Moving to Massachusetts from Belgium

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Belgium to Massachusetts — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Belgium to Massachusetts, you would find that Massachusetts is 31.6% more expensive than Belgium overall. A €65,577 salary in Belgium would need to be roughly $85,810 in Massachusetts to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Belgium to Massachusetts.

What does your salary buy?

€65,577 $85,810

To maintain the same standard of living in Massachusetts

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 11.5% less

Groceries

pay 36.9% more

Transportation

pay 13.5% less

Housing

pay 73.5% more

Childcare

pay 2.4 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 23.1% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.14 USD (July 2026)

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 Massachusetts, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
640 ↑ 12% vs 2022

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.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Belgium and Massachusetts stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

BE
22.1%
MA
28.8%

Belgium performs better than Massachusetts across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

BE
91.0%
MA
91.9%

Massachusetts performs significantly better than Belgium across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

BE
5.5%
MA
4.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

BE
$63,600
MA
$87,892

Massachusetts performs significantly better than Belgium across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BE
81.9 yrs
MA
79.0 yrs

Belgium performs better than Massachusetts across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Brussels Rain: 32.3 in/yr (820 mm)
57° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Boston Rain: 43.8 in/yr (1112 mm)
59° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Brussels Boston
Jan–Mar 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) 66°/50°F (19°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) 78°/62°F (25°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) 51°/38°F (11°/3°C)
View all months
Month Brussels Boston
Jan 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C)
Feb 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C)
Mar 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C)
Apr 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C)
May 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C)
Jun 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C)
Jul 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C)
Aug 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C)
Sep 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C)
Oct 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C)
Nov 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C)
Dec 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°C)

Data: Institut Royal Météorologique Institut Royal Météorologique, National Weather Service 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

Belgium passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Belgium passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Belgium

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Belgium without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Massachusetts than Belgium?

Day-to-day costs in Massachusetts run about 14% higher than Belgium on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Massachusetts?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,577 comparable salary, that's around $21,452 in Massachusetts for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Massachusetts?

Working remotely from Massachusetts's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Belgium and Massachusetts.

How is healthcare in Massachusetts compared to Belgium?

Belgium performs better than Massachusetts across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Massachusetts compared to Belgium?

The average high temperature in Boston is 59°F, compared to 57°F in Brussels. Boston receives around 43.8 in of rainfall per year, while Brussels gets 32.3 in.

What language do they speak in Massachusetts?

The official language in Massachusetts is English. In Belgium, the official languages are Dutch, French and German.

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At a Glance

BE
Population 11,847,338 6,547,629
Currency Euro (€) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Dutch, French, German English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +32 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 112 911