Moving to Belgium from Ireland
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Ireland to Belgium — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Ireland to Belgium, you would find that Belgium is 8.4% more expensive than Ireland overall. A €65,577 salary in Ireland would need to be roughly €57,544 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.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Ireland to Belgium.
What does your salary buy?
€65,577 → €57,544
To maintain the same standard of living in Belgium
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 25.3% more
Groceries
pay 3.8% more
Transportation
pay 13.9% less
Housing
pay 19.9% less
Childcare
pay 53.5% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 18.2% 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Ireland to Belgium, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Ireland to Belgium.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Ireland performs better than Belgium across all safety metrics.
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 Ireland leads in suicide rate.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Ireland performs better than Belgium across all environment metrics.
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
Ireland 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
Ireland 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
Belgium performs significantly better than Ireland across all family life metrics.
Data: The Office of the Revenue Commissioners, 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 | Dublin | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/37°F (10°/3°C) | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/44°F (15°/7°C) | 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/52°F (19°/11°C) | 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/41°F (11°/5°C) | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Dublin | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C) | 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) |
| Feb | 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C) | 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) |
| Mar | 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C) | 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) |
| Apr | 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C) | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) |
| May | 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C) | 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) |
| Jun | 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C) | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) |
| Jul | 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C) | 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) |
| Aug | 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C) | 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) |
| Sep | 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C) | 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) |
| Oct | 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C) | 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) |
| Nov | 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C) | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) |
| Dec | 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C) | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) |
Data:
Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service,
Institut Royal Météorologique
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ireland 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.
Ireland passport holder visiting Belgium
Visa Free
Belgium passport holder visiting Ireland
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 Ireland?
Yes — Belgium is on average about 12% cheaper than Ireland. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Belgium?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €14,386 in Belgium on a €65,577 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 43.5 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?
Ireland performs better than Belgium across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Belgium is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.9 in Ireland. About 62% of people in Belgium feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Belgium compared to Ireland?
Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in suicide rate. There are 63.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Belgium, compared to 40.6 in Ireland. Belgium scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ireland: 83).
What's the weather like in Belgium compared to Ireland?
The average high temperature in Brussels is 57°F, compared to 56°F in Dublin. Brussels receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while Dublin gets 29.8 in.
What language do they speak in Belgium?
The official languages in Belgium are Dutch, French and German. In Ireland, the official languages are English and Irish.
