Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Arlon Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Arlon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,273 per month in Leuven vs $2,072 in Arlon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,389 per month in Leuven vs $2,941 in Arlon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,505 per month in Leuven vs $3,809 in Arlon, rent included.

Leuven costs about 10% more than Arlon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Leuven and Arlon sit above the global median – Leuven by 71%, Arlon by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.53 €15.28

$17.17 €14.97

2.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.2 €81.3

$94.0 €81.9

-0.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 €9.95

$9.50 €8.29

20.21%

Cappuccino

$4.19 €3.65

$2.96 €2.58

41.55%

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

$3.54 €3.09

$2.97 €2.59

19.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 €2.89

$2.26 €1.97

46.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.04 €4.39

$4.12 €3.59

22.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 €3.25

$3.83 €3.34

-2.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 €1.19

$1.28 €1.12

6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.81

$2.28 €1.98

-8.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 €2.51

$2.17 €1.90

32.72%

Eggs

$3.47 €3.03

$3.91 €3.41

-11.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.70 €10.20

$15.21 €13.26

-23.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.27 €11.57

$11.22 €9.78

18.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.67 €15.40

$20.99 €18.30

-15.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 €2.32

$3.32 €2.89

-19.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 €2.03

$1.18 €1.03

97.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$2.34 €2.04

-9.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.22

$3.17 €2.76

-19.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 €1.96

$1.76 €1.54

27.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 €1.42

$2.15 €1.88

-24.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.32

$1.79 €1.56

-15.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.05

$0.95 €0.83

27.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.57 €10.96

$9.21 €8.03

36.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.51 €6.54

$6.95 €6.06

8.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.05

$2.03 €1.77

16.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.18 €1.03

77.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 €2.48

$2.40 €2.09

18.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.37 €33.45

$57.0 €49.69

-32.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 €5.65

$4.16 €3.63

55.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.57 €2.24

$3.14 €2.73

-18.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.31 €30.78

$40.75 €35.52

-13.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.65

$1.84 €1.61

2.72%

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

$29.9K €26.0K

$34.4K €30.0K

-13.19%

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

$28.6K €24.9K

$28.5K €24.9K

0.17%

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

$185 €161

$275 €240

-32.67%

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

$21.94 €19.13

$25.52 €22.25

-14.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.97 €42.69

$54.3 €47.30

-9.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.35 €41.28

$38.80 €33.82

22.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 €14.67

Cinema Ticket

$14.23 €12.40

$9.02 €7.86

57.76%

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

$670 €584

$603 €525

11.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K €12.0K

$13.6K €11.9K

0.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €90.8

$85.9 €74.8

21.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.09 €27.98

$48.01 €41.85

-33.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 €81.4

$52.4 €45.71

78.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 €115

$118 €103

11.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 €871

$884 €771

13.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 €925

$888 €775

19.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,191 €1,910

$1,651 €1,439

32.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,717 €1,497

$1,087 €948

57.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,538 €4,828

$4,251 €3,706

30.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,751 €3,270

$4,057 €3,537

-7.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,525 €3,073

$2,439 €2,127

44.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

3.65

4.93%

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

Last update for Leuven: July 26, 2026

Last update for Arlon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Leuven versus $884 in Arlon. 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 44% 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 $93.0 in Leuven versus $94.0 in Arlon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $328 – making Leuven 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

Leuven vs Arlon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Leuven costs about 10% more than Arlon, 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 $3,410 per month in Leuven and $3,108 in Arlon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,273 in Leuven and $2,072 in Arlon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 49% less in Arlon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arlon, where all-in costs run around $2,072, than in Leuven at $2,273. In Arlon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Leuven it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Arlon – 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 Arlon. 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.