Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Turnhout Cost of Living Comparison Between Leuven and Turnhout

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,214 in Leuven versus $1,834 in Turnhout.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,333 in Leuven versus $2,636 in Turnhout.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,452 in Leuven versus $3,439 in Turnhout.

Living in Leuven is roughly 21% more expensive than Turnhout, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Leuven 64% above, Turnhout 36% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 €14.85

$17.54 €14.93

-0.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.0 €77.5

$63.5 €54.0

43.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.53 €9.81

$11.38 €9.69

1.32%

Cappuccino

$4.36 €3.71

$3.67 €3.13

18.80%

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

$3.53 €3.01

$2.86 €2.44

23.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 €2.95

$2.54 €2.16

36.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 €4.17

$3.37 €2.87

45.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 €3.17

$3.62 €3.08

3.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.14

$0.93 €0.79

44.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 €1.84

$2.09 €1.77

3.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 €2.45

$3.00 €2.55

-4.00%

Eggs

$3.56 €3.03

$3.46 €2.95

2.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.72 €9.97

$11.95 €10.17

-1.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.32 €11.34

$10.16 €8.65

31.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.33 €14.75

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.32

$2.64 €2.24

3.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 €1.91

$2.26 €1.92

-0.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 €1.81

$2.01 €1.71

5.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.17

$2.57 €2.19

-0.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.85

$2.14 €1.83

1.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 €1.45

$1.64 €1.40

4.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 €1.33

$1.13 €0.96

38.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.05

$1.24 €1.05

-0.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.95 €11.02

$7.47 €6.35

73.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.80 €6.63

$5.40 €4.59

44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 €2.06

$1.30 €1.11

86.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.79

$2.08 €1.77

0.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 €2.42

$2.92 €2.48

-2.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.87 €32.23

$55.6 €47.34

-31.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.34 €5.39

$6.22 €5.30

1.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 €2.15

$2.68 €2.28

-5.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.63 €29.47

$34.99 €29.78

-1.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 €1.56

$1.91 €1.63

-4.19%

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

$30.6K €26.0K

$29.9K €25.5K

2.16%

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

$28.6K €24.4K

$28.1K €23.9K

1.78%

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

$182 €154

$185 €157

-1.62%

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

$21.84 €18.59

$21.34 €18.16

2.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.92 €41.63

$48.37 €41.16

1.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.82 €39.85

$75.7 €64.4

-38.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 €14.60

$17.29 €14.72

-0.75%

Cinema Ticket

$14.66 €12.47

$13.95 €11.87

5.09%

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

$657 €559

$658 €560

-0.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K €11.4K

$13.6K €11.5K

-1.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.7

$94.0 €80.0

12.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.85 €27.95

$31.92 €27.16

2.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 €78.8

$68.5 €58.3

35.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €114

$116 €98.4

15.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,019 €868

$820 €698

24.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 €924

$697 €593

55.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,180 €1,855

$1,063 €905

105.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 €1,481

$920 €783

89.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,647 €4,805

$3,442 €2,929

64.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,862 €3,287

$2,562 €2,180

50.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,430 €2,919

$2,783 €2,368

23.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

91.50%

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

Last update for Leuven: April 12, 2026

Last update for Turnhout: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,019 in Leuven and $820 in Turnhout. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leuven pays 23% 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: $91 in Leuven vs $63 in Turnhout for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $326 vs $293 per month, with Turnhout 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 Turnhout: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Turnhout wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Leuven. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Turnhout the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Leuven pays 23% more on average, 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: $1,019 in Leuven versus $820 in Turnhout. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Leuven. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Turnhout – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $91.0 in Leuven. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,834 in Turnhout versus $2,214 in Leuven, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Turnhout but tight or insufficient in Leuven. The gap between the two cities makes Turnhout 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 Turnhout 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 Turnhout gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Leuven. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.