Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Aalst Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Aalst

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,225 in Leuven versus $2,156 in Aalst.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,341 in Leuven versus $3,151 in Aalst.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Leuven versus $4,146 in Aalst.

Living in Leuven is roughly 3% more expensive than Aalst, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Leuven 67% above, Aalst 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.46 €15.03

$23.39 €20.14

-25.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.3 €80.3

$104 €89.2

-9.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.53 €9.93

$12.81 €11.03

-9.99%

Cappuccino

$4.21 €3.63

$4.17 €3.59

0.96%

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

$3.41 €2.94

$3.48 €3.00

-2.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 €3.02

$2.93 €2.52

19.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.84 €4.17

$5.47 €4.71

-11.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 €3.16

$4.68 €4.03

-21.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.33 €1.15

4.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.18 €1.88

$2.88 €2.48

-24.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 €2.57

$2.76 €2.38

7.97%

Eggs

$3.41 €2.93

$4.17 €3.59

-18.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 €10.29

$16.44 €14.16

-27.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.08 €11.27

$11.93 €10.27

9.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.18 €14.79

$19.01 €16.37

-9.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 €2.38

$2.89 €2.48

-4.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.02

$2.42 €2.08

-2.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.27 €1.95

-11.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.28

$3.28 €2.82

-19.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$2.58 €2.22

-15.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$2.37 €2.04

-27.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.42 €1.22

7.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 €1.09

$0.86 €0.74

46.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.48 €10.75

$12.58 €10.83

-0.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.44 €6.41

$9.37 €8.07

-20.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 €1.98

$1.71 €1.47

34.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 €1.86

$2.03 €1.75

6.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.83 €2.44

$2.97 €2.55

-4.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.30 €32.12

$56.2 €48.39

-33.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.42 €5.53

$5.96 €5.13

7.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 €2.28

$2.45 €2.11

8.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.60 €29.80

$34.87 €30.03

-0.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.87 €1.61

-0.53%

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

$29.9K €25.8K

$35.1K €30.3K

-14.78%

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

$28.7K €24.8K

$32.8K €28.3K

-12.48%

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

$181 €156

$204 €176

-11.22%

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

$21.40 €18.43

$21.67 €18.66

-1.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.98 €42.17

$56.8 €48.88

-13.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.70 €40.21

$39.16 €33.72

19.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 €14.48

$17.20 €14.81

-2.27%

Cinema Ticket

$14.54 €12.52

$15.13 €13.03

-3.90%

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

$652 €562

$611 €526

6.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K €11.7K

$13.4K €11.5K

1.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.6

$105 €90.8

-1.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.94 €27.50

$48.75 €41.98

-34.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 €79.8

$117 €100

-20.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 €112

$154 €133

-15.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 €856

$970 €835

2.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 €932

$869 €748

24.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,133 €1,837

$1,380 €1,188

54.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,728 €1,488

$1,086 €935

59.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,765 €4,964

$3,210 €2,764

79.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,776 €3,251

$3,035 €2,613

24.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,524 €3,035

$2,701 €2,325

30.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

3.27

17.13%

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

Last update for Leuven: June 13, 2026

Last update for Aalst: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $994 in Leuven and $970 in Aalst. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leuven pays 30% 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: $93.0 in Leuven vs $104 in Aalst for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $350 per month, with Leuven 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

Leuven vs Aalst: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Leuven and Aalst differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($2,225 vs $2,156 including rent). Aalst is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Leuven pays 30% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $994 in Leuven versus $970 in Aalst. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Aalst – a meal for two runs $104 versus $93.0 in Leuven. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,225 per month in Leuven versus $2,156 in Aalst – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,156 in Aalst versus $2,225 in Leuven, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Aalst but tight or insufficient in Leuven. The gap between the two cities makes Aalst 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, Leuven and Aalst 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 Aalst gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Leuven. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.