Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Roeselare

For one person, living is cheaper in Roeselare: $1,788 a month against $2,237 in Leuven, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Leuven, Belgium
Roeselare, Belgium
Leuven
🇧🇪 Belgium
$2,237
/mo nomad
Roeselare
🇧🇪 Belgium
$1,788
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Leuven and in Roeselare

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 Roeselare actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,237 in Leuven versus $1,788 in Roeselare.

  • Leuven $2,237
  • Roeselare $1,788

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,310 in Leuven versus $2,670 in Roeselare.

  • Leuven $3,310
  • Roeselare $2,670

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,382 in Leuven versus $3,553 in Roeselare.

  • Leuven $4,382
  • Roeselare $3,553

Living in Leuven is roughly 25% more expensive than in Roeselare, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Leuven 65% above, Roeselare 32% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Leuven
Roeselare
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.45 €19.99
$18.35 €16.33
22.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.9 €68.4
$79.6 €70.9
-3.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.34 €11.88
$11.29 €10.06
18.16%
Cappuccino
$4.20 €3.74
$4.29 €3.82
-2.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 €2.51
$2.16 €1.92
30.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92 €2.60
$1.83 €1.63
59.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.46 €4.86
$5.41 €4.82
0.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.58 €4.07
$4.03 €3.59
13.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Leuven
Roeselare
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.35 €1.20
$1.36 €1.21
-0.74%
White Bread (500g)
$2.73 €2.43
$2.64 €2.35
3.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.05 €1.83
$2.04 €1.82
0.49%
Eggs
$3.80 €3.38
$3.87 €3.44
-1.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.33 €10.09
$11.39 €10.14
-0.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.16 €10.83
$12.27 €10.93
-0.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.14 €17.04
$19.13 €17.04
0.05%
Apples (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$2.71 €2.41
3.32%
Banana (1kg)
$2.23 €1.99
$2.23 €1.98
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.13 €1.90
$2.19 €1.95
-2.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.32 €2.07
$2.22 €1.98
4.50%
Potato (1kg)
$2.19 €1.95
$2.20 €1.96
-0.45%
Onion (1kg)
$1.74 €1.55
$1.74 €1.55
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.52 €1.36
$1.54 €1.37
-1.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 €0.83
$0.95 €0.85
-1.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.58 €12.10
$13.24 €11.79
2.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.39 €6.58
$7.29 €6.49
1.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.08 €1.85
$2.07 €1.85
0.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 €1.67
$1.78 €1.58
5.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Leuven
Roeselare
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.27 €2.91
$2.81 €2.50
16.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$46.71 €41.59
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$11.13 €9.91
$11.26 €10.03
-1.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.10 €2.76
$2.99 €2.66
3.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$49.55 €44.12
$50.6 €45.03
-2.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.03 €1.81
$2.02 €1.80
0.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.0K €31.2K
$36.2K €32.2K
-3.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.9K €32.9K
$37.1K €33.0K
-0.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Leuven
Roeselare
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$214 €191
$171 €152
25.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.38 €16.36
$18.12 €16.14
1.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.1 €46.38
$49.55 €44.12
5.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Leuven
Roeselare
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.54 €36.10
$58.6 €52.2
-30.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.79 €17.62
$20.27 €18.05
-2.37%
Cinema Ticket
$14.54 €12.94
$12.68 €11.29
14.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Leuven
Roeselare
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$707 €629
$694 €618
1.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.1K €16.1K
$17.8K €15.8K
1.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Leuven
Roeselare
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$98.2 €87.4
$96.9 €86.2
1.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.68 €22.86
$25.64 €22.83
0.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.6 €78.9
$87.5 €77.9
1.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$144 €128
$145 €129
-0.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Leuven
Roeselare
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,099 €979
$768 €684
43.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$986 €878
$665 €592
48.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,991 €1,773
$1,189 €1,059
67.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,578 €1,405
$949 €845
66.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,096 €4,537
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,650 €3,250
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Leuven
Roeselare
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,768 €3,355
$2,758 €2,456
36.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.52
2.5
40.80%

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

Last update for Leuven: November 1, 2026

Last update for Roeselare: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Leuven
$986
Roeselare
$665 32.5% $321
Eating Out
Leuven
$329
Roeselare
$283 14% $46
Groceries & Markets
Leuven
$320
Roeselare
$319 0.3% $0.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Leuven
$285
Roeselare
$239 16.2% $46
Clothing & Footwear
Leuven
$160
Roeselare
$160 0.4% $0.6
Getting Around
Leuven
$86
Roeselare
$37 * 56.6% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Leuven
$70
Roeselare
$84 20.6% $14

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,099 in Leuven and $768 in Roeselare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leuven pays 37% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $77 in Leuven vs $80 in Roeselare. Groceries flip the comparison at $320 vs $319, with Roeselare cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇧🇪 Leuven
🇧🇪 Roeselare
🕒 Local time
18:27 6:27 PM
18:27 6:27 PM
Same time as Leuven
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
102,275
56,016
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Leuven Roeselare 110 km
From you
  • Leuven
  • Roeselare

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 Roeselare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Leuven or Roeselare?
Roeselare wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Leuven. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Roeselare the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Leuven or in Roeselare?
Average pay runs 37% 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 Roeselare?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,099 in Leuven versus $768 in Roeselare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Leuven compared to Roeselare?
All in, you’ll spend $2,237 per month in Leuven versus $1,788 in Roeselare – Roeselare is about 20% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How do dining costs compare in Leuven and in Roeselare?
Dining out is cheaper in Leuven – a meal for two runs $77 versus $80 in Roeselare. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Leuven or in Roeselare?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Roeselare gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Leuven or Roeselare?
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 Roeselare?
Safety-wise, Leuven and Roeselare are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Should I move to Leuven or to Roeselare?
It comes down to priorities – Roeselare wins on affordability, Leuven on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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