Cost of Living Comparison Between Mouscron and Somerset West Cost of Living Comparison Between Mouscron and Somerset West

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,967 per month in Mouscron vs $979 in Somerset West, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,834 per month in Mouscron vs $1,602 in Somerset West, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,702 per month in Mouscron vs $2,226 in Somerset West, rent included.

Mouscron costs about 101% more than Somerset West, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mouscron sits 48% above the global median, while Somerset West is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.66 €11.04

$8.21 R 137

54.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.8 €51.3

$39.75 R 662

47.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 €8.67

$4.95 R 82.5

101.01%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.47

$1.99 R 33.15

42.21%

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

$2.33 €2.03

$0.80 R 13.31

191.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.05

$0.87 R 14.56

170.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.17 €3.63

$2.56 R 42.72

62.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 €3.11

$2.47 R 41.17

44.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 €1.16

$0.88 R 14.64

51.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 €2.40

$0.94 R 15.68

193.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 €2.36

$1.92 R 31.97

41.15%

Eggs

$4.17 €3.64

$2.09 R 34.75

99.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.14 €15.81

$7.37 R 123

146.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.49 €10.02

$4.94 R 82.3

132.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.19 €14.98

$7.38 R 123

132.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 €2.54

$1.57 R 26.18

85.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 €2.11

$1.48 R 24.58

63.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 €1.96

$1.45 R 24.15

55.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.27 €2.85

$1.58 R 26.37

106.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 €2.52

$1.12 R 18.74

158.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 €2.04

$1.22 R 20.38

91.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.23

$1.08 R 18.07

30.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.93 R 15.56

-11.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.50 €10.90

$3.17 R 52.8

294.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.22 €6.29

$6.00 R 100

20.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 €1.47

$1.35 R 22.56

24.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.72 R 28.67

17.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 €2.59

$1.67 R 27.81

77.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 €50.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.94 €5.17

$1.39 R 23.13

327.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 €2.33

$1.01 R 16.86

165.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$47.00 €40.97

$4.52 R 75.3

939.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.65

$1.20 R 19.92

57.50%

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

$36.0K €31.4K

$19.5K R 324.5K

84.96%

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

$32.8K €28.6K

$22.5K R 374.7K

46.01%

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

$205 €178

$68.1 R 1,135

200.53%

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

$25.04 €21.83

$30.11 R 502

-16.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 €44.35

$41.96 R 699

21.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 €33.07

$39.16 R 652

-3.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 €14.60

Cinema Ticket

$15.06 €13.13

$6.76 R 113

122.78%

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

$655 €571

$217 R 3,611

202.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K €11.7K

$3,346 R 55.7K

301.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €96.8

$31.20 R 520

255.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.65 €43.28

$27.43 R 457

81.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €102

$64.8 R 1,079

80.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$228 €199

$64.4 R 1,072

254.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$870 €758

$620 R 10.3K

40.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 €644

$397 R 6,620

85.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 €1,201

$1,242 R 20.7K

10.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 €947

$871 R 14.5K

24.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,133 €3,603

$1,242 R 20.7K

232.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,280 €2,859

$881 R 14.7K

272.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,193 €3,655

$1,393 R 23.2K

200.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.27

10.5

-68.86%

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

Last update for Mouscron: July 27, 2026

Last update for Somerset West: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $870 in Mouscron versus $620 in Somerset West. 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 201% higher in Mouscron, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Mouscron versus $40.00 in Somerset West. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $342 vs $177 – making Somerset West the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Mouscron vs Somerset West: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mouscron is pricier by about 101%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,951 per month in Mouscron and $1,468 in Somerset West. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Somerset West, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Mouscron and $40.00 in Somerset West. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 93% more in Mouscron, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Somerset West, where all-in costs run around $979, than in Mouscron at $1,967. In Somerset West it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mouscron it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Somerset West – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Somerset West. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mouscron makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.