Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Izegem Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Izegem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,257 in Leuven versus $2,087 in Izegem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,360 in Leuven versus $3,259 in Izegem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,463 in Leuven versus $4,431 in Izegem.

Living in Leuven is roughly 8% more expensive than Izegem, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Leuven 68% above, Izegem 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.05 €14.55

$22.89 €19.53

-25.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.9 €77.6

$114 €97.5

-20.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 €10.06

$12.90 €11.00

-8.60%

Cappuccino

$4.31 €3.68

$3.99 €3.40

8.02%

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

$3.42 €2.92

$3.45 €2.94

-0.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 €2.97

$3.07 €2.62

13.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.99 €4.25

$5.48 €4.67

-8.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 €3.17

$4.60 €3.92

-19.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.13

$1.30 €1.11

1.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.18 €1.86

$2.89 €2.46

-24.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.89 €2.46

$2.66 €2.27

8.65%

Eggs

$3.45 €2.94

$4.19 €3.57

-17.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.09 €10.32

$17.77 €15.15

-31.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.30 €11.34

$11.69 €9.97

13.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.43 €14.87

$22.25 €18.98

-21.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.32

$2.90 €2.48

-6.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.01

$2.35 €2.00

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$2.26 €1.93

-7.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.69 €2.29

$3.27 €2.79

-17.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 €1.88

$2.95 €2.52

-25.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 €1.46

$2.46 €2.10

-30.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 €1.31

$1.46 €1.25

5.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.03

$0.83 €0.71

45.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.60 €10.75

$12.52 €10.68

0.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.77 €6.63

$7.81 €6.66

-0.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 €2.00

$1.71 €1.46

36.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.79

$1.96 €1.67

7.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 €2.53

$2.92 €2.49

1.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.10 €31.65

$57.0 €48.58

-34.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.36 €5.42

$5.82 €4.97

9.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 €2.24

$2.53 €2.16

3.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.65 €29.55

$46.48 €39.65

-25.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.58

$1.89 €1.61

-1.59%

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

$30.2K €25.7K

$35.8K €30.5K

-15.57%

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

$28.7K €24.5K

$32.5K €27.7K

-11.51%

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

$179 €152

$204 €174

-12.36%

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

$21.98 €18.75

$25.62 €21.86

-14.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.31 €40.35

$52.0 €44.38

-9.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.52 €40.54

$39.12 €33.37

21.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.95 €14.46

$17.27 €14.73

-1.85%

Cinema Ticket

$14.31 €12.20

$14.78 €12.61

-3.18%

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

$672 €573

$636 €543

5.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K €11.5K

$13.6K €11.6K

-1.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.5

$109 €93.0

-3.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.19 €27.46

$48.11 €41.03

-33.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €78.7

$115 €97.8

-19.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €113

$232 €198

-42.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 €863

$897 €765

12.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 €903

$760 €648

39.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,132 €1,818

$1,332 €1,136

60.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,744 €1,488

$1,103 €941

58.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,808 €4,954

$3,636 €3,102

59.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,816 €3,255

$2,465 €2,103

54.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,517 €3,000

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 20, 2026

Last update for Izegem: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Leuven and $897 in Izegem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $91 in Leuven vs $114 in Izegem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $359 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 Izegem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Leuven and Izegem differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($2,257 vs $2,087 including rent). Izegem is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,386 in Leuven and $3,130 in Izegem to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,012 in Leuven versus $897 in Izegem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,257 per month in Leuven versus $2,087 in Izegem – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $2,087 in Izegem versus $2,257 in Leuven, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Izegem but tight or insufficient in Leuven. The gap between the two cities makes Izegem 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 Izegem 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 Izegem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Leuven. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.