Moving to Belgium from New York
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from New York to Belgium — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from New York to Belgium, you would find that Belgium is 24.6% cheaper than New York. A $75,000 salary in New York would need to be roughly €50,500 in Belgium to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch, French and German.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Belgium cheaper than New York?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 6.8% more
Groceries
pay 25.9% less
Transportation
pay 8.5% more
Housing
pay 45.3% less
Childcare
pay 36.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 24.9% 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.
What salary do you need in Belgium?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €50,500
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 24% less than cities in New York.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Belgium
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from New York to Belgium, based on official data.
people moved from United States to Belgium · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New York to Belgium.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Belgium performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Belgium performs significantly better than New York across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
New York generally does better on employment & economy, though Belgium leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Belgium performs significantly better than New York across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Belgium vs New York
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | New York City | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/30°F (6°/-1°C) | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/66°F (27°/19°C) | 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/41°F (12°/5°C) | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | New York City | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°/27°F (3.5°/-2.8°C) | 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) |
| Feb | 42°/29°F (5.3°/-1.7°C) | 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) |
| Mar | 50°/35°F (9.8°/1.8°C) | 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) |
| Apr | 61°/45°F (16.2°/7.1°C) | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) |
| May | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.2°C) | 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) |
| Jun | 79°/64°F (26.3°/17.6°C) | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) |
| Jul | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.4°C) | 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) |
| Aug | 83°/68°F (28.1°/19.9°C) | 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) |
| Sep | 75°/61°F (24.0°/16.0°C) | 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) |
| Oct | 64°/50°F (17.7°/10.0°C) | 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) |
| Nov | 54°/42°F (12.1°/5.3°C) | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) |
| Dec | 43°/32°F (6.1°/0.0°C) | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Institut Royal Météorologique
Can you move from New York to Belgium?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Belgium
Visa Free
Belgium passport holder visiting United States
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 New York?
Yes — Belgium is on average about 25% cheaper than New York. 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 €12,625 in Belgium on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Belgium?
Usually fine from major cities in Belgium. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Belgium compared to New York?
Belgium performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Belgium compared to New York?
The average high temperature in Brussels is 57°F, compared to 62°F in New York City. Brussels receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while New York City gets 49.9 in.
What language do they speak in Belgium?
The official languages in Belgium are Dutch, French and German. In New York, the official language is English.
