Cost of Living Comparison Between Turnhout and Gent Cost of Living Comparison Between Turnhout and Gent

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,834 per month in Turnhout vs $2,255 in Gent, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,636 per month in Turnhout vs $3,455 in Gent, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,439 per month in Turnhout vs $4,655 in Gent, rent included.

Turnhout is about 19% cheaper than Gent, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Turnhout and Gent sit above the global median – Turnhout by 36%, Gent by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.54 €14.93

$23.23 €19.77

-24.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €54.0

$114 €97.1

-44.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.38 €9.69

$13.98 €11.89

-18.60%

Cappuccino

$3.67 €3.13

$4.31 €3.67

-14.85%

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

$2.86 €2.44

$3.45 €2.94

-17.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 €2.16

$3.23 €2.75

-21.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 €2.87

$5.67 €4.82

-40.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 €3.08

$5.84 €4.97

-38.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 €0.79

$1.29 €1.09

-27.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 €1.77

$2.74 €2.33

-23.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 €2.55

$2.36 €2.01

27.12%

Eggs

$3.46 €2.95

$4.16 €3.54

-16.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 €10.17

$17.46 €14.86

-31.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.16 €8.65

$11.70 €9.96

-13.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.33 €14.75

$18.93 €16.11

-8.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.24

$3.12 €2.66

-15.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 €1.92

$2.48 €2.11

-8.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.71

$2.61 €2.22

-22.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 €2.19

$3.14 €2.67

-18.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 €1.83

$1.88 €1.60

13.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 €1.40

$2.07 €1.76

-20.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 €0.96

$1.36 €1.16

-16.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 €1.05

$0.89 €0.76

39.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.47 €6.35

$12.84 €10.93

-41.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.40 €4.59

$9.37 €7.97

-42.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 €1.11

$1.93 €1.64

-32.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 €1.77

$3.04 €2.58

-31.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.48

$2.94 €2.50

-0.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.6 €47.34

$58.6 €49.85

-5.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 €5.30

$10.95 €9.32

-43.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 €2.28

$2.71 €2.31

-1.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.99 €29.78

$52.9 €44.98

-33.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 €1.63

$1.91 €1.62

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

$29.9K €25.5K

$33.1K €28.2K

-9.57%

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

$28.1K €23.9K

$38.5K €32.7K

-26.83%

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

$185 €157

$226 €192

-18.37%

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

$21.34 €18.16

$23.52 €20.01

-9.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.37 €41.16

$50.8 €43.25

-4.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.7 €64.4

$34.43 €29.30

119.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.29 €14.72

$13.25 €11.27

30.49%

Cinema Ticket

$13.95 €11.87

$16.25 €13.83

-14.15%

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

$658 €560

$572 €487

15.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K €11.5K

$19.2K €16.4K

-29.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.0 €80.0

$112 €95.5

-16.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.92 €27.16

$54.5 €46.39

-41.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.5 €58.3

$105 €89.4

-34.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €98.4

$165 €141

-30.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$820 €698

$1,046 €890

-21.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 €593

$910 €774

-23.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 €905

$1,761 €1,499

-39.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 €783

$1,447 €1,231

-36.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,442 €2,929

$5,539 €4,714

-37.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,562 €2,180

$3,185 €2,710

-19.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,783 €2,368

$3,328 €2,832

-16.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.74

-46.52%

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

Last update for Turnhout: April 13, 2026

Last update for Gent: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $820 in Turnhout versus $1,046 in Gent. 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 20% higher in Gent, 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 $63 in Turnhout versus $114 in Gent. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $351 – making Turnhout 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

Turnhout vs Gent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Gent is pricier by about 23%, 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 $2,751 per month in Turnhout and $3,382 in Gent. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,834 in Turnhout and $2,255 in Gent. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Turnhout. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Turnhout, where all-in costs run around $1,834, than in Gent at $2,255. In Turnhout it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gent it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Turnhout – 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 Turnhout. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Gent makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.