Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Belgium Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Belgium

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $388 in India versus $2,061 in Belgium.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $617 in India versus $3,060 in Belgium.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $846 in India versus $4,059 in Belgium.

Living in India costs about 81% less than in Belgium on average.

India (71% below) and Belgium (54% above) straddle the global median.

India ($264$888) and Belgium ($1,726$2,511) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
India
Belgium
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.49 ₹237
$23.17 €19.93
-89.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.20 ₹1,353
$92.9 €79.9
-84.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.98 ₹379
$12.30 €10.58
-67.64%
Cappuccino
$1.88 ₹179
$4.21 €3.63
-55.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44 ₹41.98
$3.18 €2.74
-86.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.19 ₹18.57
$2.87 €2.47
-93.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.02 ₹192
$5.45 €4.69
-62.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.45 ₹329
$4.57 €3.93
-24.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
India
Belgium
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.72 ₹68.3
$1.25 €1.08
-42.40%
White Bread (500g)
$0.52 ₹49.26
$2.60 €2.24
-80.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.72 ₹68.7
$2.48 €2.13
-70.97%
Eggs
$0.93 ₹88.8
$4.17 €3.59
-77.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.24 ₹499
$15.03 €12.93
-65.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.07 ₹292
$12.22 €10.51
-74.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$19.21 €16.52
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.17 ₹207
$2.87 €2.47
-24.39%
Banana (1kg)
$0.76 ₹72.2
$2.32 €1.99
-67.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.05 ₹100
$2.58 €2.22
-59.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.53 ₹50.7
$3.07 €2.64
-82.74%
Potato (1kg)
$0.39 ₹37.53
$2.27 €1.95
-82.82%
Onion (1kg)
$0.49 ₹46.81
$1.84 €1.59
-73.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.52 ₹49.35
$1.50 €1.29
-65.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.33 ₹31.13
$1.06 €0.92
-68.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.05 ₹386
$12.20 €10.49
-66.80%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.39 ₹704
$8.99 €7.74
-17.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 ₹175
$1.96 €1.69
-6.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₹277
$2.24 €1.93
29.46%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$5.65 ₹538
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
India
Belgium
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.36 ₹34.59
$2.81 €2.42
-87.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.74 ₹928
$57.6 €49.53
-83.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.95 ₹90.6
$6.84 €5.88
-86.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.30 ₹28.64
$2.62 €2.25
-88.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.73 ₹165
$43.32 €37.26
-96.01%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 ₹117
$1.93 €1.66
-36.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$13.9K ₹1.3M
$33.4K €28.8K
-58.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.6K ₹2.2M
$33.2K €28.5K
-31.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
Belgium
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$40.88 ₹3,894
$222 €191
-81.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.91 ₹372
$24.02 €20.66
-83.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.81 ₹744
$57.4 €49.34
-86.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
India
Belgium
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$16.15 ₹1,538
$38.45 €33.08
-58.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.49 ₹713
$21.88 €18.82
-65.77%
Cinema Ticket
$3.42 ₹326
$15.02 €12.92
-77.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
India
Belgium
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$69.9 ₹6,660
$646 €556
-89.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,793 ₹170.8K
$15.9K €13.7K
-88.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
India
Belgium
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.83 ₹2,460
$106 €91.3
-75.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.61 ₹2,535
$45.44 €39.08
-41.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$45.24 ₹4,309
$111 €95.2
-59.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$33.68 ₹3,208
$143 €123
-76.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
India
Belgium
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$178 ₹17.0K
$981 €844
-81.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$115 ₹10.9K
$851 €732
-86.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$407 ₹38.8K
$1,508 €1,297
-73.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$264 ₹25.1K
$1,292 €1,111
-79.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,240 ₹118.1K
$4,479 €3,853
-72.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$631 ₹60.1K
$3,131 €2,693
-79.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
India
Belgium
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$432 ₹41.2K
$3,077 €2,647
-85.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.02
3.64
147.80%

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

Last update for India: June 2, 2026

Last update for Belgium: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $127 in India, $910 in Belgium. Capital cities: $239 in Delhi vs $1,318 in Brussels.

National salary averages: $398 in India, $2,906 in Belgium. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 617% higher in Belgium.

Dining out costs 745% more in Belgium.

Public transport is 500% more expensive in Belgium.

Salaries are 630% higher in Belgium, giving Belgium stronger purchasing power.

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 India?
At $2,119 per month in Belgium and $576 in India, there's a 268% gap. 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?
India is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. 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 India?
Rent in Belgium beats India across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Can you live in both Belgium and India on $1,000 per month?
In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In Belgium, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Which country is better for expats: Belgium or India?
It depends on what you're after. India wins on affordability; Belgium may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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