COST OF LIVING IN BELGIUM 2023 | With detailed prices

[@franciscosantoro3672]

This has been the most comprehensive and helpful video I have come across about Belgium. Thank you for sharing honest costs and ranges. It does not matter that they are only accurate at an extent. People can extrapolate to their own situations bases on most of your examples.

[@kkkk9652]

This was a pretty detailed video. Thank you. I will be moving to Brussels in next few months and this will be my first time in Europe so this information will definitely help

[@BARTGARMYN]

Hello, most of your health insurance is covered by the " sociale bijdrage" (social tax) which is 16 % added to your bruto wage ( paid by your employer) and 16 % paid by the employee himself. This explains the difference between bruto and netto wage. The small amount you pay yourself to mutuality is for some extras they offer. De annual "zorgbijdrage" of about 100 euro is an insurrance to pay part of the cost when you need care as an older person.

[@efesonmez7662]

Great content! Haven't seen someone who explains things better. Just to give you an idea, maybe you can make a video more like a guide for an EU citizen who is willing to move to Belgium, job opportunities and job searching portals for english speaking individuals. Also could be something like describing the sequence of what needs to be done. I think it might attract more attention if you name the title like "Moving to Belgium as an EU citizen in 2023?" or more like " A complete guide for EU citizens moving to Belgium" since making it more visible to those who search only with certain words. ❤

[@TheTruthAboutMigration]

Thanks for the kind words and the great tip! I might look into that indeed!

[@coupateric]

For transport, I found what is most expensive are IC trains especially on a per mile basis. If it is an option then public buses in Flanders actually are pretty reliable and for longer distance are great value. Tickets are EUR2.50 which is expensive if you go two stations but cheap if you do for example Leuven to Brussels

[@nilojaydeguzman4461]

Thank you so much for this video. It was really helpful.

[@21753117]

Subscribed! I just moved to Antwerp and your video has a lot of useful information.

[@mrugankaatrawalkar9101]

Is french or dutch conplulsary there. Im coming in brussels, have a job but my spouse will be looking for job in IT with 8 yrs if experience

[@ArunKumar-gx2gg]

Nora is it possible to get Job in Belgium after completing master's in Data Science in UK 🇬🇧 and I wanted to move to Belgium from UK 🇬🇧

[@Ruspsycho]

I pay 75 eu electricity in Berlin… they sometimes pay back around 20eu because I don’t use heating at winter.

[@mdjahidhasan8781]

Great, To be continued & give us communication way which way we can get forward qus & answer from you

[@John0481]

@TheTruthAboutMigration is there a monthly subscription, as in Germany 49 euro ticket where you could use everything in whole country expect fast trains

[@yunsha9986]

Hi thanks for the video, is it possible to also make a video about taxes specially breakdown on the average belgian salary.

[@davidcollier6520]

Thanks very much for posting this, it was really well presented and very helpful. You didn't mention TV at all, do you have a TV subscription and did you buy a TV or do you just use devices? We'd probably subscribe and buy a TV and also get some SIMs for our mobiles.

[@Followyourpassions]

Meanwhile i pay 430€/month for the house I bought 10 years ago and renovated🤔. Half open house with garden.. Electricity and heating : 150€/month. Water 270€/year. Insurance 500€/year. Internet(unlimited) / tv : 55€/month. Healthinsurance : 30€/month. Food 250€/month. Car :50€/month. Don't know why you pay 25€ for a doctor visit..a visit is for me 4€😉. Dental care is most of the time not covered very well. If you go every year you don't pay as much. Grtz from belgium.

[@TheTruthAboutMigration]

Thank you for sharing! Indeed the figures are a lot higher when we are talking about houses, I lived in an apartment until now and I see the difference as I moved to a very small house. Definitely something to cover in my next video, thanks for calling my attention to this!

[@Followyourpassions]

​ 430€ mortage a month is cheaper compared to an appartement in the city😉. I bought it with a social loan. Depending on your income. The company is called VMSW. Vlaamse Maatschappij Voor Sociaal Wonen. You can find cheap houses and appartments in Belgium. Away from city's. Im living not to far from from a city. Still close but it makes a big difference. As example... For 430€ you rent a small 1 room studio in Ghent city. I bought it 10 years ago.. Prices will be higher now. Social loan means I almost pay 0% interest. I live alone and was still able to buy a house. Location is very depending for pricing.

[@Pavlo-l6d]

Meanwhile 3k eur for the asshole without bills. Dublin 😢

[@FishHeavens]

Not all is like you say ,depend where you live ,sometimes you can't els then taking the expensief internet becouse the arena you live have bad internet with thous cheap providers ,also electricity you say ,this video is 11 months old i payed for my electricity then 300+ euros and i had social tarief that time ,for social tarief thats alot ,now i even stil pay monthly 151 euros

[@stefanmunteanu66]

After almost 9 years of living in London, Belgium sounds great! Thank you for the content, it's much appreciated.

