Cost of Living in Brussels

Long-term rental prices in Brussels have moderated considerably after a period of rapid growth, with rents rising just 2-3% from January 2025 to January 2026. As of early 2026, an unfurnished studio in the city center averages $885-$1,240/month (around $1,060 median), while outside the center you can find studios for $710-$945/month. A one-bedroom apartment in central Brussels runs $1,060-$1,590/month ($1,310 median in the center) and $945-$1,300/month outside the center ($1,120 median). For those needing more space, a two-bedroom averages $1,475-$2,300/month centrally and $1,180-$1,710 outside, while large three-bedroom units in the center command $2,000-$3,185/month. Furnished apartments carry a 10-20% premium, translating to roughly $120-$235 extra per month on a typical one-bedroom. Utilities for a single person in a 45m2 studio average around $155/month, while an 85m2 apartment for two runs approximately $260/month, though winter heating can push bills significantly higher. High-speed broadband internet costs $40-$85/month depending on provider and speed tier, with major providers including Proximus, Telenet, and Orange.

Brussels is a surprisingly affordable city for budget-conscious eaters, especially if you lean into its legendary street food culture and diverse immigrant food scene. The quintessential Brussels snack is a cone of frites from a fritkot (chip stand) like Frit Flagey near the Ixelles ponds, costing just EUR 3.50-5.00 ($4.15-5.90) with sauce included. Kebab and durum wraps from the many Turkish and Middle Eastern takeaways clustered around Gare du Midi and Place Saint-Josse run EUR 5-9 ($5.90-10.60), with the lower end buying you a solid sandwich and the upper end a full meal with fries and a drink. For a proper sit-down budget lunch, L'Epicerie near Avenue Louise serves homemade Thai dishes and sandwiches for EUR 10-12 ($11.80-14.15), while the Vietnamese institution Hong Hoa in the city center dishes out generous bowls of pho and vermicelli for EUR 9-13 ($10.60-15.35). Noordzee, the beloved open-air seafood counter on Rue Sainte-Catherine, offers shrimp croquettes, fish soup, and oysters at EUR 6-12 ($7.10-14.15) per plate. Many Brussels restaurants offer a plat du jour (daily special) at lunch for EUR 12-16 ($14.15-18.90), which is a significantly better deal than ordering the same food at dinner.

Brussels offers a full spectrum of supermarket options, from deep-discount chains to premium retailers. The cheapest groceries are found at Colruyt, Lidl, and Aldi, which consistently rank as Belgium's most affordable chains. Colruyt has a unique price-match guarantee -- they monitor competitors' prices daily and guarantee they will never be more expensive -- and their house brands "Everyday" and "Boni" offer remarkable value. A January 2026 price comparison found Colruyt to be just 0.72% more expensive than Lidl overall, while Aldi was 5.76% more, Albert Heijn 10.13% more, Delhaize 16.21% more, and Carrefour 17.15% more. At these budget chains, key staple prices are approximately: milk EUR 1.20/liter ($1.42), white bread (800g) EUR 1.19-1.45 ($1.40-1.71), eggs (12) EUR 1.35-1.37 ($1.59-1.62) for budget brands, rice (1kg basmati) EUR 1.49-1.65 ($1.76-1.95), and chicken fillets (200g) EUR 1.19-1.26 ($1.40-1.49). At full-service supermarkets like Delhaize and Carrefour, prices run noticeably higher: eggs (12) at EUR 4.10 ($4.84), chicken breast (1kg) at EUR 11.98 ($14.14), local cheese (1kg) at EUR 14.45 ($17.05), and beef round (1kg) at EUR 17.78 ($20.98).

