Moving to Belgium from Hong Kong
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Hong Kong to Belgium — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Hong Kong to Belgium, you would find that Belgium is 15.4% more expensive than Hong Kong overall. A HK$587,936 salary in Hong Kong would need to be roughly €50,287 in Belgium to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch, French and German. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Brussels averages 57°F vs 79°F in Hong Kong, making it significantly cooler.
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How your spending power changes when you relocate from Hong Kong to Belgium.
What does your salary buy?
HK$587,936 → €50,287
To maintain the same standard of living in Belgium
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.4 times more
Groceries
pay 14.5% less
Transportation
pay 4.9% more
Housing
pay 4.8% more
Childcare
pay 29.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 16.8% less
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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Key Indicator Comparison
How Hong Kong and Belgium stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Hong Kong performs better than Belgium across all safety metrics.
What about the environment?
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Hong Kong performs better than Belgium across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Belgium generally does better on infrastructure, though Hong Kong leads in internet access.
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
Hong Kong generally does better on employment & economy, though Belgium leads in poverty 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
Hong Kong generally does better on family life, though Belgium leads in education spending.
Data: Inland Revenue Department, Hong Kong, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Hong Kong | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 68°/61°F (20°/16°C) | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 83°/75°F (28°/24°C) | 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 88°/80°F (31°/27°C) | 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/68°F (24°/20°C) | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Hong Kong | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 66°/58°F (18.7°/14.6°C) | 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) |
| Feb | 67°/60°F (19.4°/15.3°C) | 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) |
| Mar | 71°/64°F (21.9°/17.6°C) | 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) |
| Apr | 78°/70°F (25.6°/21.1°C) | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) |
| May | 84°/76°F (28.8°/24.5°C) | 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) |
| Jun | 87°/80°F (30.7°/26.5°C) | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) |
| Jul | 89°/80°F (31.6°/26.9°C) | 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) |
| Aug | 88°/80°F (31.3°/26.7°C) | 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) |
| Sep | 87°/79°F (30.5°/26.1°C) | 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) |
| Oct | 83°/75°F (28.1°/23.9°C) | 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) |
| Nov | 76°/69°F (24.5°/20.3°C) | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) |
| Dec | 69°/61°F (20.4°/16.2°C) | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) |
Hong Kong Observatory
Institut Royal MétéorologiqueVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Hong Kong 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.
Hong Kong passport holder visiting Belgium
Visa Free
Belgium passport holder visiting Hong Kong
Visa FreeData: 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 Hong Kong?
Generally yes: Belgium runs about 23% cheaper than Hong Kong on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Belgium?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a HK$587,936 comparable salary, that's around €12,572 in Belgium for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Belgium?
With 43.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Belgium can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Hong Kong and Belgium.
Is Belgium safe for expats?
Hong Kong performs better than Belgium across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Belgium is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.4 in Hong Kong.
What's the weather like in Belgium compared to Hong Kong?
The average high temperature in Brussels is 57°F, compared to 79°F in Hong Kong. Brussels receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while Hong Kong gets 95.7 in.
What language do they speak in Belgium?
The official languages in Belgium are Dutch, French and German. In Hong Kong, the official languages are Chinese and English.
