Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Dendermonde Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Dendermonde

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,273 in Leuven versus $1,962 in Dendermonde.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,386 in Leuven versus $2,879 in Dendermonde.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,498 in Leuven versus $3,796 in Dendermonde.

Living in Leuven is roughly 16% more expensive than in Dendermonde, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Leuven 70% above, Dendermonde 47% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.09 €15.02

$17.22 €15.14

-0.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.0 €80.8

$93.5 €82.2

-1.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.67 €10.26

$11.55 €10.16

1.04%

Cappuccino

$4.12 €3.62

$4.22 €3.71

-2.37%

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

$3.45 €3.04

$3.59 €3.15

-3.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 €3.05

$3.33 €2.93

4.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 €4.43

$4.87 €4.28

3.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 €3.28

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.36 €1.20

1.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 €1.92

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 €2.65

$2.93 €2.58

3.07%

Eggs

$3.61 €3.17

$3.57 €3.13

1.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.70 €10.29

$11.91 €10.47

-1.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.17 €11.58

$13.18 €11.58

-0.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.53 €15.41

$17.04 €14.98

2.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.33

$2.63 €2.32

0.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 €2.01

$2.32 €2.04

-1.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.77

$2.04 €1.79

-1.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.60 €2.29

$2.55 €2.24

1.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 €1.95

$2.24 €1.97

-0.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 €1.51

$1.69 €1.49

1.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 €1.38

$1.56 €1.37

0.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 €1.11

$1.27 €1.12

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.81 €11.26

$12.67 €11.14

1.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.19 €6.32

$7.59 €6.67

-5.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.07

$2.33 €2.05

1.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.86

$2.15 €1.89

-1.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 €2.60

$2.97 €2.61

-0.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.38 €32.86

$57.8 €50.8

-35.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 €5.72

$6.52 €5.73

-0.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 €2.32

$2.57 €2.25

2.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.24 €30.98

$34.34 €30.19

2.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 €1.68

$1.92 €1.69

-0.52%

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

$30.5K €26.8K

$30.4K €26.7K

0.14%

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

$27.9K €24.5K

$28.7K €25.3K

-2.89%

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

$179 €157

$184 €162

-2.82%

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

$21.51 €18.91

$21.61 €19.00

-0.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.93 €42.13

$48.14 €42.32

-0.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.19

$38.23 €33.60

25.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.82 €14.79

$17.24 €15.15

-2.44%

Cinema Ticket

$14.38 €12.65

$14.59 €12.82

-1.44%

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

$654 €575

$662 €582

-1.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K €12.0K

$13.6K €11.9K

0.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €89.5

$106 €93.0

-3.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.99 €28.13

$32.35 €28.44

-1.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 €80.9

$93.5 €82.2

-1.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 €116

$133 €117

-0.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 €906

$899 €790

14.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 €950

$738 €649

46.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,178 €1,914

$1,360 €1,195

60.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 €1,525

$1,100 €967

57.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,590 €4,915

$3,530 €3,103

58.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,628 €3,190

$3,208 €2,821

13.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,569 €3,138

$3,445 €3,029

3.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

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

Last update for Leuven: July 22, 2026

Last update for Dendermonde: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,031 in Leuven and $899 in Dendermonde. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leuven pays 4% 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: $92.0 in Leuven vs $94.0 in Dendermonde. Groceries flip the comparison at $326 vs $325, with Dendermonde cheaper for home cooking.

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 Dendermonde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Leuven and Dendermonde differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($2,273 vs $1,962 including rent). Dendermonde is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 4% 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: $1,031 in Leuven versus $899 in Dendermonde. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dendermonde runs roughly 54% less than in Leuven. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $654 in Leuven versus $662 in Dendermonde. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,962 in Dendermonde versus $2,273 in Leuven, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dendermonde but tight or insufficient in Leuven. The gap between the two cities makes Dendermonde 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 Dendermonde 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 Dendermonde gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Leuven. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.