Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Overpelt Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Overpelt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,312 in Leuven versus $2,230 in Overpelt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,407 in Leuven versus $3,360 in Overpelt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,503 in Leuven versus $4,489 in Overpelt.

Living in Leuven is roughly 4% more expensive than in Overpelt, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Leuven 69% above, Overpelt 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.62 €18.84

$23.40 €20.39

-7.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 €70.9

$90.7 €79.1

-10.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.37 €9.91

$15.81 €13.78

-28.08%

Cappuccino

$4.57 €3.98

$4.51 €3.93

1.33%

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

$3.16 €2.75

$3.78 €3.29

-16.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 €2.53

$3.32 €2.89

-12.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.64 €4.91

$5.80 €5.06

-2.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 €3.90

$5.81 €5.06

-22.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.16

$1.41 €1.23

-4.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 €2.51

$2.91 €2.54

-1.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 €1.97

$3.02 €2.63

-25.17%

Eggs

$4.06 €3.54

$5.21 €4.54

-22.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 €10.57

$18.13 €15.80

-33.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.91 €11.25

$13.34 €11.62

-3.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.83 €17.28

$23.17 €20.19

-14.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 €2.43

$3.32 €2.89

-15.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.92

$2.58 €2.25

-14.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 €1.92

$2.98 €2.59

-25.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$4.25 €3.70

-44.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 €1.97

$2.68 €2.34

-15.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 €1.51

$2.41 €2.10

-27.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.32

$1.82 €1.59

-16.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$1.25 €1.09

-27.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.94 €12.15

$13.84 €12.06

0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 €6.72

$9.98 €8.70

-22.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.80

$2.80 €2.44

-26.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 €1.61

$3.12 €2.72

-40.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.42 €2.98

$3.22 €2.80

6.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.15 €34.11

$60.3 €52.5

-35.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 €9.00

$3.06 €2.67

237.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.47 €2.15

$2.30 €2.01

7.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.02 €22.67

$41.44 €36.10

-37.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.76

$2.16 €1.88

-6.48%

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

$36.0K €31.4K

$36.1K €31.5K

-0.30%

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

$35.0K €30.5K

$34.0K €29.6K

3.14%

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

$216 €189

$244 €213

-11.43%

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

$19.01 €16.56

$21.95 €19.12

-13.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 €46.75

$55.4 €48.28

-3.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 €37.81

$36.63 €31.91

18.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.05 €17.46

$22.56 €19.66

-11.13%

Cinema Ticket

$14.87 €12.95

$16.11 €14.04

-7.70%

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

$717 €624

$1,689 €1,471

-57.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.3K

$38.4K €33.5K

-57.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €89.0

$103 €89.9

-1.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.24 €23.73

$47.45 €41.34

-42.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 €80.6

$110 €95.6

-15.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 €133

$153 €133

-0.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,138 €992

$1,098 €956

3.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 €880

$946 €824

6.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,776

$1,642 €1,430

24.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 €1,438

$1,214 €1,058

35.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,671 €4,940

$3,643 €3,174

55.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,741 €3,259

$2,811 €2,449

33.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,707 €3,230

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.52

3.78

-6.88%

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

Last update for Leuven: September 14, 2026

Last update for Overpelt: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,138 in Leuven and $1,098 in Overpelt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $81.0 in Leuven vs $91.0 in Overpelt for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $407 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 Overpelt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Overpelt wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Leuven. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Overpelt the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,468 in Leuven and $3,345 in Overpelt 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: $1,138 in Leuven versus $1,098 in Overpelt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Leuven pay roughly 23% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Overpelt – a meal for two runs $91.0 versus $81.0 in Leuven. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,230 in Overpelt versus $2,312 in Leuven, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Overpelt but tight or insufficient in Leuven. The gap between the two cities makes Overpelt 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 Overpelt 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 Overpelt gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Leuven. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.