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: $2,312 in Leuven versus $2,189 in Beveren.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,407 in Leuven versus $3,252 in Beveren.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,503 in Leuven versus $4,316 in Beveren.

Living in Leuven is roughly 6% more expensive than in Beveren, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Leuven 69% above, Beveren 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.62 €18.85

$22.75 €19.83

-4.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 €70.9

$112 €97.4

-27.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.37 €9.91

$11.47 €10.00

-0.87%

Cappuccino

$4.57 €3.98

$4.45 €3.88

2.70%

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

$3.16 €2.75

$3.25 €2.83

-2.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 €2.54

$3.03 €2.64

-3.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.64 €4.91

$5.54 €4.83

1.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 €3.91

$5.13 €4.48

-12.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.17

$1.40 €1.22

-4.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 €2.51

$2.77 €2.42

3.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 €1.97

$2.35 €2.05

-3.83%

Eggs

$4.06 €3.54

$3.94 €3.43

3.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 €10.58

$17.53 €15.28

-30.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.91 €11.26

$12.25 €10.68

5.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.83 €17.29

$19.89 €17.34

-0.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 €2.43

$3.04 €2.65

-8.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.92

$2.51 €2.19

-11.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 €1.92

$2.28 €1.99

-3.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$3.37 €2.94

-30.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 €1.97

$2.34 €2.04

-3.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 €1.51

$1.79 €1.56

-2.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.32

$1.59 €1.39

-4.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$1.08 €0.94

-15.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.94 €12.15

$13.02 €11.35

7.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 €6.73

$9.19 €8.01

-16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.80

$1.86 €1.62

10.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 €1.61

$2.05 €1.79

-9.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.42 €2.99

$3.23 €2.82

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.15 €34.13

$57.1 €49.76

-31.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 €9.00

$10.25 €8.93

0.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.47 €2.15

$2.61 €2.27

-5.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.02 €22.68

$26.31 €22.94

-1.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.76

$2.06 €1.80

-1.94%

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

$36.0K €31.4K

$36.8K €32.0K

-1.98%

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

$35.0K €30.5K

$34.2K €29.8K

2.57%

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

$216 €189

$213 €186

1.71%

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

$19.01 €16.57

$18.63 €16.24

2.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 €46.78

$53.8 €46.91

-0.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 €37.83

$36.80 €32.08

17.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.05 €17.47

$21.72 €18.94

-7.69%

Cinema Ticket

$14.87 €12.96

$14.99 €13.07

-0.80%

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

$717 €625

$733 €639

-2.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.3K

$17.3K €15.0K

-4.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €89.0

$101 €87.9

1.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.24 €23.75

$52.5 €45.80

-48.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 €80.7

$106 €92.3

-12.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 €133

$170 €148

-10.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,138 €992

$915 €797

24.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 €881

$862 €752

17.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,777

$1,429 €1,245

42.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 €1,439

$1,165 €1,015

41.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,671 €4,943

$4,152 €3,620

36.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,741 €3,261

$2,947 €2,569

26.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,707 €3,232

$1,865 €1,626

98.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.52

3.46

1.73%

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

Last update for Leuven: September 14, 2026

Last update for Beveren: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,138 in Leuven and $915 in Beveren. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leuven pays 99% 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: $81.0 in Leuven vs $112 in Beveren for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $358 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 99% 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: $1,138 in Leuven versus $915 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 $112 versus $81.0 in Leuven. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,312 per month in Leuven versus $2,189 in Beveren – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,189 in Beveren versus $2,312 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 6% less than in Leuven. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.