[@TheTruthAboutMigration]

Thanks so much for your kind words! 😊 9 years wow, respect!

[@Pavlo-l6d]

Jesus 9 years in that horrible place... 😮

[@guyvandurme7228]

3 months deposit is against the law ! If you did, you should complain ! The official law says 2 months anywhere.

[@yassminedabagh8082]

@guyvandurme7228 Hi please i will study master Law in belgium..do u think theres a work for tha field??!

[@guyvandurme7228]

@@yassminedabagh8082 I think there is but the places are rare so be the best ( but I assume as usual)

[@Pretendingtobeaasad]

What is the dormitory fee in leuven?

[@somyanigam8197]

I would be moving to Antwerp early next year as a PhD student. I feel now Antwerp is really really expensive. I will be getting a decent stipend, can you suggest some safe areas and cost effective place to live? Plus, how much do you think a student should be having to live a comfortable life in Antwerp without feeling the urge to leave the studies?

[@TheTruthAboutMigration]

Hi there, my next two videos are gonna be exactly about thesw topics: the different neighbourhoods in Antwerp and everything you need to know as a student moving to Antwerp! Stay tuned ❤ It really depends on where you are moving from. I feel like it's a lot more expensive than Eastern Europe (where I came from) but a lot better than London, especially when it comes to housing and utilities.

[@skoub3466]

700 is the cheapest appartement you can find cities in belgium

[@filipbries7078]

Brussels and Antwerp are expensieve. If you choose to live more on the countryside is it much cheaper.

[@tr0ph_huntr634]

Antwerp is 100% EXPENSIVE!!!!! believe me 😉 also, Antwerp is (i live in Berchem) expensive if you have a property! The taxes on your house in Antwerp is ridicolous! Oh, and Wilrijk is not a 'really really nice neighberhood'.. it's ok, but surely not that great. Berchem is 10 times nicer. And more beautiful

[@vikramdillikar2254]

Indexation law that you explained was not fully right

[@vikramdillikar2254]

Overall it was a good one

[@_cljana]

I have just moved to Brussels ! Also creating YT content :) Good videos !! Should meet at some point !

[@TheTruthAboutMigration]

Hi Jana, awesome, we definitely should! :) Curious about your opinion of Brussels and Belgium, I'll definitely check out your content & subscribe to your channel

[@envisionpigeon]

You can't be an immigrant in the EU if you're from another EU member state. It's literally impossible to immigrate as a) you can't take the citizenship of another EU country if you already are one in a member state and b) the free movement principle removes any immigration formalities.

[@hvhvgitaar]

You’re mixing things up. Migration is about changing your residence, which is not the same as taking on citizenship. If you move from your home EU country to another EU country you are still a migrant. You still need to register as a resident, but if it’s within the EU, and you have a job, you can register, and you have access to schools for your kids and to healthcare. Those are the rules for “free movement”.

[@Davis153]

Love you and best vedio❤❤❤❤❤❤, India

[@TheTruthAboutMigration]

Many thanks!! 😊

[@muhammadmeraj4069]

How to get work visa Belgium can you help me..

[@TheTruthAboutMigration]

Hey there, I am not an official of course, but this it what I found, I hope it helps ♥ www.belgium.be/en/work/coming_to_work_in_belgium/work_permit

[@TheTruthAboutMigration]

Another very useful explanation of the work visas: www.expatica.com/be/moving/visas/belgium-work-visas-422637/#indefinite

[@muhammadmeraj4069]

@@TheTruthAboutMigration Thanks I will check Thanks a lot...

[@muhammadmeraj4069]

@@TheTruthAboutMigration I am seeking job IT consultant.. In Belgium.. Did u sent nice link I m from Pakistan.. Can I have your WhatsApp number? Regarding job or work visa...

[@muhammadmeraj4069]

@@JFJ12 OK I don't need visa your country, I m living in Canada.....

[@cristianm_b]

Thank you for the valuable information! How would you say the prices would change between a single person and a couple? I will be arriving with my wife at the end of October. We need to have a good estimate for the first months, if you can think of some expenses that we should take into account when arriving for the first time, I would be grateful :) I would also like you to talk about second-hand stores and some more advice for people arriving in Antwerp or Belgium in general. Nice content!

[@TheTruthAboutMigration]

I would say for two people, definitely count for at least 150 euros per week for food. (Even more if you eat a lot of meat). Everything else depends on what kind of apartment you move into, make sure to check the EPC and how much common costs you'll have to pay before renting something. And make sure to save up a lot for the security deposit because it's a huge expense having to pay 3 months' rent + first month's rent at once 🫤 Best of luck and lots of happiness for you two in your new life in Belgium!

