Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Tournai Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Tournai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,270 in Leuven versus $1,933 in Tournai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,399 in Leuven versus $2,921 in Tournai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,527 in Leuven versus $3,910 in Tournai.

Living in Leuven is roughly 17% more expensive than Tournai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Leuven 69% above, Tournai 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.57 €15.13

$17.08 €14.72

2.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.5 €80.6

$94.0 €81.0

-0.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.54 €9.94

$11.44 €9.85

0.87%

Cappuccino

$4.29 €3.69

$4.36 €3.76

-1.61%

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

$3.56 €3.06

$3.49 €3.00

2.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 €2.88

$3.43 €2.95

-2.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.83 €4.17

$4.79 €4.12

0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 €3.17

$3.61 €3.11

1.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.38 €1.19

0.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.79

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 €2.61

$2.90 €2.50

4.48%

Eggs

$3.53 €3.04

$3.45 €2.98

2.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 €10.46

$11.80 €10.17

2.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.25 €11.42

$12.98 €11.18

2.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.43 €15.02

$17.11 €14.74

1.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 €2.34

$2.63 €2.26

3.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 €1.96

$2.34 €2.02

-2.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 €1.75

$2.11 €1.82

-3.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 €2.21

$2.69 €2.31

-4.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$2.12 €1.83

5.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.67 €1.43

-1.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 €1.32

$1.58 €1.36

-2.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 €1.09

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.64 €10.89

$8.73 €7.53

44.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.37 €6.35

$9.43 €8.12

-21.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 €1.99

$2.40 €2.07

-4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.81

$2.09 €1.80

0.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.94 €2.53

1.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.18 €32.90

$55.9 €48.16

-31.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.52 €5.62

$6.28 €5.41

3.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 €2.27

$2.53 €2.18

3.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.35 €30.45

$34.38 €29.63

2.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.84 €1.58

-0.54%

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

$30.1K €25.9K

$30.8K €26.5K

-2.18%

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

$28.3K €24.4K

$28.0K €24.1K

1.26%

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

$181 €156

$182 €157

-0.34%

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

$21.28 €18.33

$21.24 €18.30

0.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.99 €42.21

$49.01 €42.23

-0.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.30 €40.75

$37.96 €32.70

24.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.76 €14.44

$16.66 €14.35

0.60%

Cinema Ticket

$14.35 €12.36

$14.71 €12.67

-2.45%

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

$661 €570

-0.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K €11.6K

$13.6K €11.7K

-0.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €88.8

$103 €88.7

0.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.91 €28.36

$32.30 €27.83

1.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.4

$92.9 €80.1

-0.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 €113

-0.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 €890

$886 €764

16.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 €932

$745 €642

45.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 €1,880

$1,340 €1,154

62.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,749 €1,507

$1,082 €933

61.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,589 €4,815

$3,729 €3,213

49.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,788 €3,264

$3,237 €2,789

17.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,556 €3,064

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

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

Last update for Leuven: June 8, 2026

Last update for Tournai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,033 in Leuven and $886 in Tournai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $94.0 in Leuven vs $94.0 in Tournai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $326 vs $327 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 Tournai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tournai wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Leuven. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tournai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,405 in Leuven and $2,899 in Tournai 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: $1,033 in Leuven versus $886 in Tournai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Leuven pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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

At $1,933 in Tournai versus $2,270 in Leuven, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Tournai but tight or insufficient in Leuven. The gap between the two cities makes Tournai 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 Tournai 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 Tournai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Leuven. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.