Cost of Living Comparison Between Mortsel and Leuven Cost of Living Comparison Between Mortsel and Leuven

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,066 in Mortsel versus $2,270 in Leuven.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,141 in Mortsel versus $3,399 in Leuven.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,215 in Mortsel versus $4,527 in Leuven.

Living in Mortsel costs roughly 9% less than in Leuven, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mortsel 54% above, Leuven 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.08 €20.01

$17.57 €15.22

31.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$115 €99.9

$93.5 €81.1

23.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.61 €10.93

$11.54 €10.00

9.27%

Cappuccino

$4.10 €3.56

$4.29 €3.72

-4.43%

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

$3.48 €3.02

$3.56 €3.08

-2.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 €2.76

$3.34 €2.90

-4.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.45 €4.72

$4.83 €4.19

12.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.07

$3.68 €3.19

27.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.17

$1.39 €1.20

-2.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 €2.37

$2.08 €1.80

31.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 €2.04

$3.03 €2.63

-22.11%

Eggs

$4.11 €3.57

$3.53 €3.06

16.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.40 €15.08

$12.14 €10.52

43.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.87 €10.29

$13.25 €11.48

-10.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.97 €19.04

$17.43 €15.11

26.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 €2.51

$2.71 €2.35

7.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 €2.09

$2.27 €1.97

6.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 €2.05

$2.03 €1.76

16.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 €2.66

$2.57 €2.23

19.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 €1.61

$2.23 €1.94

-16.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 €1.85

$1.64 €1.42

29.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.54 €1.33

-14.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.26 €1.09

-34.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.50 €10.83

$12.64 €10.95

-1.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.14 €7.93

$7.37 €6.38

24.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 €1.66

$2.30 €2.00

-16.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.99

$2.10 €1.82

9.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.63 €2.28

$2.97 €2.57

-11.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.8 €48.35

$38.18 €33.09

46.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 €5.00

$6.52 €5.65

-11.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.52 €2.18

$2.63 €2.28

-4.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.40 €40.22

$35.35 €30.63

31.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.83 €1.58

4.37%

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

$34.0K €29.4K

$30.1K €26.1K

12.84%

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

$33.6K €29.1K

$28.3K €24.5K

18.62%

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

$227 €197

$181 €157

25.37%

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

$23.50 €20.37

$21.28 €18.44

10.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 €44.37

$48.99 €42.46

4.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.12 €33.90

$47.30 €40.99

-17.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.78 €14.55

$16.76 €14.53

0.12%

Cinema Ticket

$15.00 €13.00

$14.35 €12.43

4.53%

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

$581 €504

$661 €573

-12.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K €11.8K

$13.5K €11.7K

0.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 €96.7

$103 €89.4

8.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.37 €42.79

$32.91 €28.52

50.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 €92.5

$92.2 €79.9

15.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 €143

$131 €114

25.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 €789

$1,033 €895

-11.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 €655

$1,082 €938

-30.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,336 €1,158

$2,182 €1,891

-38.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 €970

$1,749 €1,516

-35.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,446 €3,854

$5,589 €4,844

-20.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,308 €2,867

$3,788 €3,283

-12.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,442 €2,117

$3,556 €3,082

-31.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.83

-8.62%

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

Last update for Mortsel: June 8, 2026

Last update for Leuven: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $911 in Mortsel and $1,033 in Leuven. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leuven pays 46% 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: $115 in Mortsel vs $94.0 in Leuven for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $355 vs $326 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

Mortsel vs Leuven: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mortsel wins on cost – living expenses run 10% lower than in Leuven. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mortsel the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Leuven earns 46% 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: $911 in Mortsel versus $1,033 in Leuven. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Leuven pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Mortsel – a meal for two runs $115 versus $94.0 in Leuven. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,066 in Mortsel versus $2,270 in Leuven, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Mortsel but tight or insufficient in Leuven. The gap between the two cities makes Mortsel 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, Mortsel 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 Mortsel gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Leuven. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.