Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Geraardsbergen Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Geraardsbergen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,226 per month in Leuven vs $2,018 in Geraardsbergen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,347 per month in Leuven vs $3,011 in Geraardsbergen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,468 per month in Leuven vs $4,004 in Geraardsbergen, rent included.

Leuven costs about 10% more than Geraardsbergen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Leuven and Geraardsbergen sit above the global median – Leuven by 66%, Geraardsbergen by 51%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.28 €14.76

$23.09 €19.72

-25.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.4 €80.6

$75.2 €64.2

25.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 €9.98

$8.79 €7.51

32.88%

Cappuccino

$4.30 €3.67

$4.20 €3.59

2.38%

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

$3.59 €3.06

$2.33 €1.99

54.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 €2.97

$2.33 €1.99

49.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.89 €4.18

$3.22 €2.75

51.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 €3.10

$3.55 €3.03

2.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 €1.17

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 €1.86

$2.76 €2.35

-21.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 €2.51

$2.67 €2.28

10.11%

Eggs

$3.54 €3.03

$4.15 €3.54

-14.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.96 €10.21

$18.10 €15.46

-33.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.02 €11.12

$12.02 €10.26

8.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.52 €14.96

$22.00 €18.79

-20.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 €2.35

$2.92 €2.50

-5.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 €1.96

$2.34 €2.00

-1.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 €1.74

$2.25 €1.92

-9.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.25

$3.41 €2.91

-22.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 €1.82

$2.97 €2.54

-28.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 €1.45

$2.37 €2.02

-28.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 €1.34

$1.41 €1.20

11.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.03

$0.87 €0.74

39.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.86 €10.99

$12.62 €10.78

1.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.73 €6.60

$9.49 €8.10

-18.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.00

$1.76 €1.51

33.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 €1.86

$2.00 €1.71

9.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.83 €2.41

$2.97 €2.54

-4.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.24 €31.81

$56.4 €48.20

-34.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 €5.50

$5.84 €4.99

10.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.58 €2.21

$2.48 €2.12

4.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 €29.33

$45.52 €38.87

-24.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.64

$1.94 €1.65

-1.03%

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

$30.1K €25.7K

$35.8K €30.6K

-16.16%

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

$27.9K €23.8K

$31.5K €26.9K

-11.44%

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

$182 €156

$141 €121

29.00%

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

$21.74 €18.56

$19.58 €16.72

11.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.78 €40.80

$40.73 €34.78

17.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.28 €39.52

$38.53 €32.90

20.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.03 €14.54

$17.17 €14.66

-0.82%

Cinema Ticket

$14.49 €12.38

$15.33 €13.09

-5.48%

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

$660 €564

$653 €558

1.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K €11.6K

$13.7K €11.7K

-0.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €87.6

$110 €93.6

-6.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.03 €28.21

$49.21 €42.03

-32.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 €80.2

$114 €97.6

-17.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 €114

$236 €202

-43.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,009 €862

$885 €756

14.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 €927

$757 €647

43.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,155 €1,840

$1,328 €1,134

62.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 €1,485

$1,113 €950

56.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,641 €4,818

$3,811 €3,254

48.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,766 €3,216

$2,708 €2,313

39.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,465 €2,959

$2,629 €2,246

31.79%

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 Geraardsbergen: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,009 in Leuven versus $885 in Geraardsbergen. 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 32% 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 $75.0 in Geraardsbergen. Groceries tell a different story – $326 in Leuven vs $365 in Geraardsbergen – so Leuven wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Geraardsbergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Leuven costs about 10% more than Geraardsbergen, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $3,027 in Geraardsbergen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Geraardsbergen, 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 $2,018 in Geraardsbergen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 52% less in Geraardsbergen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Geraardsbergen, where all-in costs run around $2,018, than in Leuven at $2,226. In Geraardsbergen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Leuven it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Geraardsbergen – 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 Geraardsbergen. 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.