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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $997 per month in Somerset West vs $1,975 in Mouscron, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,598 per month in Somerset West vs $2,862 in Mouscron, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,199 per month in Somerset West vs $3,749 in Mouscron, rent included.

Somerset West is about 50% cheaper than Mouscron, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Somerset West sits 26% below the global median, while Mouscron is 47% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.31 R 135

$12.62 €10.85

-34.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.47 R 641

$59.0 €50.7

-33.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.03 R 81.8

$9.88 €8.50

-49.09%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R 31.90

$2.86 €2.46

-31.47%

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

$0.80 R 12.97

$2.27 €1.95

-64.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 14.16

$2.25 €1.94

-61.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 R 41.98

$4.16 €3.58

-37.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 R 41.32

$3.50 €3.01

-27.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 R 14.39

$1.36 €1.17

-34.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 R 14.80

$2.79 €2.40

-67.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 R 30.37

$2.71 €2.33

-31.00%

Eggs

$2.13 R 34.57

$4.15 €3.57

-48.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 R 124

$17.69 €15.22

-56.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 R 79.1

$11.49 €9.88

-57.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 R 120

$17.45 €15.01

-57.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.59

$3.05 €2.62

-48.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.13

$2.35 €2.02

-37.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 R 23.59

$2.26 €1.94

-35.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.89

$3.35 €2.88

-52.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 R 17.67

$2.85 €2.45

-61.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 R 19.98

$2.38 €2.05

-48.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 R 17.81

$1.48 €1.27

-25.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 R 16.03

$0.81 €0.70

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 R 50.9

$12.84 €11.05

-75.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 R 97.6

$7.67 €6.59

-21.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 R 22.99

$1.70 €1.46

-17.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 R 26.83

$2.02 €1.73

-18.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 R 26.44

$2.93 €2.52

-44.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.3 €49.28

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 R 22.15

$5.77 €4.96

-76.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 R 16.19

$2.57 €2.21

-61.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 R 71.8

$45.76 €39.36

-90.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.39

$1.84 €1.59

-32.07%

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

$19.7K R 319.8K

$36.2K €31.2K

-45.68%

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

$22.0K R 358.0K

$32.7K €28.1K

-32.55%

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

$69.5 R 1,129

$208 €179

-66.60%

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

$29.26 R 475

$25.13 €21.62

16.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.77 R 663

$51.3 €44.16

-20.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.58 R 627

$38.77 €33.35

-0.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.67 €14.34

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 R 108

$14.90 €12.82

-55.17%

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

$216 R 3,505

$655 €563

-67.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,368 R 54.7K

$13.4K €11.5K

-74.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.23 R 508

$111 €95.2

-71.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.27 R 443

$49.01 €42.16

-44.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 R 1,081

$117 €101

-43.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.9 R 1,038

$228 €196

-72.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 R 10.1K

$869 €747

-28.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 R 6,280

$751 €646

-48.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 R 20.4K

$1,340 €1,153

-6.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$853 R 13.9K

$1,120 €963

-23.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,246 R 20.3K

$3,607 €3,102

-65.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$915 R 14.9K

$2,480 €2,133

-63.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,445 R 23.5K

$4,247 €3,653

-65.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

3.27

221.10%

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

Last update for Somerset West: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mouscron: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Somerset West versus $869 in Mouscron. 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 194% 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 $39.00 in Somerset West versus $59.0 in Mouscron. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $178 vs $344 – 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

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

Yes – Mouscron is pricier by about 98%, 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 $1,495 per month in Somerset West and $2,963 in Mouscron. 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 $39.00 in Somerset West and $59.0 in Mouscron. 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 $997, than in Mouscron at $1,975. 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.