Cost of Living Comparison Between Ostend and Brussels Cost of Living Comparison Between Ostend and Brussels

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,917 in Ostend versus $2,649 in Brussels.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,773 in Ostend versus $3,979 in Brussels.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,629 in Ostend versus $5,309 in Brussels.

Living in Ostend costs roughly 28% less than in Brussels, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ostend 39% above, Brussels 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.49 €19.41

$23.25 €20.06

-3.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.7 €69.6

$94.4 €81.4

-14.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 €10.18

$14.88 €12.84

-20.77%

Cappuccino

$4.35 €3.76

$4.47 €3.86

-2.68%

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

$3.22 €2.78

$3.60 €3.11

-10.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 €2.22

$3.37 €2.91

-23.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.58 €3.96

$5.95 €5.14

-23.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 €3.93

$5.83 €5.03

-21.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.47 €1.27

-13.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 €2.30

$2.92 €2.52

-8.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 €2.04

$3.05 €2.63

-22.62%

Eggs

$4.03 €3.48

$5.48 €4.73

-26.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 €10.25

$17.85 €15.40

-33.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.24 €10.56

$13.43 €11.59

-8.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 €12.14

$23.46 €20.24

-40.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 €2.52

$3.39 €2.92

-13.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 €1.85

$2.71 €2.34

-21.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

$3.03 €2.62

-27.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$4.31 €3.72

-46.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.58

$2.75 €2.37

-33.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$2.43 €2.09

-28.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.95 €1.68

-35.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 €0.86

$1.24 €1.07

-20.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.59 €9.14

$14.12 €12.18

-25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.86 €5.92

$10.48 €9.04

-34.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 €1.85

$2.84 €2.45

-24.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.62

$3.23 €2.79

-41.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.45 €2.98

$2.82 €2.43

22.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.20 €34.69

$64.0 €55.2

-37.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 €3.09

$2.98 €2.57

20.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.29 €1.98

$2.11 €1.82

8.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.22 €22.62

$42.45 €36.63

-38.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.16 €1.86

-14.81%

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

$35.9K €30.9K

$36.4K €31.4K

-1.38%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$34.4K €29.7K

-5.55%

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

$185 €160

$285 €246

-34.88%

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

$19.30 €16.66

$22.13 €19.10

-12.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 €47.42

$55.5 €47.84

-0.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.48 €32.34

$36.05 €31.11

3.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.43 €9.87

$29.90 €25.80

-61.77%

Cinema Ticket

$15.13 €13.06

$16.36 €14.11

-7.52%

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

$399 €345

$1,732 €1,494

-76.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €14.7K

$39.7K €34.3K

-57.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 €86.4

$108 €93.6

-7.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.99 €23.29

$44.07 €38.03

-38.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 €80.7

$111 €95.7

-15.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €105

$151 €130

-19.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 €722

$1,458 €1,258

-42.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 €614

$1,203 €1,038

-40.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 €1,122

$2,533 €2,186

-48.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 €870

$2,084 €1,799

-51.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,851 €3,323

$5,250 €4,530

-26.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,024 €1,746

$4,181 €3,608

-51.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,236 €2,792

$3,402 €2,936

-4.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.33

3.66

-9.02%

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

Last update for Ostend: September 1, 2026

Last update for Brussels: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $837 in Ostend and $1,458 in Brussels. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 5% 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: $81.0 in Ostend vs $94.0 in Brussels for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $306 vs $413 per month, with Ostend 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

Ostend vs Brussels: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ostend wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Brussels. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ostend the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Brussels. 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: $837 in Ostend versus $1,458 in Brussels. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Brussels. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ostend – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $94.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,917 in Ostend versus $2,649 in Brussels, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Ostend but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Ostend 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, Ostend and Brussels 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 Ostend gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.