Brussels vs Chicago - Cost of Living Comparison

Brussels Chicago
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1578
$2372
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3906
$5663
🏠 One person rent
$885
$1412
🏘️ Family rent
$1526
$2402
🍽️ Food expenses
$480
$585
🚐 Transport expenses
$84.4
$210
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$2881
$5314
😷 Air quality
Good
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
11 km
15 km
🎓 Higher education
97
100
😀 Quality of life
90
96
🏙️ Population
189K
2.75M

The cost of living in Brussels is 33% less expensive than in Chicago. Cities ranked 2591st and 254th ($1578 vs $2372) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 3rd and 195th in Belgium and the United States, respectively. Check Belgium vs the United States comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.8 months in Brussels compared to 2.2 months in Chicago. Brussels ranked 1st best city to live in Belgium vs Chicago ranked 1st in the United States, while ranked 128th and 11th among best cities to live in the world.

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Cost of living in Brussels vs Chicago infographic

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Prices in Brussels vs Chicago

Prices for goods and services in Brussels and Chicago are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

Brussels Chicago
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$14
$16.8
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$64.2
$62.8
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$9.91
$9.52
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$5.24
$5.86
☕ Cappuccino
$3.55
$5.14
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.57
$2.6
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$854
$1692
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$692
$1112
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1532
$3028
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1243
$1930
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$114
$124
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$178
$192
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$47.2
$60.8
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
1.79%
5.59%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$4253
$4099
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$3593
$2764
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$2.68
$2.5
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$54.5
$77.1
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$22.9
$17.1
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$2
$1.21
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.13
$1.04
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.77
$2.81
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.68
$3.12
🥚 Eggs, x12
$4.05
$4.12
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12.8
$13.8
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10.7
$12
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$18.3
$16.4
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.35
$4.41
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.66
$1.59
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.55
$3.66
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.87
$4.1
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.42
$1.99
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.26
$2.11
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.71
$1.51
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$3.16
$2.21
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$8.26
$15.6
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.09
$2.75
🚬 Cigarette pack
$8.35
$15.6
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$10.4
$10.5
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$4.12
$5.76
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.86
$4.92
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$2.48
$1.98
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$34.1
$63.1
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$12.3
$14.5
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$37.1
$101
💇 Haircut, simple
$23.9
$26.3
👖 Brand Jeans
$90.2
$59.8
👟 Brand Sneakers
$93.6
$92.3
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$921
$1798
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$24215
$21587

Cost of living in other countries

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Brussels

Distance City Cost of living
3.2 km or 2 mi Schaerbeek
$1413
3.3 km or 2.1 mi Saint-Gilles
$1345
4 km or 2.5 mi Anderlecht
$1410
4.2 km or 2.6 mi Forest
$1438
4.5 km or 2.8 mi Woluwe-Saint-Lambert
$1371
6.2 km or 3.8 mi Watermael-Boitsfort
$1407
7.3 km or 4.6 mi Dilbeek
$1414
10 km or 6.3 mi Sint-Pieters-Leeuw
$1457
10 km or 6.4 mi Vilvoorde
$1454
11 km or 6.8 mi Tervuren
$1708
15 km or 9 mi Overijse
$1407
15 km or 9.1 mi Waterloo
$1448
15 km or 9.1 mi Halle
$1408
17 km or 11 mi Zemst
$1390
19 km or 12 mi Braine-l'Alleud
$1479
19 km or 12 mi Rixensart
$1405
21 km or 13 mi Mechelen
$1425
21 km or 13 mi Tubize
$1443
23 km or 14 mi Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve
$1410
23 km or 14 mi Wavre
$1391
23 km or 15 mi Herent
$1312
24 km or 15 mi Ninove
$1408
24 km or 15 mi Aalst
$1418
25 km or 15 mi Leuven
$1551
26 km or 16 mi Dendermonde
$1372
28 km or 17 mi Nivelles
$1389
31 km or 20 mi Braine-le-Comte
$1406
35 km or 22 mi Lier
$1403
35 km or 22 mi Geraardsbergen
$1252
36 km or 23 mi Heist-op-den-Berg
$1389
37 km or 23 mi Mortsel
$1556
37 km or 23 mi Aarschot
$1351
37 km or 23 mi Soignies
$1408
38 km or 23 mi Zottegem
$1401
38 km or 24 mi Lokeren
$1449
38 km or 24 mi Sint-Niklaas
$1466
40 km or 25 mi Gembloux
$1338
40 km or 25 mi Beveren
$1558
41 km or 26 mi Tienen
$1505
41 km or 26 mi Antwerp
$1537

Cities near Chicago

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 7 mi Cicero
$2010
14 km or 8.8 mi Berwyn
$2103
14 km or 8.9 mi Oak Park
$2132
16 km or 10 mi Elmwood Park
$2011
18 km or 11 mi Maywood
$2010
18 km or 11 mi Evanston
$2114
19 km or 12 mi Skokie
$2022
19 km or 12 mi Burbank
$2008
20 km or 12 mi Melrose Park
$2016
21 km or 13 mi Oak Lawn
$2012
22 km or 14 mi Morton Grove
$2020
22 km or 14 mi Niles
$2051
23 km or 14 mi Park Ridge
$2008
23 km or 14 mi Wilmette
$2021
25 km or 16 mi Blue Island
$2014
26 km or 16 mi Elmhurst
$2023
27 km or 17 mi Glenview
$2025
28 km or 17 mi Des Plaines
$1890
28 km or 18 mi Dolton
$2010
29 km or 18 mi Villa Park
$2016
30 km or 19 mi Harvey
$2021
30 km or 19 mi East Chicago
$1902
30 km or 19 mi Westmont
$2009
31 km or 19 mi Calumet
$2014
31 km or 20 mi South Holland
$2020
32 km or 20 mi Lombard
$1995
32 km or 20 mi Hammond
$2009
32 km or 20 mi Oak Forest
$2021
33 km or 20 mi Northbrook
$2011
33 km or 20 mi Mount Prospect
$2021
33 km or 20 mi Darien
$2020
33 km or 21 mi Elk Grove Village
$2015
34 km or 21 mi Downers Grove
$2017
35 km or 22 mi Orland Park
$2016
36 km or 22 mi Lansing
$2013
36 km or 22 mi Glen Ellyn
$2012
37 km or 23 mi Highland Park
$2012
37 km or 23 mi Munster
$2015
37 km or 23 mi Tinley Park
$2016
37 km or 23 mi Wheeling
$2022