Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Brasschaat Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Brasschaat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,226 per month in Leuven vs $2,058 in Brasschaat, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,347 per month in Leuven vs $3,199 in Brasschaat, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,468 per month in Leuven vs $4,340 in Brasschaat, rent included.

Leuven costs about 8% more than Brasschaat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Leuven and Brasschaat sit above the global median – Leuven by 66%, Brasschaat by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.28 €14.79

$23.39 €20.02

-26.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.4 €80.8

$117 €100

-19.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 €10.00

$12.70 €10.87

-8.03%

Cappuccino

$4.30 €3.68

$4.04 €3.46

6.44%

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

$3.59 €3.07

$3.48 €2.98

3.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 €2.98

$3.17 €2.71

9.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.89 €4.19

$5.71 €4.89

-14.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 €3.11

$5.16 €4.42

-29.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.25 €1.07

9.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 €1.86

$2.74 €2.34

-20.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 €2.51

$2.31 €1.97

27.27%

Eggs

$3.54 €3.03

$4.17 €3.57

-15.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.96 €10.23

$17.69 €15.14

-32.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.02 €11.14

$11.64 €9.97

11.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.52 €15.00

$19.01 €16.27

-7.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$3.07 €2.63

-10.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 €1.97

$2.43 €2.08

-5.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.65 €2.27

-23.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.25

$3.31 €2.83

-20.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 €1.83

$2.72 €2.33

-21.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 €1.45

$2.05 €1.76

-17.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.38 €1.18

13.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.03

$0.92 €0.79

31.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.86 €11.01

$12.55 €10.74

2.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.73 €6.62

$9.28 €7.95

-16.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.01

$1.93 €1.65

21.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 €1.86

$2.62 €2.24

-16.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.83 €2.42

$2.84 €2.43

-0.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.24 €31.88

$56.2 €48.09

-33.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 €5.52

$5.94 €5.09

8.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.58 €2.21

$2.46 €2.11

4.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 €29.40

$46.75 €40.02

-26.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.64

$1.92 €1.65

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

$30.1K €25.7K

$33.5K €28.7K

-10.39%

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

$27.9K €23.9K

$33.3K €28.5K

-16.26%

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

$182 €156

$208 €178

-12.54%

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

$21.74 €18.61

$23.36 €19.99

-6.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.78 €40.90

$52.3 €44.78

-8.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.28 €39.61

$37.94 €32.47

21.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.03 €14.58

$16.91 €14.47

0.71%

Cinema Ticket

$14.49 €12.41

$15.29 €13.09

-5.23%

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

$660 €565

$586 €501

12.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K €11.6K

$13.6K €11.7K

-0.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €87.8

$111 €95.3

-7.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.03 €28.27

$49.77 €42.60

-33.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 €80.3

$106 €91.1

-11.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 €115

$159 €136

-15.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,009 €864

$920 €788

9.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 €929

$756 €647

43.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,155 €1,845

$1,562 €1,337

37.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 €1,488

$1,262 €1,080

37.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,641 €4,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,766 €3,223

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,465 €2,966

$3,029 €2,593

14.42%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Brasschaat: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,009 in Leuven versus $920 in Brasschaat. 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 14% 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 $94.0 in Leuven versus $117 in Brasschaat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $326 vs $353 – 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 Brasschaat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Leuven costs about 8% more than Brasschaat, 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 $3,338 per month in Leuven and $3,086 in Brasschaat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Brasschaat, 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 $2,226 in Leuven and $2,058 in Brasschaat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 51% less in Brasschaat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Brasschaat, where all-in costs run around $2,058, than in Leuven at $2,226. In Brasschaat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Leuven it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Brasschaat – 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 Brasschaat. 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.