Moving to Belgium from United States
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United States to Belgium — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United States to Belgium, you would find that Belgium is 16.0% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly €56,300 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 United States?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 12.5% more
Groceries
pay 21.4% less
Transportation
pay 20.9% more
Housing
pay 36.3% less
Childcare
pay 22.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 14.5% 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 → €56,300
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 39% less than cities in United States.
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 States 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 United States 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 United States 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United States generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium 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
United States generally does better on environment, though Belgium leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
United States 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
United States 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 United States across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Internal Revenue Service (2016), Service Public Fédéral Finances (2016), The World Factbook (2010). How we calculate this
Weather in Belgium vs United States
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 United States 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 United States?
Yes — Belgium is on average about 16% cheaper than United States. 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 €14,075 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?
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?
Belgium generally does better on safety, though United States leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Belgium is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.8 in United States. About 62% of people in Belgium feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Belgium compared to United States?
United States generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Belgium, compared to 36.8 in United States. Belgium scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Belgium compared to United States?
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 United States, the official language is English.
