Cost of Living Comparison Between Mechelen and Antwerp Cost of Living Comparison Between Mechelen and Antwerp

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,034 in Mechelen versus $2,183 in Antwerp.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,147 in Mechelen versus $3,416 in Antwerp.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,260 in Mechelen versus $4,648 in Antwerp.

Living in Mechelen costs roughly 7% less than in Antwerp, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mechelen 51% above, Antwerp 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.17 €19.96

$23.40 €20.16

-0.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$113 €97.8

$121 €104

-6.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.63 €10.88

$12.93 €11.14

-2.32%

Cappuccino

$4.11 €3.54

$4.07 €3.50

0.98%

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

$3.35 €2.89

$3.37 €2.90

-0.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 €2.65

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.50 €4.74

$5.65 €4.87

-2.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 €3.87

$4.71 €4.06

-4.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.38 €1.19

-6.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 €2.40

$2.77 €2.38

0.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.77 €2.38

-16.61%

Eggs

$4.05 €3.49

$4.10 €3.53

-1.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.47 €15.05

$18.11 €15.60

-3.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.85 €10.21

$11.79 €10.16

0.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.74 €16.14

$22.23 €19.16

-15.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 €2.51

$2.95 €2.54

-1.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$2.35 €2.02

-0.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 €1.94

$2.36 €2.04

-4.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

$3.44 €2.97

-7.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.95 €2.55

-34.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.36 €2.03

-13.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.40 €1.21

-2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.75

$0.83 €0.72

4.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.81 €11.04

$12.82 €11.04

-0.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 €8.09

$9.21 €7.94

1.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.78 €1.53

5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.02

$1.95 €1.68

20.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.24 €2.80

$2.87 €2.47

12.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.5 €48.64

$45.36 €39.08

24.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.94 €5.11

$5.87 €5.06

1.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.55 €2.19

$2.48 €2.13

2.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.47 €40.04

$46.03 €39.66

0.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.63

$1.85 €1.59

2.16%

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

$33.8K €29.1K

$36.3K €31.2K

-6.70%

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

$33.3K €28.7K

$32.5K €28.0K

2.75%

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

$201 €173

$207 €179

-3.08%

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

$24.99 €21.53

$25.43 €21.91

-1.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 €43.50

$52.1 €44.85

-3.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.91 €26.63

$45.60 €39.29

-32.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.06 €12.11

$25.46 €21.94

-44.78%

Cinema Ticket

$14.81 €12.76

$14.80 €12.75

0.07%

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

$588 €506

$660 €569

-11.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K €11.7K

$13.4K €11.6K

1.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 €96.4

$110 €94.8

1.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 €43.90

$49.83 €42.94

2.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 €92.3

$118 €102

-9.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 €141

$233 €201

-29.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 €789

$1,043 €899

-12.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$746 €643

$859 €740

-13.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 €1,165

$1,581 €1,362

-14.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 €943

$1,267 €1,091

-13.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,554 €3,923

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,134 €2,700

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,295 €1,977

$3,092 €2,664

-25.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.27

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

Last update for Mechelen: June 8, 2026

Last update for Antwerp: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $916 in Mechelen and $1,043 in Antwerp. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Antwerp pays 35% 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: $113 in Mechelen vs $121 in Antwerp for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $346 vs $365 per month, with Mechelen 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

Mechelen vs Antwerp: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mechelen and Antwerp differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($2,034 vs $2,183 including rent). Mechelen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Antwerp earns 35% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $916 in Mechelen versus $1,043 in Antwerp. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mechelen runs roughly 24% less than in Antwerp. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $588 in Mechelen versus $660 in Antwerp. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,034 in Mechelen versus $2,183 in Antwerp, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Mechelen but tight or insufficient in Antwerp. The gap between the two cities makes Mechelen 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, Mechelen and Antwerp 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 Mechelen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Antwerp. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.