Moving to Belgium from Turkey

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Turkey to Belgium — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Turkey to Belgium, you would find that Belgium is 2.3 times more expensive than Turkey overall. A TRY3,438,998 salary in Turkey would need to be roughly €91,396 in Belgium to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch, French and German.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Turkey to Belgium.

What does your salary buy?

TRY3,438,998 €91,396

To maintain the same standard of living in Belgium

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 3.4 times more

Groceries

pay 2.3 times more

Transportation

pay 95.7% more

Housing

pay 2.9 times more

Childcare

pay 47.9% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.5 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 TRY = 0.0187 EUR (June 2026)

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?

Real numbers on people moving from Turkey to Belgium, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
6,119 ↑ 31% vs 2022

people moved from Turkey 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

How Turkey and Belgium stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

TR
2.7
BE
1.1
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

TR
61%
BE
62%

Belgium performs significantly better than Turkey across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

TR
$1,769
BE
$7,489
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

TR
21.7
BE
63.9

Turkey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

TR
39.0
BE
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TR
5.4t
BE
7.3t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

TR
22.3
BE
43.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

TR
43.4%
BE
51.9%

Belgium generally does better on infrastructure, though Turkey leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

TR
9.4%
BE
5.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

TR
$34,400
BE
$63,600

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

TR
76.2 yrs
BE
81.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TR
19.4
BE
3.2

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

Data: Revenue Administration, Government of Turkey, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Ankara Rain: 15.0 in/yr (382 mm)
64° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ankara Brussels
Jan–Mar 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C) 45°/34°F (7°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) 63°/47°F (17°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/57°F (29°/14°C) 70°/54°F (21°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 55°/37°F (13°/3°C) 50°/40°F (10°/4°C)
View all months
Month Ankara Brussels
Jan 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C) 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C)
Feb 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C) 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C)
Mar 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C) 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C)
Apr 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C) 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C)
May 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C)
Jun 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C) 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C)
Jul 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C) 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C)
Aug 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C) 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C)
Sep 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C) 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C)
Oct 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C) 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C)
Nov 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C) 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C)
Dec 43°/30°F (6.3°/-0.9°C) 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C)

Data: Turkish State Meteorological Service Turkish State Meteorological Service, Institut Royal Météorologique Institut Royal Météorologique

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Turkey 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.

Turkey passport

Turkey passport holder visiting Belgium

Visa Required
Turkey passport holders need a visa to enter Belgium.
Belgium passport

Belgium passport holder visiting Turkey

Visa Free
Belgium passport holders can enter Turkey 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 Turkey?

Day-to-day costs in Belgium run about 42% higher than Turkey on average; specific cities can swing further.

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 TRY3,438,998 comparable salary, that's around €22,849 in Belgium for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, 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 Turkey and Belgium.

Is Belgium safe for expats?

Belgium performs significantly better than Turkey across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Belgium is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.7 in Turkey. About 62% of people in Belgium feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Belgium compared to Turkey?

Turkey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 63.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Belgium, compared to 21.7 in Turkey. Belgium scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Turkey: 76).

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

The average high temperature in Brussels is 57°F, compared to 64°F in Ankara. Brussels receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while Ankara gets 15.0 in.

What language do they speak in Belgium?

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

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At a Glance

TR BE
Population 83,047,706 11,847,338
Currency Turkish Lira (TRY) Euro (€)
Languages Turkish Dutch, French, German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +90 +32
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112