Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mons and Gent

For one person, living is cheaper in Mons: $1,885 a month against $2,229 in Gent, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mons, Belgium
Gent, Belgium
Mons
🇧🇪 Belgium
$1,885
/mo nomad
Gent
🇧🇪 Belgium
$2,229
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mons and in Gent

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mons and in Gent actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,885 per month in Mons vs $2,229 in Gent, rent included.

  • Mons $1,885
  • Gent $2,229

A couple spends around $2,806 per month in Mons vs $3,454 in Gent, rent included.

  • Mons $2,806
  • Gent $3,454

A family of three spends $3,727 per month in Mons vs $4,679 in Gent, rent included.

  • Mons $3,727
  • Gent $4,679

Mons is about 15% cheaper than Gent, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Mons and Gent sit above the global median – Mons by 39%, Gent by 64%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mons
Gent
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.72 €14.99
$22.69 €20.33
-26.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.4 €73.0
$113 €101
-28.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.17 €9.12
$15.92 €14.27
-36.12%
Cappuccino
$2.41 €2.16
$4.22 €3.78
-42.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 €2.47
$3.37 €3.02
-18.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 €1.52
$2.85 €2.55
-40.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.80 €3.40
$5.73 €5.13
-33.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22 €3.78
$5.74 €5.14
-26.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mons
Gent
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.21 €1.09
-4.13%
White Bread (500g)
$2.27 €2.03
$2.76 €2.48
-17.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 €1.97
$2.15 €1.92
2.33%
Eggs
$4.04 €3.62
$4.03 €3.61
0.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.56 €16.63
$18.70 €16.76
-0.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.30 €11.02
$12.60 €11.29
-2.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.58 €17.54
$19.54 €17.51
0.20%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 €2.49
$2.68 €2.40
3.73%
Banana (1kg)
$2.46 €2.21
$2.36 €2.11
4.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.54 €2.28
$2.59 €2.32
-1.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.95 €2.64
$2.94 €2.63
0.34%
Potato (1kg)
$2.18 €1.95
$2.11 €1.89
3.32%
Onion (1kg)
$1.20 €1.07
$1.93 €1.73
-37.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.37 €1.23
$1.35 €1.21
1.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.06 €0.95
$1.08 €0.97
-1.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.96 €8.92
$13.20 €11.83
-24.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.50 €4.93
$9.02 €8.08
-39.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.89 €1.70
$1.99 €1.79
-5.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 €1.72
$2.36 €2.12
-18.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Mons
Gent
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.03 €2.72
$3.37 €3.02
-10.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$55.1 €49.33
$59.5 €53.3
-7.42%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$11.24 €10.07
$11.07 €9.92
1.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.99 €2.68
$2.89 €2.59
3.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$51.7 €46.35
$51.4 €46.03
0.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.63
$2.05 €1.84
-11.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.7K €32.0K
$35.5K €31.8K
0.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.6K €32.8K
$36.6K €32.8K
-0.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mons
Gent
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$224 €201
$221 €198
1.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.11 €18.91
$20.94 €18.76
0.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.18 €42.28
$45.87 €41.10
2.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mons
Gent
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$26.73 €23.96
$32.76 €29.36
-18.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.86 €15.10
$13.19 €11.82
27.82%
Cinema Ticket
$12.24 €10.96
$15.84 €14.19
-22.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mons
Gent
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$556 €498
$564 €505
-1.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.3K €19.1K
$20.9K €18.8K
1.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mons
Gent
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$107 €96.0
$106 €94.7
1.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.16 €41.37
$46.81 €41.95
-1.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 €97.8
$108 €97.0
0.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$145 €130
$149 €133
-2.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mons
Gent
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$683 €612
$1,191 €1,067
-42.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$686 €615
$893 €800
-23.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,059 €949
$1,809 €1,621
-41.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$998 €894
$1,517 €1,360
-34.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,164 €3,731
$4,994 €4,475
-16.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,879 €2,580
$3,015 €2,702
-4.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mons
Gent
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,819 €2,526
$3,688 €3,305
-23.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.2
3.2
-

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

Last update for Mons: October 25, 2026

Last update for Gent: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mons
$686
Gent
$893 30.2% $207
Groceries & Markets
Mons
$340
Gent
$356 4.7% $16
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mons
$293
Gent
$288 1.7% $5
Eating Out
Mons
$238
Gent
$345 44.7% $106
Clothing & Footwear
Mons
$183
Gent
$184 0.6% $1.2
Getting Around
Mons
$93
Gent
$98 5.4% $5.1
Sport & Entertainment
Mons
$51
Gent
$64 25.9% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $683 in Mons versus $1,191 in Gent. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 31% higher in Gent. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81 in Mons versus $113 in Gent. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $356 – making Mons the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇪 Mons
🇧🇪 Gent
🕒 Local time
07:08 7:08 AM
07:08 7:08 AM
Same time as Mons
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
92,721
237,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mons Gent 68 km
From you
  • Mons
  • Gent

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
Mons vs Gent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mons cheaper than Gent?
Yes – Gent is pricier by about 18%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,828 per month in Mons and $3,344 in Gent. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mons, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $683 there versus $1,191 in Gent.
What are total monthly expenses in Mons and in Gent?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,885 in Mons and $2,229 in Gent. That makes Mons about 15% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 7% less in Mons. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,500 enough for either Mons or Gent?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,885 in Mons and $2,229 in Gent, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Mons or in Gent?
It depends on your priorities. Gent has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,885 in Mons to $2,229 in Gent. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Mons or Gent?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Mons. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Gent makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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