Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Savona

For one person, living is cheaper in Savona: $1,801 a month against $2,216 in Leuven, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Leuven
🇧🇪 Belgium
$2,216
/mo nomad
Savona
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,801
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Leuven and in Savona

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,216 in Leuven versus $1,801 in Savona.

  • Leuven $2,216
  • Savona $1,801

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Leuven versus $2,614 in Savona.

  • Leuven $3,275
  • Savona $2,614

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,334 in Leuven versus $3,428 in Savona.

  • Leuven $4,334
  • Savona $3,428

Living in Leuven is roughly 23% more expensive than in Savona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Leuven 64% above, Savona 33% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Leuven
Savona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.35 €19.88
$22.34 €19.87
0.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.9 €69.3
$76.9 €68.4
1.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.01 €9.79
$11.37 €10.11
-3.17%
Cappuccino
$4.46 €3.97
$1.64 €1.46
171.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 €2.54
$2.86 €2.55
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 €2.58
$1.15 €1.02
152.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.17 €4.59
$5.49 €4.89
-5.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.34 €3.86
$6.03 €5.37
-28.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Leuven
Savona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.34 €1.19
$1.43 €1.27
-6.29%
White Bread (500g)
$2.78 €2.47
$2.25 €2.00
23.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$2.25 €2.00
-12.44%
Eggs
$3.89 €3.46
$3.09 €2.75
25.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.71 €10.42
$15.30 €13.61
-23.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.30 €10.94
$13.01 €11.57
-5.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.27 €17.14
$14.80 €13.16
30.20%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 €2.47
$2.80 €2.49
-0.71%
Banana (1kg)
$2.11 €1.87
$1.64 €1.46
28.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 €1.97
$3.00 €2.67
-26.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.22 €1.97
$5.52 €4.91
-59.78%
Potato (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$1.95 €1.74
15.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.66 €1.48
$1.77 €1.57
-6.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.53 €1.36
$1.64 €1.46
-6.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.93 €0.83
$0.60 €0.54
55.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.31 €11.84
$6.64 €5.90
100.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.27 €6.47
$4.52 €4.02
60.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.02 €1.80
$3.39 €3.02
-40.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 €1.65
$3.38 €3.01
-45.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Leuven
Savona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.30 €2.94
$1.63 €1.45
102.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$38.55 €34.29
$33.74 €30.01
14.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$10.15 €9.03
$7.03 €6.25
44.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.42 €2.15
$1.40 €1.25
72.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.21 €22.43
$30.04 €26.72
-16.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.05 €1.82
$1.98 €1.76
3.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.5K €31.5K
$36.0K €32.1K
-1.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K €29.7K
$35.3K €31.4K
-5.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Leuven
Savona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$207 €184
$192 €171
7.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.01 €16.02
$10.99 €9.78
63.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 €47.65
$25.47 €22.65
110.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Leuven
Savona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.03 €36.50
$54.9 €48.82
-25.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.39 €17.25
$20.00 €17.79
-3.05%
Cinema Ticket
$14.24 €12.67
$9.66 €8.59
47.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Leuven
Savona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$700 €622
$220 €196
217.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K €14.4K
$2,754 €2,450
485.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Leuven
Savona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.1 €88.1
$89.9 €80.0
10.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.01 €23.13
$45.46 €40.44
-42.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.1 €78.4
$88.5 €78.7
-0.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$145 €129
$96.3 €85.6
51.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Leuven
Savona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,111 €989
$614 €546
81.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$989 €880
$679 €604
45.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,960 €1,744
$1,385 €1,232
41.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,560 €1,388
$837 €745
86.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,519 €4,909
$2,765 €2,459
99.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,677 €3,271
$1,895 €1,686
94.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Leuven
Savona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,761 €3,345
$1,730 €1,539
117.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.52
3.65
-3.56%

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

Last update for Leuven: October 13, 2026

Last update for Savona: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Leuven
$989
Savona
$679 31.4% $310
Eating Out
Leuven
$323
Savona
$288 10.8% $35
Groceries & Markets
Leuven
$321
Savona
$333 3.5% $11
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Leuven
$278
Savona
$228 18% $50
Clothing & Footwear
Leuven
$161
Savona
$144 10.7% $17
Getting Around
Leuven
$74
Savona
$54 26.6% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Leuven
$70
Savona
$74 6.7% $4.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,111 in Leuven and $614 in Savona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leuven pays 117% 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 $77.0 in Savona. Groceries flip the comparison at $321 vs $333, with Leuven cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇧🇪 Leuven
🇮🇹 Savona
🕒 Local time
18:17 6:17 PM
18:17 6:17 PM
Same time as Leuven
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
102,275
61,345
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Leuven Savona 780 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Leuven
  • Savona

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 Savona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Leuven or Savona?
Savona wins on cost – living expenses run 23% 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.
Are salaries higher in Leuven or in Savona?
Average pay runs 117% 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 Savona?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,111 in Leuven versus $614 in Savona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Leuven or in Savona?
Shoppers in Leuven pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How do dining costs compare in Leuven and in Savona?
Dining out is cheaper in Savona – a meal for two runs $77.0 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 Savona?
At $1,801 in Savona versus $2,216 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.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Leuven or Savona?
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 Savona?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Savona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Leuven. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Leuven vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?