Moving to Belgium from Russia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Russia to Belgium — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Russia to Belgium, you would find that Belgium is 2.6 times more expensive than Russia overall. A RUB5,336,013 salary in Russia would need to be roughly €107,921 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 48°F in Moscow, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Russia to Belgium.
What does your salary buy?
RUB5,336,013 → €107,921
To maintain the same standard of living in Belgium
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 3.3 times more
Groceries
pay 99.6% more
Transportation
pay 3.0 times more
Housing
pay 3.5 times more
Childcare
pay 2.2 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.7 times 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Russia to Belgium, based on official data.
people moved from Russia to Belgium · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Russia 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
Belgium generally does better on safety, though Russia 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Belgium performs significantly better than Russia 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
Russia 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
Russia generally does better on employment & economy, though Belgium leads in gdp per capita.
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 Russia across all family life metrics.
Data: Federal Tax Service of Russia, 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 | Moscow | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) | 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Moscow | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) | 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) |
| Feb | 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) | 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) |
| Mar | 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) | 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) |
| Apr | 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) |
| May | 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) | 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) |
| Jun | 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) |
| Jul | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) | 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) |
| Aug | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) | 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) |
| Sep | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) | 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) |
| Oct | 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) | 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) |
| Nov | 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) |
| Dec | 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) |
Data:
Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring,
Institut Royal Météorologique
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Russia 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.
Russia passport holder visiting Belgium
Visa Required
Belgium passport holder visiting Russia
Visa Online (e-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 Russia?
No — Belgium is on average about 68% more expensive than Russia. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Belgium?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €26,980 in Belgium on a RUB5,336,013 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, 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?
Belgium generally does better on safety, though Russia leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Belgium is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.8 in Russia. About 62% of people in Belgium feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Belgium compared to Russia?
Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 63.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Belgium, compared to 38.3 in Russia. Belgium scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Russia: 79).
What's the weather like in Belgium compared to Russia?
The average high temperature in Brussels is 57°F, compared to 48°F in Moscow. Brussels receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while Moscow gets 27.2 in.
What language do they speak in Belgium?
The official languages in Belgium are Dutch, French and German. In Russia, the official language is Russian.
