Moving to Belgium from Greece

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Greece to Belgium — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Greece to Belgium, you would find that Belgium is 41.6% more expensive than Greece overall. A €67,000 salary in Greece would need to be roughly €94,800 in Belgium to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch, French and German. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Brussels averages 57°F vs 72°F in Athens, making it significantly cooler.

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Is Belgium cheaper than Greece?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 47.6% more

Groceries

pay 25.4% more

Transportation

pay 13.8% more

Housing

pay 63.5% more

Childcare

pay 2.8 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 14.7% more

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.

What salary do you need in Belgium?

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → €94,800

To maintain the same standard of living in Belgium

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 Belgium cost about 28% more than cities in Greece.

Greece

Xanthi 43%
Kavala 42%

Belgium

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

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Greece to Belgium, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
1,528 ↓ 1% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to Belgium?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Greece to Belgium.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

GR
0.8
BE
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GR
7.3
BE
4.6

Greece generally does better on safety, though Belgium leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

GR
$3,454
BE
$7,489
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GR
65.8
BE
35.7

Greece 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

GR
23.0
BE
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GR
5.0t
BE
7.3t

Greece generally does better on environment, though Belgium leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GR
44.7
BE
44.2
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GR
20.3%
BE
52.8%

Greece generally does better on infrastructure, though Belgium leads in electricity per capita.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

GR
8.5%
BE
5.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

GR
$26,948
BE
$60,750

Belgium generally does better on employment & economy, though Greece leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

GR
81.8 yrs
BE
82.3 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GR
3.2
BE
3.1

Belgium performs significantly better than Greece across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), GSIS, Greece (2016), Service Public Fédéral Finances (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Belgium vs Greece

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Athens Rain: 16.3 in/yr (414 mm)
72° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Athens Brussels
Jan–Mar 57°/42°F (14°/6°C) 45°/34°F (7°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/57°F (26°/14°C) 63°/47°F (17°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/67°F (32°/20°C) 70°/54°F (21°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) 50°/40°F (10°/4°C)
View all months
Month Athens Brussels
Jan 54°/41°F (12.5°/5.2°C) 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C)
Feb 56°/42°F (13.5°/5.4°C) 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C)
Mar 60°/44°F (15.7°/6.7°C) 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C)
Apr 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.6°C) 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C)
May 79°/57°F (26.0°/13.9°C) 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C)
Jun 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.2°C) 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C)
Jul 92°/69°F (33.5°/20.8°C) 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C)
Aug 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C) 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C)
Sep 85°/63°F (29.2°/17.3°C) 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C)
Oct 74°/56°F (23.3°/13.4°C) 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C)
Nov 65°/50°F (18.1°/9.8°C) 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C)
Dec 57°/44°F (14.1°/6.8°C) 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C)

Data: Hellenic National Meteorological Service Hellenic National Meteorological Service, Institut Royal Météorologique Institut Royal Météorologique

Can you move from Greece to Belgium?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Greece 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.

Greece passport

Greece passport holder visiting Belgium

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

Belgium passport holder visiting Greece

Visa Free
Belgium passport holders can enter Greece 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 Belgium than Greece?

No — Belgium is on average about 42% more expensive than Greece. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Belgium?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €23,700 in Belgium on a €67,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Belgium?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Belgium has 44.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Belgium safe for expats?

Greece generally does better on safety, though Belgium leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Belgium is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Greece.

How is healthcare in Belgium compared to Greece?

Greece generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium leads in health coverage index. There are 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Belgium, compared to 65.8 in Greece. Belgium scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Greece: 77).

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

The average high temperature in Brussels is 57°F, compared to 72°F in Athens. Brussels receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while Athens gets 16.3 in.

What language do they speak in Belgium?

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

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At a Glance

GR BE
Population 10,413,962 11,941,781
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages Greek Dutch, French, German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +30 +32
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112