Belgium
The de facto EU capital, famous for Art Nouveau architecture, Belgian waffles, chocolate, and an extraordinary beer culture. Multicultural and surprisingly affordable.
#34 of 250
87% above average
Monthly cost, one adult
$ 2 687
Based on NYC = 100 index
Brussels is the 34. most expensive of the 250 cities we track — a month here comes to $ 2 687 for one adult.
Most of that goes on housing, which runs 44% above the median city and adds $ 461 a month: 1br apartment (city center) $ 1 453, 1br apartment (outside center) $ 1 553. It is also pricier than usual for utilities, transportation.
Percentages compare this city against the median of all tracked cities, category by category.
49 prices on this page come from live scrapers (14 sources, observed September 28, 2026 to October 13, 2026). They are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit CostCompass and link this page.
CostCompass (2026). Cost of living in Brussels, Belgium. Data as of 2026-10-14. https://costcompass.net/living/cities/brussels. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
| Item | Price (USD) | Observations | Last observed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (City Center) | 1,452.76 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Immovlan |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside Center) | 1,553.34 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Immovlan |
| 3BR Apartment (City Center) | 2,709.97 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Immovlan |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside Center) | 2,346.77 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Immovlan |
| Chicken Breast (1kg) | 11.68 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Pork (1kg) | 13.46 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Beef (1kg) | 16.52 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Fish Fillet (1kg) | 12.84 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Deli Meat / Ham (1kg) | 18.54 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Milk (1 liter) | 1.63 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Yogurt (150g) | 1.42 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Cheese (1kg) | 11.59 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Butter (200g) | 2.51 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Eggs (12) | 4.94 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Bread (500g) | 2.58 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Bread Roll (1pc) | 0.90 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Pasta (500g) | 1.61 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Rice (1kg) | 2.81 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Oats (500g) | 1.31 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Potatoes (1kg) | 2.47 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | 4.42 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Bell Peppers (1kg) | 3.74 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Carrots (1kg) | 1.34 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Onions (1kg) | 1.77 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Garlic (1kg) | 12.63 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 1.24 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Apples (1kg) | 4.08 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Banana (1kg) | 1.77 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Oranges (1kg) | 1.63 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Lentils (1kg) | 7.77 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Canned Tomatoes (400g) | 0.89 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Sunflower Oil (1L) | 2.36 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Flour (1kg) | 0.77 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Sugar (1kg) | 1.13 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Coffee (250g) | 5.05 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Water (1.5 liter) | 0.97 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Orange Juice (1L) | 1.78 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Albert Heijn België, Colruyt Belgium |
| Monthly Transit Pass | 62.58 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | City Transit Fares |
| One-way Ticket | 3.02 / trip | 1 | 2026-10-13 | City Transit Fares |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | 2.19 / liter | 1 | 2026-10-13 | EU Weekly Oil Bulletin |
| Basic Utilities (85m2 Apt) | 300.43 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Eurostat Energy Prices |
| Mobile Plan (10GB+) | 5.59 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Telecom Operator Prices |
| Fitness Club (Monthly) | 32.86 / month | 2 | 2026-10-13 | European Entertainment Chains, Gym Chains |
| Cinema Ticket | 12.53 / ticket | 1 | 2026-09-28 | Cinema Ticket Prices |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | 36.88 / hour | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Tennis Court Hire Prices |
| Cold Medicine (6 days) | 4.46 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | European Online Pharmacies |
| Jeans (Levis or Similar) | 65.89 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | AboutYou & local fashion e-shops, H&M |
| Summer Dress (Chain Store) | 49.67 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | AboutYou & local fashion e-shops, H&M |
| Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas) | 142.48 / pair | 1 | 2026-10-13 | AboutYou & local fashion e-shops |
Cities where the money splits the same way
Austria
Similar share of Housing & Basic Grocery Basket
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Similar share of Housing & Basic Grocery Basket
Austria
Similar share of Housing & Basic Grocery Basket
Australia
Similar share of Housing & Restaurants
Monthly average costs by category
$ 1 503
per month
$ 201
per month
$ 298
per month
$ 154
per month
$ 351
per month
$ 132
per month
$ 18
per month
$ 31
per month