Cost of Living Comparison Between Mons and Leuven Cost of Living Comparison Between Mons and Leuven

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,926 in Mons versus $2,226 in Leuven.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,909 in Mons versus $3,347 in Leuven.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,892 in Mons versus $4,468 in Leuven.

Living in Mons costs roughly 13% less than in Leuven, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mons 44% above, Leuven 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.81

$17.28 €14.79

0.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.8 €73.5

$94.4 €80.8

-9.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.26 €8.78

$11.68 €10.00

-12.16%

Cappuccino

$3.75 €3.21

$4.30 €3.68

-12.79%

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

$2.73 €2.34

$3.59 €3.07

-23.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 €2.27

$3.48 €2.98

-23.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.53 €3.87

$4.89 €4.19

-7.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 €3.86

$3.63 €3.11

23.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.37 €1.17

-9.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 €1.95

$2.17 €1.86

5.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 €2.05

$2.94 €2.51

-18.71%

Eggs

$4.29 €3.68

$3.54 €3.03

21.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.10 €14.64

$11.96 €10.23

42.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.88 €10.17

$13.02 €11.14

-8.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.06 €16.32

$17.52 €15.00

8.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 €2.54

$2.76 €2.36

7.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.00

$2.30 €1.97

1.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 €2.34

$2.04 €1.75

33.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 €2.60

$2.63 €2.25

15.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 €1.62

$2.13 €1.83

-11.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.76

$1.70 €1.45

20.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.57 €1.35

-12.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.81

$1.21 €1.03

-22.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 €8.55

$12.86 €11.01

-22.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.93 €5.08

$7.73 €6.62

-23.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.35 €2.01

-18.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 €2.51

$2.18 €1.86

34.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 €2.51

$2.83 €2.42

3.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.77 €36.61

$37.24 €31.88

14.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.84 €9.28

$6.44 €5.52

68.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.75 €2.35

$2.58 €2.21

6.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$53.1 €45.48

$34.34 €29.40

54.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 €1.63

$1.92 €1.64

-0.52%

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

$34.1K €29.2K

$30.1K €25.7K

13.41%

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

$38.7K €33.1K

$27.9K €23.9K

38.55%

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

$202 €173

$182 €156

11.00%

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

$23.28 €19.93

$21.74 €18.61

7.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.24 €42.15

$47.78 €40.90

3.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.65 €23.67

$46.28 €39.61

-40.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.77 €14.36

$17.03 €14.58

-1.53%

Cinema Ticket

$12.78 €10.94

$14.49 €12.41

-11.80%

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

$588 €503

$660 €565

-11.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K €16.5K

$13.6K €11.6K

41.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €94.4

$103 €87.8

7.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 €46.68

$33.03 €28.27

65.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.0

$93.9 €80.3

10.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 €128

$134 €115

11.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$667 €571

$1,009 €864

-33.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 €609

$1,086 €929

-34.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 €971

$2,155 €1,845

-47.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,079 €923

$1,738 €1,488

-37.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,944 €2,520

$5,641 €4,829

-47.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,316 €1,982

$3,766 €3,223

-38.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,991 €2,560

$3,465 €2,966

-13.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.23

3.83

-15.67%

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

Last update for Mons: April 27, 2026

Last update for Leuven: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $667 in Mons and $1,009 in Leuven. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leuven pays 16% 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: $86.0 in Mons vs $94.0 in Leuven. Groceries flip the comparison at $339 vs $326, with Leuven cheaper for home cooking.

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 Leuven: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mons wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Leuven. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mons the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Leuven earns 16% 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: $667 in Mons versus $1,009 in Leuven. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Leuven pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Mons – a meal for two runs $86.0 versus $94.0 in Leuven. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,926 in Mons versus $2,226 in Leuven, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Mons but tight or insufficient in Leuven. The gap between the two cities makes Mons 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, Mons and Leuven 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 Mons gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Leuven. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.