[@XhitswishX]

Good video but... I think your realistic cost price's are litlle low.. appart of your appartement's rent everything ells is allot more exepensife 😅 maybe its just me 🤷 Family with 2 kids we pay monthly: 1500€ down payment on our house. 250€ gas and electricity. 150€ phone and internet. 350€ downpayment car. +-200€ gas for car. 50€ water. 200-300€ food. 200€ kindergarden. 100€ toys. 200€ clothes 500€ saving account. Each kid 100€ x2 safing account. 100€ pension saving account. Whats remains is for fun 🙈. I make around 2.6k and my wife 2.5k after taxes. 160€ food cheques. 1 business car incl free gas. Free health insurance for the family. We are 29 and 31 years old. I think the majority of family's in belguim can relate to this monthly living situation 🤷 But then again i might be wrong.

[@625as-pj5mg]

Could you tell me what you and your spouse do? I wonder how stressful life is in Belgium

[@XhitswishX]

I work as a Quality controller (i work on the road checking multiple work sites on their Quality and Safety) 8 houre work day (32 paid Vacation days). My wife is a teacher in middel school age 6-11 years. ( Idk how many days paid Vacation 🙈 but allot). We both live 15mins from our work. Can't say Belgium is stressfull..

[@625as-pj5mg]

@@XhitswishX Compared with Italy and France, life in Belgium is indeed less stressful. But it is not easy to compare with my side, the exchange rate is not the same, the price is not the same. Your monthly gas, electricity, telephone and Internet charges are enough for me to last two years, and the monthly gas consumption is the same. My electricity bill is 0.13 euros per kilowatt hour, gas is 0.64 euros per cubic meter and gasoline is 1.1 euros per liter. Of course the same job earns only about 40%

[@Mr.Singhhh]

Moved here, applied for resident card and now I get money from the government haha

[@SamiraVL1665]

Schandalig!! En dat je er nog trots op bent ook ... Scandalous!! And that you are proud of it too...

[@TheTruthAboutMigration]

I hope you are also contributing to the society who welcomes you here and offers you the money. Belgium is a great country, we should all be grateful and appreciate that we can live here.

[@Mr.Singhhh]

yeah Yeah cry. If you work hard in belgium the government makes your life hell with sending bills each month and shit load of tax, then I realised why would I work hard if they are giving me all facilities without working and paying tax hahaha @@SamiraVL1665

[@mdjahidhasan8781]

Please give me a communication way, by way i can contact with you...

[@TheTruthAboutMigration]

Hi there, you can contact me on [e-mail]

[@yathanae]

The metro in antwerp is free!!

[@TheTruthAboutMigration]

Well today it was! (autoloze zondag)

[@PutsOnFlipFlops]

It's not free, only on special occasions

[@TheTruthAboutMigration]

@@PutsOnFlipFlops indeed, it's kind of expensive compared to other big cities in Europe (Barcelona, Budapest, I think even Paris metro was cheaper...)

[@miedgha9403]

Vous faites beaucoup d'horreurs pour les transport et les visites medecins et transports mutuelles.....;

[@SamiraVL1665]

What .... why you our doing this??? ! we have enough people in our little country!!

[@TheTruthAboutMigration]

Hi Samira, actually, you don't! Belgium has a rapidly aging population, which means that the birth rate is not high enough and the number of working, tax paying adults is radically decreasing every year. So in fact, you do need more people otherwise you won't have enough people to pay taxes. The economy will suffer and the retirement age will be pushed to 70, maybe even 75. You have a serious labour shortage and skills shortage already, so you should indeed welcome immigrants, expats, highly skilled people to your country!

[@SamiraVL1665]

@@TheTruthAboutMigration En wie ben jij omdat te bepalen ... als je de politiek op de voet volgt weet je dat je geen juiste info nu aan het delen bent! En wie ben jij om te gaan zegge´ dat er nog genoeg volk binnen kan!! En dan nog met zoveel attitude.... degoutant!! Ga je eigen land zo promoten kinneke en laat een ander met rust! Opgeblazen info is dit

[@SamiraVL1665]

@@TheTruthAboutMigration And who are you because to be determined... if you follow politics closely, you know that you are not sharing correct information now! And who are you to say that enough people can still get in!! And with so much attitude... disgusting!! Promote your own country like this, kinneke, and leave someone else alone! This is inflated information

[@SamiraVL1665]

@@TheTruthAboutMigration Te weinig bevolking hoe hilarische... Als België bevolking te kort komt ... dan zal deze zelf wel een oproep doen! Dit is niet aan een meisje dat amper uit hare pamper is ...

[@SamiraVL1665]

@@TheTruthAboutMigration Too little population how hilarious... If Belgium is short of population... then it will make an appeal itself! This isn't for a girl who's barely out of her diaper...