Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Namur

For one person, living is cheaper in Namur: $2,005 a month against $2,196 in Leuven, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Leuven outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Leuven
🇧🇪 Belgium
$2,196
/mo nomad
Namur
🇧🇪 Belgium
$2,005
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Leuven and in Namur

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Leuven and in Namur actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,196 in Leuven versus $2,005 in Namur.

  • Leuven $2,196
  • Namur $2,005

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,292 in Leuven versus $2,991 in Namur.

  • Leuven $3,292
  • Namur $2,991

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,387 in Leuven versus $3,977 in Namur.

  • Leuven $4,387
  • Namur $3,977

Living in Leuven is roughly 10% more expensive than in Namur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Leuven 62% above, Namur 48% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Leuven
Namur
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.47 €19.99
$22.37 €19.90
0.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.9 €69.3
$105 €93.6
-25.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.11 €9.88
$12.67 €11.27
-12.31%
Cappuccino
$4.39 €3.90
$4.38 €3.90
0.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 €2.69
$3.38 €3.01
-10.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96 €2.63
$1.14 €1.01
159.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.19 €4.62
$2.84 €2.53
82.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 €3.97
$5.99 €5.33
-25.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Leuven
Namur
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.39 €1.24
$1.36 €1.21
2.21%
White Bread (500g)
$2.76 €2.45
$2.81 €2.50
-1.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.99 €1.77
$2.21 €1.97
-9.95%
Eggs
$3.76 €3.34
$3.79 €3.37
-0.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.43 €10.16
$17.10 €15.21
-33.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.30 €10.94
$12.09 €10.75
1.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.28 €17.15
$23.41 €20.82
-17.64%
Apples (1kg)
$2.79 €2.48
$2.99 €2.66
-6.69%
Banana (1kg)
$2.13 €1.89
$2.41 €2.15
-11.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.21 €1.97
$2.58 €2.29
-14.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.30 €2.05
$3.43 €3.05
-32.94%
Potato (1kg)
$2.19 €1.95
$2.38 €2.11
-7.98%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 €1.48
$1.90 €1.69
-12.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.31
$1.48 €1.32
-0.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 €0.81
$1.02 €0.91
-10.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.28 €11.81
$11.95 €10.63
11.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.35 €6.53
$8.79 €7.82
-16.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.02 €1.79
$1.78 €1.59
13.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 €1.61
$2.07 €1.84
-12.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Leuven
Namur
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.34 €2.97
$2.88 €2.56
15.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$38.54 €34.28
$66.4 €59.1
-41.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.96 €8.86
$5.56 €4.94
79.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.43 €2.16
$2.67 €2.37
-8.99%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.95 €22.20
$44.94 €39.98
-44.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.08 €1.85
$1.97 €1.76
5.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.9K €32.0K
$35.0K €31.2K
2.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.6K €32.5K
$36.4K €32.4K
0.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Leuven
Namur
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$215 €191
$205 €182
4.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.68 €16.61
$22.00 €19.57
-15.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.8 €47.89
$46.70 €41.54
15.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Leuven
Namur
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.21 €36.65
$33.26 €29.59
23.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.72 €17.54
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.42 €12.82
$8.24 €7.33
75.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Leuven
Namur
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$707 €629
$1,641 €1,459
-56.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.0K €14.3K
$34.0K €30.2K
-52.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Leuven
Namur
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$98.8 €87.9
$77.1 €68.6
28.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.64 €23.69
$36.46 €32.44
-26.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.2 €77.6
$104 €92.3
-15.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$143 €127
$134 €119
6.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Leuven
Namur
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,093 €972
$881 €783
24.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$960 €854
$748 €665
28.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,990 €1,771
$1,120 €996
77.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,607 €1,429
$998 €888
61.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,378 €4,784
$2,898 €2,578
85.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,682 €3,275
$2,935 €2,610
25.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Leuven
Namur
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,699 €3,290
$1,835 €1,632
101.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.52
3.46
1.73%

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

Last update for Leuven: October 19, 2026

Last update for Namur: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Leuven
$960
Namur
$748 22.1% $212
Eating Out
Leuven
$325
Namur
$314 3.3% $11
Groceries & Markets
Leuven
$320
Namur
$364 13.8% $44
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Leuven
$287
Namur
$274 4.7% $14
Clothing & Footwear
Leuven
$160
Namur
$158 1% $1.6
Getting Around
Leuven
$74
Namur
$97 30.8% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Leuven
$70
Namur
$50 29% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,093 in Leuven and $881 in Namur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leuven pays 102% 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: $78.0 in Leuven vs $105 in Namur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $364 per month, with Leuven cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇪 Leuven
🇧🇪 Namur
🕒 Local time
07:22 7:22 AM
07:22 7:22 AM
Same time as Leuven
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
102,275
113,174
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Leuven Namur 47 km
From you
  • Leuven
  • Namur

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Namur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Leuven or Namur?
Namur wins on cost – living expenses run 10% lower than in Leuven. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Namur the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Leuven or in Namur?
Average pay runs 102% higher in Leuven, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Leuven compared to Namur?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,093 in Leuven versus $881 in Namur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Leuven or in Namur?
Shoppers in Leuven pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How do dining costs compare in Leuven and in Namur?
Dining out is cheaper in Namur – a meal for two runs $105 versus $78.0 in Leuven. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Leuven or in Namur?
At $2,005 in Namur versus $2,196 in Leuven, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Namur but tight or insufficient in Leuven. The gap between the two cities makes Namur the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Leuven or Namur?
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.
How safe is Leuven compared to Namur?
Safety-wise, Leuven and Namur are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Namur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Leuven. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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