Cost of Living Comparison Between Herentals and Brussels Cost of Living Comparison Between Herentals and Brussels

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,914 in Herentals versus $2,517 in Brussels.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,771 in Herentals versus $3,814 in Brussels.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,629 in Herentals versus $5,112 in Brussels.

Living in Herentals costs roughly 24% less than in Brussels, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Herentals 43% above, Brussels 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.06 €22.26

$28.73 €24.53

-9.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.0 €54.6

$90.9 €77.6

-29.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.44 €11.48

$14.81 €12.64

-9.25%

Cappuccino

$2.42 €2.07

$4.75 €4.06

-49.05%

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

$2.01 €1.72

$3.16 €2.70

-36.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.52

$3.02 €2.58

-41.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 €1.99

$7.11 €6.07

-67.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 €2.37

$5.72 €4.89

-51.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.68 €0.58

$1.47 €1.26

-53.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 €1.79

$3.01 €2.57

-30.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 €1.73

$2.80 €2.40

-27.50%

Eggs

$2.52 €2.15

$4.82 €4.11

-47.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 €8.77

$16.73 €14.29

-38.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.29 €8.79

$13.67 €11.67

-24.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.36 €13.97

$18.85 €16.10

-13.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 €2.44

$3.05 €2.61

-6.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$2.46 €2.10

-27.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.68 €2.29

-34.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 €2.81

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 €0.97

$2.65 €2.26

-57.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 €1.62

$2.43 €2.07

-22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 €0.96

$1.66 €1.42

-31.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 €0.28

$1.12 €0.95

-70.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.54 €10.71

$12.60 €10.76

-0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.83 €5.83

$9.12 €7.79

-25.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$2.59 €2.21

-67.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.37

$3.28 €2.80

-51.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.86 €2.44

$2.96 €2.53

-3.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.0 €47.80

$59.3 €50.6

-5.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.57 €6.46

$7.42 €6.33

2.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.06 €2.62

$2.42 €2.06

26.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.13 €29.15

$34.98 €29.87

-2.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 €1.58

$1.86 €1.59

-0.54%

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

$32.4K €27.6K

$34.4K €29.4K

-5.94%

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

$34.2K €29.2K

$35.6K €30.4K

-3.79%

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

$172 €147

$264 €225

-34.81%

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

$21.16 €18.07

$21.23 €18.13

-0.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 €48.95

$56.5 €48.26

1.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.93 €32.39

$40.91 €34.94

-7.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.88 €14.42

$31.02 €26.49

-45.58%

Cinema Ticket

$15.09 €12.88

$14.78 €12.62

2.10%

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

$605 €517

$1,110 €948

-45.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K €11.7K

$22.1K €18.8K

-37.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.1 €70.1

$104 €89.1

-21.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.12 €41.10

$49.85 €42.57

-3.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €98.9

$114 €97.3

1.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 €98.2

$152 €130

-24.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 €778

$1,329 €1,135

-31.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 €651

$1,080 €922

-29.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,364 €1,165

$2,304 €1,967

-40.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 €931

$1,755 €1,499

-37.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,664 €3,129

$5,099 €4,355

-28.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,435 €2,080

$3,823 €3,265

-36.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,368 €2,023

$3,553 €3,034

-33.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.1

3.65

-15.07%

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

Last update for Herentals: April 26, 2026

Last update for Brussels: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $911 in Herentals and $1,329 in Brussels. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 50% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $64.0 in Herentals vs $91.0 in Brussels for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $262 vs $378 per month, with Herentals cheaper across the board.

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

Herentals vs Brussels: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Herentals wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Brussels. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Herentals the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Brussels earns 50% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $911 in Herentals versus $1,329 in Brussels. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Brussels. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Herentals – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $91.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,914 in Herentals versus $2,517 in Brussels, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Herentals but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Herentals the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Herentals and Brussels are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Herentals gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.