Moving to Belgium from Australia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Australia to Belgium — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Australia to Belgium, you would find that Belgium is 10.3% cheaper than Australia overall. A A$110,000 salary in Australia would need to be roughly €61,100 in Belgium to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch, French and German. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Brussels averages 57°F vs 72°F in Sydney, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Belgium cheaper than Australia?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 18.6% more
Groceries
pay 13.4% less
Transportation
pay 11.5% more
Housing
pay 19.9% less
Childcare
pay 23.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 25.5% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Belgium?
What does your salary buy?
A$110,000 → €61,100
To maintain the same standard of living in Belgium
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Belgium cost about 8% less than cities in Australia.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Belgium
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Australia to Belgium, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Australia to Belgium · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How Australia and Belgium stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Australia performs better than Belgium across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Australia generally does better on environment, though Belgium leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Australia generally does better on infrastructure, though Belgium leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Australia generally does better on employment & economy, though Belgium leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Australia generally does better on family life, though Belgium leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Australian Taxation Office (2016), Service Public Fédéral Finances (2016), The World Factbook (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Belgium vs Australia
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sydney | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 69°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) | 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 75°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sydney | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.6°C) | 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) |
| Feb | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.7°C) | 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) |
| Mar | 78°/65°F (25.4°/18.1°C) | 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) |
| Apr | 74°/60°F (23.3°/15.3°C) | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) |
| May | 69°/54°F (20.6°/12.5°C) | 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) |
| Jun | 64°/49°F (18.0°/9.7°C) | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) |
| Jul | 63°/48°F (17.4°/8.7°C) | 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) |
| Aug | 66°/49°F (18.9°/9.7°C) | 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) |
| Sep | 70°/54°F (21.2°/12.0°C) | 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) |
| Oct | 73°/58°F (22.8°/14.4°C) | 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) |
| Nov | 75°/61°F (23.8°/16.3°C) | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) |
| Dec | 78°/65°F (25.5°/18.3°C) | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) |
Bureau of Meteorology
Institut Royal MétéorologiqueCan you move from Australia to Belgium?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia and Belgium. To live, work, or study long-term in Belgium, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Belgium's immigration authority.
Australia passport holder visiting Belgium
Visa Free
Belgium passport holder visiting Australia
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Belgium than Australia?
Generally yes: Belgium runs about 10% cheaper than Australia on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Belgium?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a A$110,000 comparable salary, that's around €15,275 in Belgium for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Belgium?
With 44.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Belgium can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Australia and Belgium.
Is Belgium safe for expats?
Australia performs better than Belgium across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Belgium is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Australia.
How is healthcare in Belgium compared to Australia?
Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Belgium, compared to 40.9 in Australia. Belgium scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Australia: 87).
What's the weather like in Belgium compared to Australia?
The average high temperature in Brussels is 57°F, compared to 72°F in Sydney. Brussels receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while Sydney gets 48.1 in.
What language do they speak in Belgium?
The official languages in Belgium are Dutch, French and German. In Australia, the official language is English.
