Cost of living comparison
Belgium is 7.4% cheaper than Netherlands overall.
- Restaurants
-
pay 2.5% less in Belgium
- Groceries
-
pay 2.2% less in Belgium
- Transportation
-
pay 15.8% less in Belgium
- Housing
-
pay 18.3% less in Belgium
- Childcare
-
pay 7.0% less in Belgium
- Entertainment and Sports
-
pay 12.8% less in Belgium
- Clothing
-
pay 6.6% more in Belgium
Expenses including housing, transportation, entertainment and sports, childcare, restaurants, and groceries are lower in Belgium.
If you lived in Belgium instead of Netherlands, you would:
pay 2.5% less for restaurants
|
Netherlands
|
Belgium
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic meal with drink at inexpensive restaurant |
$18.74
€16.79
|
$19.07
€17.09
|
|
|
Fast food combo meal
McDonalds, or similar
|
$12.22
€10.95
|
$10.84
€9.71
|
|
| Bottle of Coca-Cola (11 fl. oz) |
$2.94
€2.64
|
$2.78
€2.49
|
|
| Bottle of water (11 fl. oz) |
$2.33
€2.09
|
$2.46
€2.20
|
|
pay 2.2% less for groceries
|
Netherlands
|
Belgium
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Bread
1 loaf
|
$1.79
€1.60
|
$2.28
€2.04
|
|
| Local cheese (8 oz) |
$6.20
€5.56
|
$6.70
€6.00
|
|
| Milk (1 gallon) |
$4.40
€3.95
|
$4.44
€3.98
|
|
|
Eggs
1 dozen
|
$4.42
€3.96
|
$3.43
€3.07
|
|
| Boneless chicken breast (1 lb) |
$6.89
€6.17
|
$4.78
€4.28
|
|
| Apples (1 lb) |
$0.86
€0.77
|
$1.11
€0.99
|
|
| Bananas (1 lb) |
$1.05
€0.94
|
$0.89
€0.80
|
|
| Oranges (1 lb) |
$0.81
€0.73
|
$1.07
€0.96
|
|
| Tomatoes (1 lb) |
$1.65
€1.48
|
$1.16
€1.04
|
|
| Potatoes (1 lb) |
$0.88
€0.79
|
$0.83
€0.74
|
|
| Onions (1 lb) |
$0.88
€0.79
|
$0.73
€0.65
|
|
pay 15.8% less for transportation
|
Netherlands
|
Belgium
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline (1 gallon) |
$7.80
€6.99
|
$6.91
€6.19
|
|
| Monthly public transit pass |
$95.88
€85.90
|
$45.41
€40.69
|
|
| New Volkswagen Golf 1.4 (standard edition) |
$31,938.58
€28,613.48
|
$27,628.35
€24,751.99
|
|
| Taxi trip in downtown area (5 miles) |
$22.75
€20.38
|
$26.01
€23.31
|
|
pay 18.3% less for housing
|
Netherlands
|
Belgium
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Internet connection
50 mbps or faster, cable/dsl
|
$43.11
€38.63
|
$49.35
€44.21
|
|
| 1-Bedroom apartment in downtown area |
$1,289.16
€1,154.95
|
$815.11
€730.25
|
|
| 1-Bedroom apartment outside city center |
$1,051.87
€942.36
|
$705.09
€631.68
|
|
|
Utilities for two
(700 sq ft apartment)
including electric, gas, water, heating
|
$187.76
€168.21
|
$154.10
€138.06
|
|
pay 7.0% less for childcare
|
Netherlands
|
Belgium
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Private preschool for 1 child, monthly |
$1,627.96
€1,458.48
|
$557.50
€499.46
|
|
| Middle school for 1 child, two semesters |
$9,050.97
€8,108.69
|
$13,740.85
€12,310.31
|
|
pay 12.8% less for entertainment and sports
|
Netherlands
|
Belgium
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic/local beer (1 pint) |
$5.55
€4.97
|
$4.34
€3.88
|
|
| Cappuccino in mid-range area |
$3.60
€3.23
|
$3.51
€3.14
|
|
|
Pack of cigarettes
Marlboro or similar
|
$11.52
€10.32
|
$9.08
€8.14
|
|
| Monthly membership at local gym |
$38.99
€34.93
|
$36.02
€32.27
|
|
| Movie ticket to theater/cinema |
$13.94
€12.49
|
$12.48
€11.18
|
|
pay 6.6% more for clothing
|
Netherlands
|
Belgium
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Regular jeans
Levi's brand
|
$84.34
€75.56
|
$92.82
€83.16
|
|
|
Regular dress
from H&M or similar store
|
$38.25
€34.27
|
$43.31
€38.80
|
|
|
Running shoes
Nike or Adidas
|
$92.60
€82.96
|
$90.40
€80.99
|
|
| Men's business shoes (leather) |
$118.53
€106.19
|
$125.11
€112.08
|
|
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