Cost of Living Comparison Between Hasselt and Gent Cost of Living Comparison Between Hasselt and Gent

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,098 per month in Hasselt vs $2,244 in Gent, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,078 per month in Hasselt vs $3,463 in Gent, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,058 per month in Hasselt vs $4,681 in Gent, rent included.

Hasselt is about 7% cheaper than Gent, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Hasselt and Gent sit above the global median – Hasselt by 56%, Gent by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.77 €19.74

$23.22 €20.13

-1.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.7 €80.3

$117 €101

-20.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.54 €10.87

$14.10 €12.22

-11.06%

Cappuccino

$3.97 €3.44

$4.16 €3.61

-4.57%

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

$3.32 €2.88

$3.40 €2.95

-2.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 €2.76

$3.24 €2.81

-1.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 €4.42

$5.95 €5.15

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.13

$5.65 €4.90

-15.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.30 €1.13

0.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 €2.48

$2.66 €2.30

7.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 €2.28

$2.38 €2.06

10.50%

Eggs

$3.62 €3.14

$4.31 €3.74

-16.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.77 €15.40

$17.32 €15.01

2.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.08 €8.74

$11.89 €10.30

-15.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.68 €18.79

$18.45 €15.99

17.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 €1.94

$3.11 €2.70

-27.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 €1.94

$2.45 €2.12

-8.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$2.61 €2.26

-12.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$3.04 €2.64

-22.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 €2.05

$1.83 €1.59

29.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 €1.45

$2.07 €1.79

-19.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 €0.77

$1.32 €1.14

-32.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.76

$0.97 €0.84

-9.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.82 €11.11

$12.90 €11.18

-0.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.19 €7.96

$9.05 €7.84

1.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 €1.54

$1.95 €1.69

-9.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.69

$3.03 €2.62

-35.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 €2.46

$2.97 €2.57

-4.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.04 €29.50

$57.3 €49.63

-40.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.71 €4.95

$11.16 €9.67

-48.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 €2.13

$2.69 €2.33

-8.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.90 €31.98

$52.6 €45.56

-29.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.67

$1.89 €1.64

1.59%

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

$35.7K €30.9K

$33.3K €28.9K

7.08%

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

$32.5K €28.2K

$37.6K €32.6K

-13.45%

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

$207 €179

$227 €197

-8.88%

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

$20.85 €18.07

$23.15 €20.07

-9.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 €44.63

$49.38 €42.80

4.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.22 €24.46

$35.26 €30.56

-19.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.50 €8.23

$13.30 €11.53

-28.57%

Cinema Ticket

$14.93 €12.94

$16.14 €13.99

-7.50%

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

$652 €565

$578 €501

12.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K €11.8K

$18.8K €16.3K

-27.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €95.0

$113 €98.4

-3.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.33 €41.88

$54.5 €47.26

-11.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €99.9

$108 €93.2

7.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 €118

$165 €143

-17.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 €854

$1,040 €901

-5.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$840 €728

$913 €792

-8.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 €1,267

$1,755 €1,521

-16.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,231 €1,067

$1,429 €1,239

-13.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,693 €4,067

$5,756 €4,989

-18.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,474 €2,144

$3,118 €2,702

-20.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,179 €2,755

$3,694 €3,201

-13.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.27

3.74

-12.57%

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

Last update for Hasselt: June 6, 2026

Last update for Gent: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Hasselt versus $1,040 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 16% 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 $93.0 in Hasselt versus $117 in Gent. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 vs $349 – making Hasselt 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

Hasselt vs Gent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Gent is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,147 per month in Hasselt and $3,366 in Gent. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hasselt, 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 $2,098 in Hasselt and $2,244 in Gent. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

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

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Hasselt, where all-in costs run around $2,098, than in Gent at $2,244. In Hasselt it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gent it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hasselt – 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 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.