What's the cost of living in Belgium?

Hi Agostino,
I hope these articles might give you a first impression:

Cost of living
Living standards are quite high in Belgium. The student thus has to make sure that he/she has the financial means for a stay in Belgium, before he or she leaves. Universities in Belgium, cannot accommodate students who cannot afford to finance their studies, be it by their own means, study grants, governmental help, etc.

Budget
For a single student, an annual budget of about 8000 euro is necessary. For a family, an extra budget of 3000 euro per dependent has to be provided for.

Travel expenses and expenses linked to lodging constitute the largest sum of money. Apart from that, expenses depend on your life-style and on the fact whether you are entitled to services offered by the University.

Annual expenses

* books and study materials: 500 euro
* housing: 2,380 euro
* food: 2,250 euro
* health insurance and medical fees: 370 euro
* entertainment: 520 euro
* clothes: 370 euro
* other: 370 euro

Professional activity and student job
It has to be pointed out that a professional activity in Belgium or a student job in view of a complement to one's resources, is difficult to find and heavily regulated (a work card is compulsory for students who are not from the European Union). Also, current legislation does not allow students to finance their studies only with "student jobs".

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Cost of living in Brussels

Appartment 400-650 without heating, mines are about 450 Euro excl.heating & electricity.
Electricity is about 25-35 Euro per month (on meter).
Heating 75 Euro per month provision and 200 Euro yearly cost.
Water is about 49 Euro for 3 months (it depends what you use all on meter).
Food, since the Euro came in it's 3 x the price, a bread is now 1,85 Euro.
Taxes a 1/3 of the monthly salary.
Clothing can be expensive or cheap it depends what you want.

Regards
Camille

Hi Camille! Thanks for this information!
Does anyone have an idea what the average income in Belgium is?

Angostino

Hi Veronique, thanks for that information!
Do you know if foreigners (from the EU) have to pay income tax in Belgium??

Angostino

Hi Véronique,

sorry, of course I'll give you more details. The thing is, that I'm going to study in Belgium for either 6 or 12 months, no problem so far. Now my girlfriend (who already finished her education) wants to come with me and work there. We're both Italian. To be honest, I don't even know if she first has to apply for a residence permit or something...it's quite complicated...

Regards
Angostino

Hi Agostino,
as Veronique seems to be disappeared ;) I have the following information for you:

An EU national is granted a temporary residence permit valid for three to five months, which can be renewed for a further three months once you’ve found a job and been registered with the Belgian Social Security system. You may then apply for an identity card and to be officially registered in the foreign population register. To obtain a temporary residence permit, simply register at the town hall of the commune where you’re staying within three days of your arrival in Belgium.

To apply for your identity card, whether you’re an EU national or not, you and family members over the age of 21 must go to the town hall in person to register. Children under the age of 12 will be issued a ‘name card’, while children between the ages of 12 and 15 can apply for a child’s card or an adult identity card. To apply for an identity card, each applicant needs three passport-size photos, a medical certificate, a police certificate ( certificat de bonne vie), plus a work permit and visa if you’re a non-EU national. The charge for the application varies from commune to commune, but is usually around €7.50. In some communes you may have to be fingerprinted.

Hope that helps!
Camille

Camille, that helps a lot, thank you!
So, where are you living in Belgium? Is it nice there?

Regards

Hi Agostino. Glad I could help you!
I'm currently living in a village nearby Aalst. It's quite nice there, but we're (my husband and my two kids) are currently planning to move to France! It's a dream to us :) We're trying to find a nice city, but it's quite tricky (we need a school and kindergarten nearby and a affordable house...).

Regards
Camille

Hi camille! Never heard of Aalst, I had to look it up in Wikipedia ;)
Well then, good luck to you and that your dream might come true!

Angostino

Thanks you Agostino, the same to you!
And if you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask!

Camille

im so glad ive read your discussions with Agostino...You were so kind...Im also asking the same questions as Agostino's...Im Resty from the Philippines..Its been my dream to study in Ghent..hope to hear from you..

i was reading your discussion with camille...we have the same questions..im also very interested to study there in Ghent...hope to hear from you..

There's a UN report on the cost of living in Belgium available online. It's from 2006, but I guess the cost of living in Belgium haven't change much since then. You can find it here: http://icsc.un.org/resources/pdfs/2006/pp/Belgium-06.pdf

Thanks for the information you had shared with Mr.Angostino.
I am married and planning to relocate to brussels. Is it sufficient if my net take home is 3000 euros per month?

Thanks
Siva

Hi All,

I have just discovered this web site and have enjoyed reading the discussions. I was wondering: Resty did you move to Gent? And if Camille and her family moved to France? My husband Jon, 9 yr. old daughter Aerial, and I are here from California. We would really like to stay the summer traveling around Brussels, with a home base in Gent. Jon is from London, but has lived in California for more than 20 years. We are thinking of moving to Europe.

This question is for anyone who would be so kind to answer. How might we find an apt. to sublet or find a good roommate to share expenses just for the summer? I don't think we would be there more than half the time. We are looking around Gent and our price range if sharing is somewhere around 300-350 Euros per month. Can anyone offer any ideas or know of something? Thanks so much. Looking forward to the Gent music festival. How about you?

Laura
Laura

Hi Camille!!

I wonder if you know about the cost of living in Louvain, because i'm from Chile, and my boyfriend and i, we want live together in Louvain for my studies in UCL and he works in the restaurant (chef de partie).

I hope you answer and help us!!!! please

Regards!!!
Estefanía Eaton

Hai
I am a Nurse from India.I have some doubt regarding cost of living and tax pay in Belgium.I hope you will help me.
1. If i get 3000 Euro per month how much I have to pay as tax.
2. What is the basic salay for a Nurse.

Regards
Sumandh

Hi Camile, my company is giving me a relocation to Belgium and I started looking at your thread. I enjoyed reading as it gave a lot of information. Well I wanted to learn something more on the total cost of living etc. in Belgium. more specifically on the most important expenses in Mechelen if possible - housing rental, car, monthly grocery cost for a family of 2. I will be grateful if you could provide some more insight in this area..

I am moving to Belgium. My employer has offered a base salary per month (before tax) is 3800 Euros.
How much will I end up paying as tax.
What is the decent salary to lead a comfortable lifestyle in Antwerp, Belgium?