How Much Does It Cost to Live In Leuven?
When it comes to the most affordable cities in Belgium, Leuven might be a perfect choice for those who are not seeking the hustle of the capital city, but still do not want the countryside to be their place of residence.
Before traveling to Leuven, every person needs to think about his/her budget as the following possible costs can exceed it.
Make sure that your earnings, no matter whether you get the salary in your country or in Belgium, will be enough to cover basic needs.
Belgium : Cost of Living by City
RESTAURANTS
Even though it is more affordable than the capital city, Leuven is not at all inexpensive.
You should check some restaurant and alcohol prices if you love to eat out.
Domestic beer is rather affordable which is not the case in many of the neighboring countries.
MARKETS
It is highly recommended not dine out frequently as it will not be good for your budget.
Restaurants should be visited in your free time as a means of entertainment, rather than the places of nutrition.
Food is more affordable when prepared at home with the fresh ingredients bought at the local markets.
TRANSPORTATION
How much money you will need for transportation completely depends on you and your habits.
If you are fond of driving, commuting by car would be quite expensive here due to the price of gasoline.
If you are more into saving, you can use a public transport and pay $44 per month.
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
Of all the utilities, mobile phone calls are the cheapest.
It is interesting that utilities are more expensive here than in Brussels.
You will need to pay more than $230 per month for electricity, garbage and the Internet.
SPORTS & LEISURE
Leisure time can be spent in the cinemas where you will have to pay $12 for a ticket.
The same price has to be paid for the tennis court rent, for just one hour, if you want to practice tennis in Leuven.
Fitness clubs are not too expensive, ranging for $30 to $35 per month.
CLOTHING & SHOES
Clothing items are less expensive here than in Brussels.
The difference in price is not high, but it still exists.
It is not unusual that the least money is given for it, since it is difficult to leave some money aside after all the expenses are paid.
RENT PER MONTH
When you think about accommodation in Leuven, before coming there, it is good to get the necessary information about prices on the Web.
Then, based on your needs, you can decide which one is the cheapest for you, due to the major differences in price between apartments in the city center and out of it.
Cost of Living Averages Table for Leuven
*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $13.64 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $3.41 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $2.55 | Average Market Prices |
| Milk (1 Liter) | $3.67 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $1.76 |
| Eggs (12) | $1.93 | Average Transport Prices |
| One Way Ticket | $3.41 |
| Monthly Pass | $44.33 |
| Gasoline | $6.17 | Average Utilities Prices |
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $164.86 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.13 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $58.08 | Average Leisure Prices |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $35.24 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $12.50 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $12.39 | Average Clothing Prices |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $97.48 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $36 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $97.26 | Average Rent Prices |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $801.41 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $696.26 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $1371.21 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Leuven?
Before coming to a new country which will be your future home country, a budget needs to be foreseen for all the necessary costs and the best way of getting to know this is buy taking a look at the spending habits of its citizens.
People from Leuven spend most of their earnings on rent and food.
As in any city, those are basic expenses that must be paid.
Then, there is transportation and restaurants which are frequently visited, according to the data which says that more money is given for it than for utilities.
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Average Costs Breakdown
Leuven: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
The good thing about Leuven is that the minimum and the average salary do not differ a lot.
It is estimated that the minimum salary is high enough to cover all the monthly needs of an economical person, and most of the citizens would say that it is true.
However, they probably have their own places there, so a lot of money is saved on rent.
For those who are interested in buying property in Leuven, mortgage interest rate is not so high, being 2.41%.
Cost of Living by City in Leuven
| City | Cost of Living Index |
|---|---|
| Antwerp | 74.88 |
| Brussels | 75.69 |
| Gent | 75.27 |
