Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Savona Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Savona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,225 in Leuven versus $1,966 in Savona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,357 in Leuven versus $2,833 in Savona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,489 in Leuven versus $3,701 in Savona.

Living in Leuven is roughly 13% more expensive than in Savona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Leuven 67% above, Savona 47% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.25 €15.10

$22.90 €20.03

-24.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.9 €80.4

$94.1 €82.3

-2.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.54 €10.09

$11.56 €10.11

-0.17%

Cappuccino

$4.35 €3.80

$1.78 €1.56

144.38%

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

$3.49 €3.05

$2.93 €2.57

19.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 €3.03

$1.19 €1.04

190.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 €4.39

$5.74 €5.03

-12.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 €3.30

$5.58 €4.88

-32.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.16

$1.91 €1.67

-30.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.89

$2.54 €2.23

-14.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 €2.63

$2.36 €2.06

27.54%

Eggs

$3.45 €3.02

$3.05 €2.67

13.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.04 €10.54

$16.06 €14.05

-25.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.97 €11.35

$13.20 €11.55

-1.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.21 €15.06

$28.62 €25.04

-39.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.32

$2.83 €2.47

-6.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 €1.96

$1.73 €1.52

29.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$3.27 €2.86

-36.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.30

$5.94 €5.20

-55.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.71 €1.49

24.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 €1.43

$1.73 €1.51

-5.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 €1.37

$1.34 €1.17

17.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 €1.05

$0.56 €0.49

114.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.98 €11.36

$6.95 €6.08

86.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.48 €6.55

$4.59 €4.01

62.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 €2.02

$2.09 €1.83

10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 €1.91

$2.72 €2.38

-19.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 €2.57

$2.05 €1.80

43.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.97 €33.22

$34.42 €30.12

10.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 €5.63

$5.80 €5.08

10.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 €2.29

$0.50 €0.44

422.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.89 €30.52

$29.01 €25.38

20.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 €1.69

$2.01 €1.76

-3.98%

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

$29.7K €25.9K

$27.6K €24.2K

7.36%

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

$27.9K €24.4K

$32.6K €28.5K

-14.36%

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

$179 €156

$200 €175

-10.54%

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

$21.91 €19.17

$11.71 €10.24

87.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.77 €42.66

$25.61 €22.41

90.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.82 €40.96

$58.0 €50.8

-19.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.20 €15.05

$23.60 €20.65

-27.12%

Cinema Ticket

$14.68 €12.85

$10.11 €8.85

45.20%

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

$658 €576

$236 €206

179.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K €11.8K

$2,916 €2,551

364.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$88.7 €77.6

15.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.17 €28.14

$37.41 €32.73

-14.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 €82.0

$93.5 €81.8

0.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 €114

$96.4 €84.4

34.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 €877

$633 €554

58.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,079 €944

$786 €688

37.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,178 €1,905

$1,149 €1,005

89.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 €1,518

$874 €765

98.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,572 €4,875

$2,840 €2,485

96.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,631 €3,177

$1,945 €1,701

86.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,561 €3,115

$1,752 €1,533

103.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

4.68

-18.16%

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

Last update for Leuven: July 13, 2026

Last update for Savona: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,002 in Leuven and $633 in Savona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leuven pays 103% 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: $92.0 in Leuven vs $94.0 in Savona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $323 vs $379 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 Savona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Savona wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Leuven. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Savona the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 103% higher in Leuven, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,002 in Leuven versus $633 in Savona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Leuven pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Savona – a meal for two runs $94.0 versus $92.0 in Leuven. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,966 in Savona versus $2,225 in Leuven, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Savona but tight or insufficient in Leuven. The gap between the two cities makes Savona 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 Savona 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 Savona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Leuven. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.