Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Kortrijk Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Kortrijk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,225 per month in Leuven vs $1,879 in Kortrijk, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,357 per month in Leuven vs $2,772 in Kortrijk, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,489 per month in Leuven vs $3,664 in Kortrijk, rent included.

Leuven costs about 18% more than Kortrijk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Leuven and Kortrijk sit above the global median – Leuven by 67%, Kortrijk by 41%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.25 €15.11

$23.00 €20.14

-25.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.9 €80.5

$68.3 €59.8

34.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.54 €10.10

$11.55 €10.11

-0.09%

Cappuccino

$4.35 €3.81

$3.26 €2.85

33.44%

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

$3.49 €3.05

$3.07 €2.68

13.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 €3.03

$2.73 €2.39

26.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 €4.39

$4.71 €4.13

6.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 €3.30

$3.54 €3.10

6.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.16

$1.30 €1.14

1.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.89

$1.95 €1.71

10.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 €2.64

$1.39 €1.22

116.55%

Eggs

$3.45 €3.03

$2.60 €2.28

32.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.04 €10.55

$17.68 €15.49

-31.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.97 €11.36

$10.94 €9.58

18.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.21 €15.07

$17.25 €15.10

-0.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.32

$2.23 €1.95

18.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 €1.97

$2.34 €2.05

-4.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.06 €1.80

0.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.31

$2.09 €1.83

25.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 €1.87

$2.11 €1.85

0.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 €1.43

$2.41 €2.11

-31.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 €1.38

$1.41 €1.24

11.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 €1.05

$0.84 €0.74

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.98 €11.37

$12.49 €10.94

3.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.48 €6.55

$7.43 €6.51

0.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 €2.03

$1.71 €1.50

35.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 €1.91

$1.93 €1.69

12.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 €2.58

$4.68 €4.10

-37.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.97 €33.25

$57.3 €50.2

-33.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 €5.63

$2.28 €2.00

182.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 €2.29

$2.42 €2.12

7.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.89 €30.55

$46.08 €40.36

-24.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 €1.69

$1.91 €1.68

1.05%

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

$29.7K €26.0K

$29.2K €25.6K

1.48%

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

$27.9K €24.4K

$27.7K €24.2K

0.77%

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

$179 €156

$195 €171

-8.49%

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

$21.91 €19.19

$22.73 €19.90

-3.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.77 €42.71

$50.6 €44.34

-3.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.82 €41.00

$52.7 €46.17

-11.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.20 €15.07

$11.78 €10.32

46.01%

Cinema Ticket

$14.68 €12.86

$13.95 €12.21

5.23%

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

$658 €577

$491 €430

34.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K €11.9K

$4,636 €4,060

192.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$81.8 €71.6

25.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.17 €28.17

$30.76 €26.94

4.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 €82.0

$99.6 €87.2

-5.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 €114

$118 €103

10.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 €877

$810 €710

23.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,079 €945

$709 €621

52.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,178 €1,907

$1,013 €887

114.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 €1,519

$942 €825

84.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,572 €4,880

$4,180 €3,661

33.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,631 €3,180

$2,274 €1,992

59.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,561 €3,118

$2,845 €2,492

25.15%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kortrijk: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,002 in Leuven versus $810 in Kortrijk. 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 25% 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 $92.0 in Leuven versus $68.0 in Kortrijk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $323 vs $306 – making Kortrijk 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 Kortrijk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Leuven costs about 18% more than Kortrijk, 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 $3,337 per month in Leuven and $2,819 in Kortrijk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kortrijk, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Leuven, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92.0 in Leuven and $68.0 in Kortrijk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kortrijk, where all-in costs run around $1,879, than in Leuven at $2,225. In Kortrijk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Leuven it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kortrijk – 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 Kortrijk. 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.