Moving to Belgium from United Kingdom
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United Kingdom to Belgium — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United Kingdom to Belgium, you would find that Belgium is 10.5% cheaper than United Kingdom overall. A £56,000 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly €60,100 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 ↓Is Belgium cheaper than United Kingdom?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 15.2% more
Groceries
pay 11.9% more
Transportation
pay 17.2% less
Housing
pay 24.0% less
Childcare
pay 23.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 19.8% 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.
What salary do you need in Belgium?
What does your salary buy?
£56,000 → €60,100
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 20% less than cities in United Kingdom.
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 United Kingdom to Belgium, based on official data.
people moved from United Kingdom to Belgium · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United Kingdom to Belgium.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Kingdom generally does better on safety, though Belgium leads in homicide rate.
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
United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
United Kingdom 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
Belgium generally does better on infrastructure, though United Kingdom leads in water stress level.
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
United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), HM Revenue & Customs (2016), Service Public Fédéral Finances (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Belgium vs United Kingdom
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | London | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) | 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | London | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) | 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) |
| Feb | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) | 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) |
| Mar | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) | 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) |
| Apr | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) |
| May | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) | 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) |
| Jun | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) |
| Jul | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) | 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) | 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) |
| Sep | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) | 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) |
| Oct | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) | 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) |
| Nov | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) |
| Dec | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) |
Met Office
Institut Royal MétéorologiqueCan you move from United Kingdom to Belgium?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom 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 Kingdom passport holder visiting Belgium
Visa Free
Belgium passport holder visiting United Kingdom
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 United Kingdom?
Yes — Belgium is on average about 10% cheaper than United Kingdom. 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 €15,025 in Belgium on a £56,000 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 44.2 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?
United Kingdom generally does better on safety, though Belgium leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Belgium is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in United Kingdom.
How is healthcare in Belgium compared to United Kingdom?
United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Belgium, compared to 33.0 in United Kingdom. Belgium scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Kingdom: 88).
What's the weather like in Belgium compared to United Kingdom?
The average high temperature in Brussels is 57°F, compared to 60°F in London. Brussels receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.
What language do they speak in Belgium?
The official languages in Belgium are Dutch, French and German. In United Kingdom, the official language is English.
