Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Beveren Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Beveren

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,273 in Leuven versus $2,066 in Beveren.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,389 in Leuven versus $3,205 in Beveren.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,505 in Leuven versus $4,344 in Beveren.

Living in Leuven is roughly 10% more expensive than in Beveren, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Leuven 71% above, Beveren 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.53 €15.18

$23.61 €20.44

-25.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.2 €80.7

$123 €106

-23.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 €9.89

$12.49 €10.81

-8.57%

Cappuccino

$4.19 €3.63

$4.18 €3.62

0.24%

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

$3.54 €3.07

$3.48 €3.02

1.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 €2.87

$3.18 €2.76

4.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.04 €4.36

$5.03 €4.36

0.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 €3.23

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 €1.18

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.80

$2.77 €2.40

-24.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 €2.49

$2.90 €2.51

-0.69%

Eggs

$3.47 €3.01

$4.04 €3.50

-14.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.70 €10.13

$17.87 €15.47

-34.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.27 €11.49

$11.90 €10.31

11.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.67 €15.30

$19.17 €16.60

-7.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 €2.31

$2.95 €2.56

-9.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 €2.01

$2.36 €2.04

-1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.84

$2.24 €1.94

-5.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.20

$3.29 €2.85

-22.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 €1.94

$2.12 €1.84

6.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 €1.41

$1.78 €1.54

-8.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.52 €1.31

-0.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.27 €1.10

-4.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.57 €10.88

$12.90 €11.17

-2.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.51 €6.50

$9.11 €7.89

-17.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.04

$1.78 €1.54

32.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.82

$2.20 €1.91

-4.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 €2.46

$2.81 €2.43

1.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.37 €33.23

$57.3 €49.61

-33.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 €5.61

$6.21 €5.38

4.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.57 €2.22

$2.46 €2.13

4.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.31 €30.58

$35.06 €30.36

0.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.64

$1.90 €1.65

-0.53%

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

$29.9K €25.9K

$35.0K €30.3K

-14.81%

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

$28.6K €24.7K

$29.3K €25.4K

-2.46%

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

$185 €160

$182 €158

1.39%

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

$21.94 €19.00

$21.74 €18.83

0.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.97 €42.41

$51.0 €44.13

-3.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.35 €41.01

$39.29 €34.03

20.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 €14.58

$16.68 €14.44

0.90%

Cinema Ticket

$14.23 €12.32

$14.51 €12.56

-1.93%

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

$670 €580

$639 €553

4.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K €11.9K

$13.7K €11.8K

0.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €90.2

$103 €88.9

1.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.09 €27.79

$49.37 €42.76

-35.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 €80.9

$115 €99.6

-18.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 €114

$223 €193

-40.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 €866

$898 €778

11.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 €919

$763 €660

39.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,191 €1,897

$1,364 €1,181

60.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,717 €1,487

$1,085 €940

58.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,538 €4,796

$5,764 €4,992

-3.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,751 €3,248

$3,179 €2,753

18.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,525 €3,053

$1,840 €1,593

91.57%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Beveren: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Leuven and $898 in Beveren. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leuven pays 92% 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 $123 in Beveren for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $357 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 Beveren: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Beveren is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 92% higher in Leuven, 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: $1,000 in Leuven versus $898 in Beveren. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Beveren – a meal for two runs $123 versus $93.0 in Leuven. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,273 per month in Leuven versus $2,066 in Beveren – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,066 in Beveren versus $2,273 in Leuven, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Beveren but tight or insufficient in Leuven. The gap between the two cities makes Beveren 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 Beveren 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 Beveren gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Leuven. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.