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 $2,169 per month in Mouscron vs $1,186 in Somerset West, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,132 per month in Mouscron vs $1,965 in Somerset West, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,094 per month in Mouscron vs $2,744 in Somerset West, rent included.

Mouscron costs about 83% more than Somerset West, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mouscron sits 57% above the global median, while Somerset West is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.47 €19.37

$12.27 R 199

83.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.9 €68.9

$47.27 R 765

68.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.43 €9.86

$5.74 R 92.8

99.13%

Cappuccino

$4.57 €3.94

$2.12 R 34.38

115.57%

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

$3.14 €2.70

$1.07 R 17.26

193.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 €2.62

$0.95 R 15.40

220.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.40 €4.66

$2.73 R 44.21

97.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 €4.05

$3.46 R 56.0

35.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.05 R 16.99

21.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.80 €2.42

$1.03 R 16.68

171.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.13 R 34.53

8.92%

Eggs

$4.06 €3.50

$2.34 R 37.86

73.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 €10.45

$8.95 R 145

35.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.91 €11.13

$5.44 R 87.9

137.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.49 €16.80

$9.71 R 157

100.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 €2.44

$1.93 R 31.18

46.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 €1.96

$1.99 R 32.22

14.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 €1.96

$1.71 R 27.64

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.72 R 27.89

37.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 €2.03

$1.57 R 25.37

50.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.54 R 24.90

16.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.38 R 22.35

9.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.79

$1.06 R 17.15

-14.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.86 €11.95

$3.46 R 56.0

300.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.51 €6.48

$6.40 R 104

17.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 €1.86

$1.44 R 23.22

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.84 R 29.70

1.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.12 €2.69

$1.21 R 19.52

157.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 €49.70

$61.3 R 991

-5.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.50 €9.06

$0.65 R 10.46

1515.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 €2.27

$1.60 R 25.86

64.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.87 €22.31

$5.06 R 81.8

411.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.44 R 23.24

36.81%

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

$36.1K €31.2K

$30.3K R 489.6K

19.36%

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

$34.8K €30.0K

$30.0K R 485.5K

15.84%

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

$220 €189

$86.2 R 1,394

154.95%

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

$19.15 €16.52

$31.45 R 509

-39.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 €48.39

$40.32 R 652

39.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.86 €31.78

$46.98 R 760

-21.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.10 €18.19

$11.11 R 180

89.92%

Cinema Ticket

$14.96 €12.90

$7.44 R 120

101.08%

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

$715 €616

$265 R 4,286

169.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K €14.6K

$3,814 R 61.7K

343.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.9 €86.1

$32.05 R 519

211.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.65 €22.98

$31.89 R 516

-16.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 €79.0

$72.5 R 1,173

26.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 €129

$59.7 R 965

149.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$981 €846

$670 R 10.8K

46.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$854 €736

$436 R 7,061

95.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,454 €1,254

$1,369 R 22.1K

6.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 €1,032

$978 R 15.8K

22.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,252 €3,666

$1,316 R 21.3K

223.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,023 €2,606

$921 R 14.9K

228.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,207 €3,628

$1,476 R 23.9K

185.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.52

10.12

-65.22%

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

Last update for Mouscron: September 7, 2026

Last update for Somerset West: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $981 in Mouscron versus $670 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 185% 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 $80.0 in Mouscron versus $47.00 in Somerset West. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $209 – 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 83%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,253 per month in Mouscron and $1,779 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.

Groceries cost about 59% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Mouscron and $47.00 in Somerset West. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Somerset West, where all-in costs run around $1,186, than in Mouscron at $2,169. 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.