Moving to Slovakia from Belgium

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Belgium to Slovakia, you would find that Slovakia is 32.1% cheaper than Belgium overall. A €67,000 salary in Belgium would need to be roughly €45,500 in Slovakia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Slovak.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Belgium and Slovakia.

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → €45,500

To maintain the same standard of living in Slovakia

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 47.4% less

Groceries

pay 20.2% less

Transportation

pay 27.8% less

Housing

pay 33.0% less

Childcare

pay 51.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 31.7% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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 Slovakia cost about 25% less than cities in Belgium.

Belgium

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

Slovakia

Poprad 42%
Trnava 40%
Trencin 40%
Zilina 38%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
2 ↓ 67% vs 2022

people moved from Belgium to Slovakia · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Slovakia?

Top countries of origin for Slovakia's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Slovakia compared to Belgium.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

BE
1.1
SK
1.1
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

BE
62%
SK
74%

Belgium generally does better on safety, though Slovakia leads in feel safe walking at night.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BE
$7,489
SK
$3,230
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BE
35.7
SK
37.0

Slovakia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BE
15.0
SK
30.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BE
7.3t
SK
5.5t

Belgium generally does better on environment, though Slovakia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BE
44.2
SK
33.8
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BE
52.8%
SK
2.4%

Belgium generally does better on infrastructure, though Slovakia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

BE
5.9%
SK
5.4%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

BE
$60,750
SK
$28,544

Belgium generally does better on employment & economy, though Slovakia leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

BE
82.3 yrs
SK
78.4 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BE
3.1
SK
5.3

Belgium performs better than Slovakia across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2013–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Service Public Fédéral Finances (2016), Tax Directorate, Slovakia (2016). How we calculate this

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

Bratislava Rain: 22.6 in/yr (574 mm)
61° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Brussels Bratislava
Jan–Mar 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) 44°/30°F (7°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) 71°/51°F (22°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) 78°/58°F (26°/15°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) 49°/37°F (9°/3°C)
View all months
Month Brussels Bratislava
Jan 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) 38°/27°F (3.1°/-2.8°C)
Feb 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) 42°/29°F (5.8°/-1.7°C)
Mar 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) 52°/35°F (11.1°/1.7°C)
Apr 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.0°C)
May 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) 71°/51°F (21.8°/10.6°C)
Jun 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.4°C)
Jul 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) 82°/61°F (27.8°/16.2°C)
Aug 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) 82°/61°F (27.6°/15.9°C)
Sep 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) 71°/53°F (21.9°/11.5°C)
Oct 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) 60°/44°F (15.6°/6.6°C)
Nov 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) 48°/37°F (9.0°/2.7°C)
Dec 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) 39°/29°F (3.7°/-1.5°C)

Data: Institut Royal Météorologique Institut Royal Météorologique, Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Belgium and Slovakia. To live, work, or study long-term in Slovakia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Slovakia's immigration authority.

Belgium passport

Belgium passport holder visiting Slovakia

Visa Free
Belgium passport holders can enter Slovakia without a visa.
Slovakia passport

Slovakia passport holder visiting Belgium

Visa Free
Slovakia 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 Slovakia than Belgium?

On average Slovakia is about 32% less expensive than Belgium, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Slovakia?

Budget about €11,375 for 3 months in Slovakia (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 Slovakia?

Connectivity is usually fine (Slovakia: 33.8 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Slovakia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Slovakia safe for expats?

Belgium generally does better on safety, though Slovakia leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Slovakia is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Belgium. About 74% of people in Slovakia feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Slovakia compared to Belgium?

Slovakia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium leads in health coverage index. There are 37.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Slovakia, compared to 35.7 in Belgium. Slovakia scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Belgium: 86).

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

The average high temperature in Bratislava is 61°F, compared to 57°F in Brussels. Bratislava receives around 22.6 in of rainfall per year, while Brussels gets 32.3 in.

What language do they speak in Slovakia?

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

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At a Glance

BE SK
Population 11,941,781 5,413,813
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages Dutch, French, German Slovak
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +32 +421
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112