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 $2,004 per month in Mouscron vs $1,004 in Somerset West, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,898 per month in Mouscron vs $1,632 in Somerset West, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,792 per month in Mouscron vs $2,261 in Somerset West, rent included.

Mouscron costs about 100% more than Somerset West, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mouscron sits 49% above the global median, while Somerset West is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.89 €11.11

$8.36 R 135

54.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.3 €50.2

$38.49 R 622

51.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.79 €8.44

$4.75 R 76.9

106.11%

Cappuccino

$2.84 €2.44

$2.07 R 33.52

37.20%

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

$2.30 €1.98

$0.82 R 13.31

180.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 €1.93

$0.83 R 13.42

169.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 €3.51

$2.59 R 41.90

57.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 €3.08

$2.56 R 41.45

39.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 €1.17

$0.96 R 15.45

41.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 €2.40

$0.89 R 14.44

212.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$1.84 R 29.74

45.11%

Eggs

$4.08 €3.52

$2.11 R 34.06

93.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.57 €15.14

$7.42 R 120

136.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 €9.95

$4.77 R 77.2

141.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.25 €14.86

$7.39 R 119

133.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 €2.50

$1.55 R 25.13

87.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.48 R 23.97

56.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.44 R 23.30

62.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.43 €2.95

$1.54 R 24.95

122.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.96 €2.55

$1.08 R 17.43

174.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.24 R 20.05

91.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.27

$1.04 R 16.82

42.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.96 R 15.49

-14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.74 €10.98

$3.00 R 48.49

324.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.68 €6.62

$5.94 R 96.0

29.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 €1.45

$1.36 R 21.91

23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.66 R 26.91

19.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.48

$1.62 R 26.16

77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.8 €48.08

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 €5.09

$1.42 R 22.91

316.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 €2.29

$0.95 R 15.39

180.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.17 €39.78

$4.55 R 73.5

914.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 €1.58

$1.24 R 19.98

47.58%

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

$35.9K €30.9K

$19.6K R 316.1K

83.45%

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

$33.2K €28.6K

$22.6K R 366.0K

46.86%

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

$201 €173

$69.1 R 1,118

190.79%

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

$25.37 €21.86

$29.74 R 481

-14.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 €44.85

$41.71 R 674

24.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 €32.66

$38.99 R 630

-2.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 €14.67

Cinema Ticket

$15.19 €13.09

$6.74 R 109

125.37%

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

$649 €559

$210 R 3,392

209.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K €11.4K

$3,406 R 55.1K

289.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €95.6

$31.15 R 504

256.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.32 €41.63

$26.76 R 433

80.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €100

$64.1 R 1,037

81.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$229 €197

$63.5 R 1,027

260.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$900 €776

$628 R 10.1K

43.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$742 €640

$398 R 6,437

86.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,336 €1,151

$1,226 R 19.8K

8.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 €950

$866 R 14.0K

27.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,109 €3,540

$1,230 R 19.9K

234.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,855 €2,460

$900 R 14.5K

217.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,139 €3,566

$1,440 R 23.3K

187.38%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Somerset West: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $900 in Mouscron versus $628 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 187% 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 $58.0 in Mouscron versus $38.00 in Somerset West. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $343 vs $176 – 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 100%, 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 $3,007 per month in Mouscron and $1,505 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 $58.0 in Mouscron and $38.00 in Somerset West. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 95% 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 $1,004, than in Mouscron at $2,004. 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.