Cost of Living in Brussels: A Guide on Expected Expenses

The City of Brussels is the capital of the Flemish Region and Belgium. It is the biggest municipality and historical centre of the Brussels-Capital area. The cost of living in Brussels for a single person is around 991.5 EUR without rent. Moreover, Brussels hosts several principal EU institutions in its European Quarter, making it the administrative centre of the European Union.

If you are planning to move to this vibrant city, you must understand whether you can afford the cost of living in Brussels for the desired lifestyle and can save some money for the future. To help you with this, we will analyse the cost of living in Brussels and give you a complete breakdown in this blog. So, let’s begin our discussion without any further delay. 

Cost of Living in Brussels

The average monthly cost of living in Brussels for a family of four members is approx 5000 EUR including rent, while for a single person, it is 1700 EUR including rent. This expense includes apartment costs, grocery costs, leisure costs, monthly public transport costs, and a few others. Here, we have given the general breakdown of the average cost of living in Brussels in different categories. Let’s understand in detail:

Costs of Rent in Brussels

The average cost of rent in Brussels for a single person is around 1,042 EUR in the city centre. Housing rent in Brussels can vary according to budget and lifestyle, affecting the cost of living in Brussels. A look at the cost of apartment rent in the city centre and out of the city is as follows:

Apartment Location	Approx Monthly Cost
One-bedroom Apartment in the City Centre	1,042.83 EUR
One-bedroom Apartment Outside of the Centre	890.71 EUR
Three -bedroom Apartment in the City Centre	1,850.00 EUR
Three -bedroom Apartment Outside of the Centre	1,567.92 EUR

Cost of a Utility in Brussels

The average cost of a utility in Brussels for a single expat is around 400 EUR /month, which is lower than the cost of living in Brussels. This utility cost in Brussels includes electricity, gas, water, garbage, a mobile plan, and internet. For your convenience, the Cost of Utilities in Brussels is given in the table:

Utility Type	Approx Monthly Cost
Basic Utility Cost (Heating, Electricity, Cooling, Water, and Garbage) (for 85m2 Apartment)	218.73 EUR
Monthly Plan of Mobile Phone with Calls and 10GB+ Data	22.41 EUR
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL)	53.67 EUR

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Cost of Grocery in Brussels

The average cost of groceries in Brussels is around 98 EUR per month, including the cost of bread, milk, water, vegetables, fruit, and other eatable items. The cost of groceries can impact the cost of living in Brussels as it is a daily expense. The table below lists the average cost of groceries in Brussels:  

Grocery Item	Approx cost
Milk (regular), (1 litre)	1.43 EUR
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g)	2.45 EUR
Rice (white), (1kg)	2.52 EUR
Eggs (regular) (12)	3.74 EUR
Apples (1kg)	2.46 EUR
Banana (1kg)	1.80 EUR
Oranges (1kg)	2.51 EUR
Tomato (1kg)	2.66 EUR
Potato (1kg)	1.75 EUR
Onion (1kg)	1.64 EUR
Lettuce (1 head)	1.63 EUR
Water (1.5 litre bottle)	1.50 EUR
meat, egg, drinks and Other items	65 EUR

Restaurant Costs in Brussels 

You can go out for dinner frequently at the restaurants in Brussels and enjoy the mouth-watering meals at an affordable price. The cost of a Meal in Brussels at an inexpensive Restaurant is around 18 EUR. In the table below, we have demonstrated the average restaurant costs you can expect to bear in the country:

Type of Restaurant	Approx Cost of Meal in Restaurant
Meal for 2 person at an Inexpensive Restaurant	18.00  EUR
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course	80.00 EUR

Transportation costs in Brussels 

In the city centre of Brussels, public transport is easily accessible by bus, train, tram, metro, and waterbus. Travelling daily for work or studies in  Brussels can cost around 50 EUR for a single person. The cost of transportation is included in the overall cost of living in Brussels. The transportation costs in Brussels are shown in the table given below: 

Mode of Transport	Approx Monthly Cost
Price of a One-way Ticket for Local Transport	2.50 EUR
Regular Price of Monthly Pass	49.00 EUR
Cost of Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)	5.00 EUR
Cost of Taxi 1 km (Normal Tariff)	2.15 EUR
Cost of Taxi 1 hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)	30.00 EUR
Gasoline (1 litre)	1.73 EUR

Average Tuition Fees in Brussels

The average tuition fee in Brussels is between approx 2,500 EUR and 7,500 EUR per year for international students, which is affordable compared to other popular study-abroad destinations. 

Note: Brussels private institutions and business schools can charge higher tuition fees.

Now that you know the cost of living in Brussels, let’s examine the cost of education. The table below shows the average tuition costs charged by the country’s universities.

Name of University	Approx Tuition fees per year (for Bachelors)	Approx Tuition fees per year (for Masters)
Brussels School of Governance	15,000 EUR	15,000 EUR
KU Leuven	7,000 EUR	7,000 EUR
Université catholique de Louvain	2,500 EUR	2,500 EUR
University of Antwerp	3,000 EUR	3,000 EUR
Université libre de Bruxelles	2,500 EUR	2,500 EUR
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)	3,900 EUR	3,800 EUR f
Université de Liège	–	2,500 EUR
Vlerick Business School	–	21,900 EUR
Howest University of Applied Sciences	7,000 EUR	–
KdG University of Applied Sciences and Arts	7,100 EUR	–

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Why Choose Brussels to Study Abroad?

With an effective cost of living in Brussels, Studying here can be a very rewarding experience for international students. Brussels has various prestigious universities, including the Université Libre de Bruxelles, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Saint Louis University, and many others. Here are some significant reasons why you should study in Brussels city:

Affordable Tuition: The average tuition cost/fee in Brussels is between approx 2,500 EUR and 7,500 EUR per year for international students, which is affordable compared to other popular study-abroad destinations.

Expand Your Cultural Horizons: Studying in Brussels is more than just academics. The diversified culture, rich history, and bustling cities of the country ensure a great learning experience for students. You can explore its famous things like Belgian waffles, drinks, and chocolate, Bosch or Rubens, great museums and art from Memling, historic breweries and great concert halls.

Comfortable Living Standards: Brussels offers a good quality of life and a welcoming environment, ensuring a comfortable and memorable studying experience. If you have a reasonable budget for living in Brussels, you can enjoy the city’s luxury.

Things to Know When Moving to Brussels

Suppose you have finally decided to move to Brussels. There are various advantages to moving to Brussels apart from the cost of living in Brussels. It is an amazing city that offers numerous opportunities for international students to thrive academically and enjoy living abroad. Some of these criteria are listed below:

Welcoming People in Brussels: Brussels is known for its friendly and generous hospitality. Living here will not make you feel far from home.

Easily Travel by Car in Brussels: You can easily travel by car to different neighbouring countries at an affordable price.

E-commerce Services in Brussels: If you order things from adjacent countries such as France, Germany, and the Netherlands, you can quickly receive your order in 2 days, sometimes even after a day.

Jobs in Brussels: Students can work up to 20 hours a week. The minimum student wage is around 9.69 EUR per hour. Moreover, the average salary in Brussels is around 4,600 EUR per month, which helps to make the cost of living in Brussels leisurely for every working person.

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FAQs

So, this was all about the cost of living in Brussels. Many Indian students dream of pursuing education in foreign nations due to the exposure and career growth they offer. Consider joining a free counselling session with Leverage Edu if you plan to study abroad.