Cost of Living Comparison Between Kortrijk and Leuven Cost of Living Comparison Between Kortrijk and Leuven

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,931 per month in Kortrijk vs $2,238 in Leuven, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,755 per month in Kortrijk vs $3,372 in Leuven, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,578 per month in Kortrijk vs $4,506 in Leuven, rent included.

Kortrijk is about 14% cheaper than Leuven, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kortrijk and Leuven sit above the global median – Kortrijk by 44%, Leuven by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.39 €20.12

$17.32 €14.90

35.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 €60.8

$91.4 €78.6

-22.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.46 €9.85

$11.51 €9.90

-0.43%

Cappuccino

$3.17 €2.72

$4.15 €3.57

-23.61%

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

$3.12 €2.69

$3.46 €2.98

-9.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 €2.36

$3.34 €2.87

-17.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.73 €4.07

$4.82 €4.14

-1.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 €3.03

$3.73 €3.21

-5.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.37 €1.18

-2.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 €1.60

$2.11 €1.82

-11.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 €1.14

$2.98 €2.56

-55.37%

Eggs

$2.68 €2.30

$3.41 €2.93

-21.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.15 €15.61

$12.08 €10.39

50.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.15 €9.59

$13.19 €11.34

-15.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.01 €14.63

$17.43 €15.00

-2.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$2.61 €2.24

-16.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$2.34 €2.01

4.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.08 €1.79

1.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.65 €2.28

-24.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$2.13 €1.84

1.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.72 €1.48

42.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 €1.26

$1.52 €1.31

-3.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$1.27 €1.09

-33.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 €10.74

$12.94 €11.13

-3.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.53 €5.62

$7.53 €6.48

-13.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.34 €2.01

-25.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.75

$2.10 €1.80

-3.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.74 €4.07

$2.86 €2.46

65.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.7 €49.62

$37.98 €32.67

51.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 €2.02

$6.50 €5.59

-63.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.47 €2.12

$2.58 €2.22

-4.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$47.09 €40.51

$34.42 €29.60

36.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 €1.65

$1.89 €1.63

1.06%

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

$29.9K €25.7K

$30.1K €25.9K

-0.83%

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

$27.4K €23.6K

$28.4K €24.4K

-3.34%

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

$190 €163

$180 €155

5.30%

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

$22.95 €19.74

$21.31 €18.33

7.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 €44.08

$48.33 €41.57

6.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 €44.94

$46.91 €40.35

11.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 €10.14

$16.85 €14.50

-30.03%

Cinema Ticket

$14.22 €12.23

$14.56 €12.53

-2.34%

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

$490 €422

$674 €580

-27.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,664 €4,012

$13.5K €11.6K

-65.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.2 €70.7

$102 €87.7

-19.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.97 €26.64

$32.34 €27.82

-4.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.6 €84.8

$92.9 €79.9

6.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.9

$132 €114

-11.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 €701

$1,018 €875

-19.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 €600

$1,096 €943

-36.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 €886

$2,168 €1,865

-52.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$940 €809

$1,739 €1,496

-45.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,298 €3,697

$5,737 €4,935

-25.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,322 €1,997

$3,826 €3,291

-39.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,965 €2,550

$3,576 €3,076

-17.10%

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 Kortrijk: June 2, 2026

Last update for Leuven: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $815 in Kortrijk versus $1,018 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 21% 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 $71.0 in Kortrijk versus $91.0 in Leuven. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $306 vs $326 – making Kortrijk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Kortrijk vs Leuven: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Leuven costs about 16% more than Kortrijk, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,897 per month in Kortrijk and $3,357 in Leuven. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kortrijk, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Leuven, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Kortrijk and $91.0 in Leuven. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kortrijk, where all-in costs run around $1,931, than in Leuven at $2,238. In Kortrijk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Leuven it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kortrijk – 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 Kortrijk. 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.