Moving to Pennsylvania from Belgium

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Belgium to Pennsylvania? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Belgium to Pennsylvania, you would find that Pennsylvania is 12.2% more expensive than Belgium overall. A €67,000 salary in Belgium would need to be roughly $84,200 in Pennsylvania 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 ↓

Is Pennsylvania cheaper than Belgium?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 17.4% less

Groceries

pay 23.7% more

Transportation

pay 17.6% less

Housing

pay 35.0% more

Childcare

pay 64.6% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 12.6% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (November 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.

What salary do you need in Pennsylvania?

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → $84,200

To maintain the same standard of living in Pennsylvania

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 Pennsylvania cost about 7% more than cities in Belgium.

Belgium

Brugge 56%
Hasselt 55%
Mons 53%
Charleroi 52%

Pennsylvania

Lancaster 65%
Bethlehem 62%
Allentown 60%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Pennsylvania

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Belgium to Pennsylvania.

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

The numbers behind daily life in Pennsylvania compared to Belgium.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate World Health Organization, 2024

share of adults with obesity

BE
20.9%
PA
34.4%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access World Bank, 2024

share of households with internet

BE
95.8%
PA
88.8%

Belgium performs better than Pennsylvania across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

BE
5.9%
PA
3.7%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

BE
$60,750
PA
$61,506

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

BE
82.3 yrs
PA
76.8 yrs

Belgium performs better than Pennsylvania across all family life metrics.

Weather in Pennsylvania vs Belgium

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Philadelphia Rain: 41.5 in/yr (1055 mm)
65° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Brussels Philadelphia
Jan–Mar 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) 46°/29°F (8°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) 74°/54°F (23°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) 83°/66°F (29°/19°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) 56°/39°F (13°/4°C)
View all months
Month Brussels Philadelphia
Jan 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) 40°/26°F (4.6°/-3.6°C)
Feb 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) 44°/28°F (6.6°/-2.4°C)
Mar 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) 53°/34°F (11.5°/1.3°C)
Apr 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) 64°/44°F (17.7°/6.7°C)
May 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) 74°/54°F (23.2°/12.2°C)
Jun 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) 83°/64°F (28.2°/17.7°C)
Jul 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) 87°/69°F (30.6°/20.7°C)
Aug 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) 85°/68°F (29.6°/19.9°C)
Sep 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.7°C)
Oct 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) 67°/48°F (19.2°/9.1°C)
Nov 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) 56°/39°F (13.3°/4.0°C)
Dec 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) 45°/30°F (7.1°/-1.1°C)

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

Can you move from Belgium to Pennsylvania?

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 Pennsylvania than Belgium?

On average Pennsylvania is around 12% pricier than Belgium, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Pennsylvania?

Budget about $21,050 for 3 months in Pennsylvania (based on a €67,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Pennsylvania?

From major Pennsylvania cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Belgium and Pennsylvania are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Pennsylvania compared to Belgium?

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

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

The average high temperature in Philadelphia is 65°F, compared to 57°F in Brussels. Philadelphia receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Brussels gets 32.3 in.

What language do they speak in Pennsylvania?

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

Share this

At a Glance

BE
Population 11,941,781 13,059,432
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