Gent, rent included.

  • Hasselt $4,063
  • Gent $4,679

Hasselt is about 9% cheaper than Gent, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Hasselt and Gent sit above the global median – Hasselt by 49%, Gent by 64%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hasselt
Gent
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.32 €20.05
$22.69 €20.38
-1.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$97.7 €87.8
$113 €102
-13.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.60 €12.22
$15.92 €14.30
-14.57%
Cappuccino
$3.80 €3.41
$4.22 €3.79
-9.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.51 €3.16
$3.37 €3.03
4.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.25 €2.92
$2.85 €2.56
14.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.43 €4.87
$5.73 €5.15
-5.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.16 €4.63
$5.74 €5.15
-10.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hasselt
Gent
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.34 €1.21
$1.21 €1.09
10.74%
White Bread (500g)
$2.42 €2.17
$2.76 €2.48
-12.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.28 €2.04
$2.15 €1.93
6.05%
Eggs
$3.23 €2.91
$4.03 €3.62
-19.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.01 €7.19
$18.70 €16.80
-57.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.71 €10.52
$12.60 €11.32
-7.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.25 €19.98
$19.54 €17.55
13.87%
Apples (1kg)
$2.03 €1.82
$2.68 €2.41
-24.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.66 €1.49
$2.36 €2.12
-29.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.61 €2.35
$2.59 €2.33
0.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.69 €2.42
$2.94 €2.64
-8.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.66
$2.11 €1.89
-12.32%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 €1.23
$1.93 €1.73
-29.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.00 €0.90
$1.35 €1.21
-25.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 €0.97
$1.08 €0.97
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.64 €11.36
$13.20 €11.86
-4.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.84 €7.94
$9.02 €8.10
-2.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 €1.45
$1.99 €1.79
-18.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 €1.84
$2.36 €2.12
-13.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Hasselt
Gent
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.15 €2.83
$3.37 €3.03
-6.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$32.27 €28.99
$59.5 €53.4
-45.73%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.71 €5.13
$11.07 €9.95
-48.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.62 €2.35
$2.89 €2.60
-9.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$36.45 €32.74
$51.4 €46.14
-29.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.98 €1.77
$2.05 €1.84
-3.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.9K €31.4K
$35.5K €31.9K
-1.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K €30.4K
$36.6K €32.9K
-7.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hasselt
Gent
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$212 €191
$221 €198
-3.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.34 €17.37
$20.94 €18.81
-7.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.00 €42.22
$45.87 €41.21
2.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hasselt
Gent
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$27.97 €25.12
$32.76 €29.43
-14.62%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.18 €8.25
$13.19 €11.85
-30.40%
Cinema Ticket
$15.00 €13.47
$15.84 €14.23
-5.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hasselt
Gent
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,664 €1,494
$564 €506
195.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$33.0K €29.7K
$20.9K €18.8K
57.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hasselt
Gent
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$115 €104
$106 €94.9
9.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.3 €47.87
$46.81 €42.05
13.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 €95.3
$108 €97.2
-2.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134 €120
$149 €134
-10.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hasselt
Gent
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$906 €814
$1,191 €1,069
-23.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$800 €719
$893 €802
-10.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,457 €1,308
$1,809 €1,625
-19.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,218 €1,095
$1,517 €1,363
-19.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,588 €4,122
$4,994 €4,486
-8.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,398 €2,154
$3,015 €2,708
-20.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hasselt
Gent
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,045 €2,735
$3,688 €3,313
-17.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.53
3.2
10.31%

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

Last update for Hasselt: October 24, 2026

Last update for Gent: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Hasselt
$800
Gent
$893 11.7% $93
Eating Out
Hasselt
$329
Gent
$345 4.7% $15
Groceries & Markets
Hasselt
$308
Gent
$356 15.6% $48
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hasselt
$278
Gent
$288 3.3% $9.1
Clothing & Footwear
Hasselt
$184
Gent
$184 0.3% $0.5
Getting Around
Hasselt
$64
Gent
$98 54.7% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Hasselt
$58
Gent
$64 11.2% $6.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $906 in Hasselt versus $1,191 in Gent. 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 21% higher in Gent. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98 in Hasselt versus $113 in Gent. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $308 vs $356 – making Hasselt the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇪 Hasselt
🇧🇪 Gent
🕒 Local time
18:41 6:41 PM
18:41 6:41 PM
Same time as Hasselt
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,694
237,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hasselt Gent 110 km
From you
  • Hasselt
  • Gent

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Hasselt vs Gent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hasselt cheaper than Gent?
Yes – Gent is pricier by about 10%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,032 per month in Hasselt and $3,344 in Gent. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Hasselt, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $906 there versus $1,191 in Gent.
What are total monthly expenses in Hasselt and in Gent?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,021 in Hasselt and $2,229 in Gent. That’s a gap of about 10%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 46% less in Hasselt. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $3,000 enough for either Hasselt or Gent?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,021 in Hasselt and $2,229 in Gent, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Hasselt or in Gent?
It depends on your priorities. Gent has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,021 in Hasselt to $2,229 in Gent. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Hasselt or Gent?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Hasselt. 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.

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