Cost #20/31 · Cost of living · Europe · Eurostat PLI 2024
🇧🇪 Cost of living in Belgium
Belgium runs pricier than most of the EU-27 across rent, groceries and transport - see where the gap is widest and how far local income actually stretches.
- Cost rank · cheapest = #1 of 31
- #20
- Affordability rank · highest purchasing power = #1 of 29
- #7
Belgium's livability score
Livability score
46/100
Belgium, weighted across 8 of 8 tracked dimensions
A cost-and-income composite (price-level indices plus purchasing power), not an overall quality-of-life judgment, it does not weigh climate, safety, culture, or healthcare outcomes.
- Purchasing power B+ €31,299
Median net income adjusted for local cost level
- Overall cost F 119
Eurostat overall price level (EU27=100)
- Rent F 131
Housing / rent price level (EU27=100)
- Groceries D 105
Food and non-alcoholic beverages (EU27=100)
- Healthcare F 121
Healthcare price level (EU27=100)
- Transport F 108
Transport price level (EU27=100)
- Utilities F 101
Electricity / gas / water (EU27=100)
- Restaurants F 124
Restaurants and hotels (EU27=100)
Belgium: mid-pack 2024 Eurostat shift
Overall cost index changed -1.0 vs 2023 - a typical mid-pack European delta.
- Utilities index 116 101 2023 → 2024
Utilities index fell from 116 to 101 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Housing & utilities index 134 131 2023 → 2024
Housing & utilities index fell from 134 to 131 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Healthcare index 123 121 2023 → 2024
Healthcare index fell from 123 to 121 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Groceries index 104 105 2023 → 2024
Groceries index rose from 104 to 105 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Overall cost index 120 119 2023 → 2024
Overall cost index fell from 120 to 119 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
Belgium in the 100-119 cost band
On the EU-27 = 100 scale, Belgium's overall index (119) sits in the 100-119 band with 3 other published countries. The Europe-wide band mix lives on the rankings hub, not repeated here.
Category mix inside Belgium's mid EU band
Bars + gauge around the EU-27 = 100 mid band (119): where Belgium diverges inside an average-looking total.
Belgium - price level by category (EU-27 = 100)
🇧🇪 Belgium vs EU-27 = 100
Gauge reads the same overall cost_index (119); the tick marks the EU average.
In Belgium, housing & utilities is the most expensive category and utilities the least.
What the mid-band Belgium print actually shows
Belgium's overall consumer price level is 19% above the EU-27 average. (How this index is built →)
Housing and utilities lead the way in Belgium, the priciest category at index 131, ahead of utilities at index 101. Because housing and household energy are typically the largest lines in a household budget, that pulls overall affordability down more than an equally high index in a smaller category would.
That price gap trims real purchasing power here: because prices run above the EU average, the headline income of €31,299 is worth closer to €26,368 once translated into EU-27-average terms.
Eurostat PLI Basket · similar price levels and purchasing power
Two peer sets for Belgium: nearest overall price-level indices (EU-27 = 100) and nearest cost-adjusted incomes (median net income ÷ cost index). The cost band block above stays cohort-based; these neighborhoods vary by entity.
Similar overall cost index
Nearest countries by Eurostat price level (119 here, EU-27 = 100).
PLI neighbourhood · Belgium
Similar purchasing power
Nearest countries by cost-adjusted income (€26,368 here).
What to do with this Belgium data
Belgium ranks #7 of 29 for cost-adjusted purchasing power. A raw price index alone does not tell you whether income stretches further here than elsewhere.
- Run the numbers for Belgium in the calculator
- Compare Belgium vs Austria side by side
- See the full best-value ranking
- Browse every country we track
These are Eurostat comparative price-level averages for the whole country, not a personal budget. Regional and city-level costs can differ substantially from the national figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Belgium expensive to live in?
Belgium's overall cost of living is 19% above the EU-27 average (index 119). Housing & utilities is the priciest category and utilities the cheapest.
What are housing & utilities costs in Belgium?
Belgium's housing & utilities price index is 131, above the EU norm.
How does income compare to costs in Belgium?
That price gap trims real purchasing power here: because prices run above the EU average, the headline income of €31,299 is worth closer to €26,368 once translated into EU-27-average terms.
PlainCostOfLiving is rendered directly from Eurostat comparative price levels and median equivalised net income, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-08-20. Primary sources: Eurostat comparative price levels (prc_ppp_ind) and Eurostat median equivalised net income (ilc_di03).