Moving to Belgium from Canada
What to Expect
Considering a move from Canada to Belgium? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Canada to Belgium, you would find that Belgium is 3.1% more expensive than Canada overall. A CA$110,000 salary in Canada would need to be roughly €71,000 in Belgium to maintain the same lifestyle.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Canada and Belgium.
What does your salary buy?
CA$110,000 → €71,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Belgium
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 31.5% more
Groceries
pay 10.7% less
Transportation
pay 27.4% more
Housing
pay 13.9% less
Childcare
pay 46.0% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.7% 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.
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 3% less than cities in Canada.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Canada to Belgium.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Belgium compared to Canada.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Belgium generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in feel safe walking at night.
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
Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Canada 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
Canada 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
Canada generally does better on employment & economy, though Belgium leads in unemployment 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
Belgium performs significantly better than Canada across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Canada Revenue Agency (2016), Service Public Fédéral Finances (2016), The World Factbook (2008). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Ottawa | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) | 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Ottawa | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) | 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) |
| Feb | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) | 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) |
| Mar | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) | 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) |
| Apr | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) |
| May | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) | 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) |
| Jun | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) |
| Jul | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) | 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) |
| Aug | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) | 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) |
| Sep | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) | 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) |
| Oct | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) | 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) |
| Nov | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) |
| Dec | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service of Canada,
Institut Royal Météorologique
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Canada 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.
Canada passport holder visiting Belgium
Visa Free
Belgium passport holder visiting Canada
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 Canada?
On average Belgium is around 3% pricier than Canada, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Belgium?
Budget about €17,750 for 3 months in Belgium (based on a CA$110,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Belgium?
Connectivity is usually fine (Belgium: 44.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Belgium offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Belgium safe for expats?
Belgium generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Belgium is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.0 in Canada. About 62% of people in Belgium feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Belgium compared to Canada?
Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index. There are 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Belgium, compared to 28.2 in Canada. Belgium scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Canada: 91).
What's the weather like in Belgium compared to Canada?
The average high temperature in Brussels is 57°F, compared to 52°F in Ottawa. Brussels receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while Ottawa gets 37.1 in.
What language do they speak in Belgium?
The official languages in Belgium are Dutch, French and German. In Canada, the official languages are English and French.
