Cost of Living Comparison Between Hasselt and Leuven Cost of Living Comparison Between Hasselt and Leuven

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,098 per month in Hasselt vs $2,270 in Leuven, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,078 per month in Hasselt vs $3,399 in Leuven, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,058 per month in Hasselt vs $4,527 in Leuven, rent included.

Hasselt is about 8% cheaper than Leuven, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hasselt and Leuven sit above the global median – Hasselt by 56%, Leuven by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.77 €19.74

$17.57 €15.22

29.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.7 €80.3

$93.5 €81.1

-0.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.54 €10.87

$11.54 €10.00

8.67%

Cappuccino

$3.97 €3.44

$4.29 €3.72

-7.46%

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

$3.32 €2.88

$3.56 €3.08

-6.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 €2.76

$3.34 €2.90

-4.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 €4.42

$4.83 €4.19

5.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.13

$3.68 €3.19

29.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.39 €1.20

-5.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 €2.48

$2.08 €1.80

37.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 €2.28

$3.03 €2.63

-13.20%

Eggs

$3.62 €3.14

$3.53 €3.06

2.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.77 €15.40

$12.14 €10.52

46.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.08 €8.74

$13.25 €11.48

-23.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.68 €18.79

$17.43 €15.11

24.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 €1.94

$2.71 €2.35

-17.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 €1.94

$2.27 €1.97

-1.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$2.03 €1.76

12.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$2.57 €2.23

-8.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 €2.05

$2.23 €1.94

6.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 €1.45

$1.64 €1.42

1.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 €0.77

$1.54 €1.33

-42.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.76

$1.26 €1.09

-30.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.82 €11.11

$12.64 €10.95

1.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.19 €7.96

$7.37 €6.38

24.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 €1.54

$2.30 €2.00

-23.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.69

$2.10 €1.82

-7.14%

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

$38.18 €33.09

-10.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.71 €4.95

$6.52 €5.65

-12.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 €2.13

$2.63 €2.28

-6.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.90 €31.98

$35.35 €30.63

4.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.67

$1.83 €1.58

4.92%

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

$35.7K €30.9K

$30.1K €26.1K

18.58%

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

$32.5K €28.2K

$28.3K €24.5K

14.81%

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

$207 €179

$181 €157

14.29%

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

$20.85 €18.07

$21.28 €18.44

-2.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 €44.63

$48.99 €42.46

5.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.22 €24.46

$47.30 €40.99

-40.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.50 €8.23

$16.76 €14.53

-43.32%

Cinema Ticket

$14.93 €12.94

$14.35 €12.43

4.04%

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

$652 €565

$661 €573

-1.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K €11.8K

$13.5K €11.7K

1.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €95.0

$103 €89.4

6.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.33 €41.88

$32.91 €28.52

46.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €99.9

$92.2 €79.9

25.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 €118

$131 €114

3.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 €854

$1,033 €895

-4.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$840 €728

$1,082 €938

-22.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 €1,267

$2,182 €1,891

-32.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,231 €1,067

$1,749 €1,516

-29.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,693 €4,067

$5,589 €4,844

-16.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,474 €2,144

$3,788 €3,283

-34.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,179 €2,755

$3,556 €3,082

-10.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.27

3.83

-14.62%

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

Last update for Hasselt: June 6, 2026

Last update for Leuven: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Hasselt versus $1,033 in Leuven. 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 12% higher in Leuven, 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 $94.0 in Leuven. Groceries tell a different story – $337 in Hasselt vs $326 in Leuven – so Leuven wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Leuven: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,098 in Hasselt, $2,270 in Leuven – roughly 8% apart. Leuven costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,147 per month in Hasselt and $3,405 in Leuven. 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.

Kindergarten costs $652 per month in Hasselt and $661 in Leuven. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Leuven – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Hasselt, where all-in costs run around $2,098, than in Leuven at $2,270. In Hasselt it covers expenses comfortably, while in Leuven 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, Leuven makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.