Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Herentals and Brussels

For one person, living is cheaper in Herentals: $2,288 a month against $2,584 in Brussels, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Herentals, Belgium
Brussels, Belgium
Herentals
🇧🇪 Belgium
$2,288
/mo nomad
Brussels
🇧🇪 Belgium
$2,584
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Herentals and in Brussels

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,288 in Herentals versus $2,584 in Brussels.

  • Herentals $2,288
  • Brussels $2,584

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,178 in Herentals versus $3,923 in Brussels.

  • Herentals $3,178
  • Brussels $3,923

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,067 in Herentals versus $5,262 in Brussels.

  • Herentals $4,067
  • Brussels $5,262

Living in Herentals costs roughly 11% less than in Brussels, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Herentals 68% above, Brussels 90% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Herentals
Brussels
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.89 €16.03
$22.51 €20.17
-20.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$90.2 €80.8
$91.2 €81.7
-1.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.36 €11.07
$15.19 €13.61
-18.63%
Cappuccino
$3.70 €3.32
$4.55 €4.07
-18.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 €3.16
$3.63 €3.26
-3.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 €2.28
$3.02 €2.71
-15.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.61 €5.03
$5.69 €5.10
-1.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48 €4.02
$5.55 €4.97
-19.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Herentals
Brussels
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.24 €1.11
$1.35 €1.21
-8.15%
White Bread (500g)
$2.70 €2.42
$2.76 €2.47
-2.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.67 €3.29
$2.84 €2.54
29.23%
Eggs
$3.61 €3.24
$5.19 €4.65
-30.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.89 €16.03
$17.84 €15.99
0.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.75 €10.53
$13.04 €11.68
-9.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.01 €13.45
$21.85 €19.58
-31.30%
Apples (1kg)
$3.09 €2.77
$3.13 €2.80
-1.28%
Banana (1kg)
$2.29 €2.05
$2.42 €2.17
-5.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.89 €2.59
$2.81 €2.52
2.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.99 €2.68
$4.03 €3.61
-25.81%
Potato (1kg)
$2.40 €2.16
$2.46 €2.20
-2.44%
Onion (1kg)
$2.01 €1.80
$2.18 €1.95
-7.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.69 €1.52
$1.86 €1.66
-9.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 €0.94
$1.22 €1.10
-13.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.22 €8.26
$13.60 €12.19
-32.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.03 €7.19
$9.57 €8.57
-16.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.46 €2.21
$2.70 €2.42
-8.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 €2.88
$3.00 €2.69
7.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Herentals
Brussels
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.06 €2.74
$2.76 €2.48
10.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$59.9 €53.7
$61.6 €55.2
-2.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.07 €4.54
$2.95 €2.65
71.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.56 €2.29
$2.24 €2.00
14.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.06 €15.29
$40.78 €36.55
-58.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.63
$2.06 €1.85
-11.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.5K €31.9K
$34.8K €31.2K
2.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.1K €33.2K
$35.7K €32.0K
3.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Herentals
Brussels
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$335 €300
$280 €251
19.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.21 €22.59
$21.20 €19.00
18.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.3 €54.0
$52.0 €46.60
15.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Herentals
Brussels
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.13 €34.17
$32.34 €28.98
17.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.20 €19.00
$27.74 €24.86
-23.58%
Cinema Ticket
$14.48 €12.97
$15.88 €14.23
-8.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Herentals
Brussels
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$850 €762
$1,596 €1,430
-46.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.2K €14.6K
$36.2K €32.5K
-55.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Herentals
Brussels
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.1 €77.2
$101 €90.7
-14.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.4 €45.15
$46.78 €41.92
7.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 €92.4
$114 €102
-9.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 €117
$143 €128
-8.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Herentals
Brussels
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$845 €757
$1,393 €1,248
-39.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$911 €817
$1,160 €1,039
-21.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,312 €1,175
$2,518 €2,257
-47.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 €969
$2,076 €1,860
-47.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,972 €3,560
$4,877 €4,371
-18.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,505 €2,245
$3,718 €3,332
-32.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Herentals
Brussels
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$3,392 €3,040
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.65
3.71
-1.62%

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

Last update for Herentals: October 26, 2026

Last update for Brussels: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Herentals
$911
Brussels
$1.2K 27.3% $249
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Herentals
$420
Brussels
$353 15.9% $67
Groceries & Markets
Herentals
$347
Brussels
$391 12.8% $44
Eating Out
Herentals
$286
Brussels
$346 21.1% $60
Clothing & Footwear
Herentals
$167
Brussels
$182 9.3% $16
Getting Around
Herentals
$90
Brussels
$87 3.6% $3.2
Sport & Entertainment
Herentals
$67
Brussels
$64 4.5% $3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $845 in Herentals and $1,393 in Brussels. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $90 in Herentals vs $91 in Brussels for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $347 vs $391 per month, with Herentals cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇪 Herentals
🇧🇪 Brussels
🕒 Local time
09:17 9:17 AM
09:17 9:17 AM
Same time as Herentals
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
25,912
188,137 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
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From you
  • Herentals
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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
Herentals vs Brussels: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Herentals or Brussels?
Herentals wins on cost – living expenses run 11% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Herentals and in Brussels?
You’d need roughly $3,433 in Herentals and $3,876 in Brussels to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Herentals compared to Brussels?
Rent for a central apartment: $845 in Herentals versus $1,393 in Brussels. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Herentals and in Brussels?
Childcare runs $850 in Herentals versus $1,596 in Brussels. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How expensive is transport in Herentals compared to Brussels?
A monthly transit pass in Herentals runs roughly 3% less than in Brussels. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Herentals or Brussels?
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.
How safe is Herentals compared to Brussels?
Safety-wise, Herentals and Brussels are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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