Moving to Illinois from Belgium
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Belgium to Illinois — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Belgium to Illinois, you would find that Illinois is 10.9% more expensive than Belgium overall. A €65,577 salary in Belgium would need to be roughly $69,251 in Illinois to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Belgium to Illinois.
What does your salary buy?
€65,577 → $69,251
To maintain the same standard of living in Illinois
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 23.4% less
Groceries
pay 20.9% more
Transportation
pay 13.9% less
Housing
pay 26.0% more
Childcare
pay 82.6% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 7.7% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Belgium to Illinois, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Belgium to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
120.30,733
Belgium
Key Indicator Comparison
How Belgium and Illinois stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Belgium performs better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Belgium performs better than Illinois across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Illinois performs significantly better than Belgium across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Belgium performs better than Illinois across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Brussels | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) | 42°/25°F (6°/-4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) | 74°/52°F (23°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) | 83°/61°F (29°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) | 52°/33°F (11°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Brussels | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) | 35°/19°F (1.6°/-7.4°C) |
| Feb | 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.2°C) |
| Mar | 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) | 52°/32°F (11.2°/0.1°C) |
| Apr | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) | 65°/42°F (18.1°/5.8°C) |
| May | 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.4°C) |
| Jun | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.6°C) |
| Jul | 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.6°C) |
| Aug | 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) | 85°/64°F (29.4°/17.6°C) |
| Sep | 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) | 79°/55°F (26.1°/12.6°C) |
| Oct | 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) | 66°/44°F (19.1°/6.6°C) |
| Nov | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) | 52°/34°F (11.3°/1.1°C) |
| Dec | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) | 38°/22°F (3.5°/-5.3°C) |
Data:
Institut Royal Météorologique,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Belgium and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Belgium passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States passport holder visiting Belgium
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Illinois than Belgium?
Generally yes: Illinois runs about 8% cheaper than Belgium on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Illinois?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,577 comparable salary, that's around $17,313 in Illinois for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Illinois?
Working remotely from Illinois's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Belgium and Illinois.
How is healthcare in Illinois compared to Belgium?
Belgium performs better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Illinois compared to Belgium?
The average high temperature in Springfield is 63°F, compared to 57°F in Brussels. Springfield receives around 37.4 in of rainfall per year, while Brussels gets 32.3 in.
What language do they speak in Illinois?
The official language in Illinois is English. In Belgium, the official languages are Dutch, French and German.