Brussels has an excellent and well-integrated public transport network operated by STIB/MIVB, the regional transit authority, which runs four metro lines, an extensive tram network of over a dozen routes, and more than 50 bus lines that blanket the Brussels-Capital Region. A single Brupass journey ticket costs $3.20 (EUR 2.70) and gives you 60 minutes of unlimited transfers across metro, tram, and bus; if you tap a contactless bank card or phone, you pay $2.85 (EUR 2.40) per ride with a daily cap of around $10 after four journeys. For regular commuters, a 10-journey Brupass card runs $22.30 (EUR 18.90), bringing the per-trip cost down to about $2.25, while the Brupass XL variant extends your range beyond the city limits for $29.75 (EUR 25.20) for 10 rides. The real bargain is the STIB monthly subscription at $65 (EUR 55), which grants unlimited rides on the entire network; if you register as a Brussels-Capital Region resident, the annual pass drops to a remarkable $14 (EUR 12), one of the most generous transit subsidies in Europe. The metro operates from about 5:30 a.m. to midnight on weekdays, with extended Friday and Saturday night service, and frequencies of 2-5 minutes during rush hour make it reliable enough to build your daily routine around. Brussels is also a very walkable city, especially in the compact Pentagon center, the European Quarter, and trendy neighborhoods like Ixelles and Saint-Gilles.

Belgium's three major mobile operators -- Proximus, Orange, and BASE (owned by Telenet) -- all offer prepaid SIM cards that are easy to pick up at any phone shop, supermarket, or operator store across Brussels, with activation requiring a valid ID. Proximus, which has the strongest 4G/5G network coverage in Belgium, sells a prepaid starter kit for $11.80 (EUR 10) that includes $11.80 of credit plus 3 GB of data, 500 SMS, and 10 calling minutes valid for 30 days across all of Europe. Orange offers a slightly more data-generous prepaid SIM at $17.70 (EUR 15) with 5 GB of data, 4,000 SMS, and 50 minutes for 30 days, also usable throughout the EU with no roaming surcharges. BASE provides a competitive $11.80 (EUR 10) starter pack with 1 GB and 40 minutes. For digital nomads staying longer, monthly postpaid SIM-only plans are worth considering: Proximus offers plans starting at around $17/month for 8 GB up to $35/month for 30 GB, while Orange's Go series ranges from $15/month for 5 GB to $40/month for unlimited data. All three operators now support eSIM activation, and Brussels has strong 5G coverage from Proximus and Orange in the city center, EU Quarter, and major neighborhoods.

Belgium operates one of Europe's highest-quality universal healthcare systems, consistently ranking in the top tier of EU nations for patient satisfaction, access to care, and health outcomes. The system is built around mandatory health insurance administered through nonprofit mutual health insurance funds known as "mutualiteiten" (Dutch) or "mutuelles" (French), which reimburse the majority of medical costs. Brussels offers an exceptionally dense network of hospitals, clinics, and specialist practices. Major hospitals include Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc (a JCI-accredited university hospital), Hopital Erasme (the teaching hospital of Universite Libre de Bruxelles), the CHIREC hospital group, and the Clinique Saint-Jean. English-speaking doctors are widely available -- the city's enormous expat and diplomatic community ensures that most practices in central neighborhoods like Ixelles, Etterbeek, and the European Quarter have English-fluent staff. The Community Help Service maintains referral lists of English-speaking GPs, dentists, and specialists across the Brussels region. The quality of care is genuinely excellent: Belgium has some of the shortest wait times in Europe for specialist appointments, and you can see a specialist directly without a GP referral.

Brussels sits within the Schengen Area, meaning non-EU citizens from visa-exempt countries (including the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK) can enter and stay for up to 90 days within any rolling 180-day period without a visa. Belgium does not currently have a dedicated digital nomad visa, though plans are reportedly under development. For longer stays, the most viable route is a Professional Card combined with a Type D long-stay visa, which authorizes self-employed activities and requires proof of sufficient income, health insurance of at least EUR 30,000 coverage, and a clean criminal record. Tax implications are significant: Belgium has one of the highest personal income tax rates in Europe, with a progressive system ranging from 25% to 50% on income above EUR 46,440. If you become a tax resident (generally by staying more than 183 days or establishing your center of vital interests in Belgium), you will be taxed on worldwide income. Anyone staying beyond 90 days must register at their local commune within eight working days of arrival. ETIAS (the new European Travel Information and Authorization System) is expected to launch in late 2026, requiring visa-exempt travelers to obtain pre-travel authorization (approximately EUR 7) before entering the Schengen zone.