Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Belgium

For one person, living is cheaper in India: $399 a month against $2,201 in Belgium, rent and utilities included – about $21,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

India
Belgium
🇮🇳 India
$399
/mo nomad
🇧🇪 Belgium
$2,201
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in India and in Belgium

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $399 in India versus $2,201 in Belgium.

  • India $399
  • Belgium $2,201

Estimated couple costs with rent: $639 in India versus $3,255 in Belgium.

  • India $639
  • Belgium $3,255

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $879 in India versus $4,309 in Belgium.

  • India $879
  • Belgium $4,309

Internal cost variation is higher in Belgium: monthly costs span $1,774 to $2,584, compared to $230–$813 in India. City choice carries more weight in Belgium.

Living in India costs about 82% less than in Belgium on average.

India (71% below) and Belgium (62% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
India
Belgium
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.14 ₹203
$22.69 €20.33
-90.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.46 ₹993
$89.9 €80.6
-88.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.80 ₹361
$13.32 €11.94
-71.47%
Cappuccino
$1.68 ₹159
$4.03 €3.61
-58.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38 ₹35.93
$3.40 €3.04
-88.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15 ₹14.58
$2.97 €2.66
-94.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.87 ₹177
$5.67 €5.08
-67.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 ₹302
$5.17 €4.63
-38.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
India
Belgium
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.62 ₹59.1
$1.32 €1.18
-53.03%
White Bread (500g)
$0.50 ₹47.68
$2.52 €2.26
-80.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.63 ₹60.2
$2.30 €2.06
-72.61%
Eggs
$0.96 ₹91.1
$4.16 €3.72
-76.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.85 ₹460
$15.45 €13.85
-68.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.84 ₹270
$12.14 €10.88
-76.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$20.36 €18.24
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.00 ₹190
$2.74 €2.45
-27.01%
Banana (1kg)
$0.65 ₹61.3
$2.36 €2.11
-72.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.97 ₹92.1
$2.74 €2.46
-64.60%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.47 ₹44.22
$3.32 €2.98
-85.84%
Potato (1kg)
$0.34 ₹31.82
$2.22 €1.99
-84.68%
Onion (1kg)
$0.42 ₹39.66
$1.82 €1.63
-76.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.47 ₹44.32
$1.54 €1.38
-69.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31 ₹29.62
$1.09 €0.98
-71.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.08 ₹482
$12.97 €11.62
-60.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.31 ₹694
$9.06 €8.12
-19.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 ₹154
$1.90 €1.71
-14.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 ₹262
$2.37 €2.12
16.46%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$5.11 ₹485
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
India
Belgium
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.26 ₹24.81
$3.43 €3.07
-92.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.58 ₹815
$62.1 €55.7
-86.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.00 ₹94.5
$5.64 €5.06
-82.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.27 ₹25.69
$2.62 €2.34
-89.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.54 ₹146
$44.53 €39.90
-96.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 ₹102
$1.97 €1.76
-45.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$11.2K ₹1.1M
$34.7K €31.1K
-67.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.1K ₹1.9M
$36.3K €32.5K
-44.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
Belgium
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$37.08 ₹3,521
$229 €205
-83.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.58 ₹340
$22.44 €20.11
-84.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.15 ₹679
$53.9 €48.30
-86.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
India
Belgium
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$15.00 ₹1,424
$35.15 €31.50
-57.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.17 ₹681
$20.81 €18.64
-65.55%
Cinema Ticket
$3.20 ₹303
$14.90 €13.35
-78.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
India
Belgium
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$58.8 ₹5,583
$1,055 €945
-94.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,667 ₹158.2K
$29.1K €26.0K
-94.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
India
Belgium
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$23.03 ₹2,187
$105 €94.1
-78.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.17 ₹2,295
$48.39 €43.36
-50.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$41.20 ₹3,911
$106 €94.7
-61.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$29.62 ₹2,812
$147 €132
-79.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
India
Belgium
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$146 ₹13.9K
$981 €879
-85.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$96.4 ₹9,149
$869 €779
-88.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$343 ₹32.6K
$1,529 €1,370
-77.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$234 ₹22.2K
$1,279 €1,147
-81.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,177 ₹111.7K
$4,522 €4,053
-73.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$633 ₹60.1K
$3,161 €2,833
-79.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
India
Belgium
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$409 ₹38.8K
$2,999 €2,687
-86.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.93
3.64
145.33%

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

Last update for India: October 25, 2026

Last update for Belgium: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
India
$102
Belgium
$350 242% $248
Accommodation & Living
India
$96
Belgium
$869 802% $773
Eating Out
India
$67
Belgium
$334 402% $268
Clothing & Footwear
India
$53
Belgium
$183 244% $130
Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
$48
Belgium
$306 539% $258
Sport & Entertainment
India
$21
Belgium
$65 204% $44
Getting Around
India
$12
Belgium
$95 689% $83

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $120 in India, $930 in Belgium. Capital cities: $277 in Delhi vs $1,393 in Brussels.

National salary averages: $412 in India, $2,913 in Belgium. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 675% higher in Belgium.

Dining out costs 700% more in Belgium.

Public transport is 575% more expensive in Belgium.

Salaries are about 7.1 times higher in Belgium, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Belgium.

Good to know
🇮🇳 India
🇧🇪 Belgium
🕒 Local time
13:54 1:54 PM
09:24 9:24 AM
4 h 30 min behind India
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,326,093,247
11,584,008
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 94.94 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.44 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • India Belgium 6,410 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • India
  • Belgium

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
India vs Belgium: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in Belgium compare to the cost in India?
At $2,201 per month in Belgium and $399 in India, India comes out about 82% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do daily expenses compare in Belgium vs India?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in India: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Is rent more expensive in Belgium or in India?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $930 in Belgium and $120 in India. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Which country is better for expats: Belgium or India?
It depends on what you’re after: India wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.

India vs other spots: cost of living compared

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