Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Belgium instead of New York, you would:

Health

be 30.3% less likely to be obese

In New York, 29.9% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Belgium, that number is 20.9% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 34.3% more likely to be unemployed

In New York, 4.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Belgium, that number is 5.9% as of 2025.

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make 34.0% less money

New York has a GDP per capita of $91,992 as of 2024, while in Belgium, the GDP per capita is $60,750 as of 2025.

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Sources: World Bank (2025), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024). How we calculate this

Compare further: New York vs. Belgium

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Belgium is 24.6% cheaper than New York
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Size Comparison · See true size
New York is about 4 times bigger than Belgium.
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Moving from New York to Belgium · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
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City Size Comparison · See true size
Compare the size of New York City vs Antwerp
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Belgium: At a glance

Belgium is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 30,278 sq km. Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Political divisions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy. Its capital, Brussels, is home to numerous international organizations including the EU and NATO.
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How big is Belgium compared to New York? See an in-depth size comparison.

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