Best cities to live in Belgium as an expat

Uncover which Belgian city fits your expat dream—compare quality of life, affordability, and international communities in Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, and Liège.

Angelina

10 minute read

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Updated on 21 Sep 2026

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Moving

If you're thinking about moving to Belgium, Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, and Liège are usually the top contenders. Brussels is the place for international careers, Antwerp is great for creatives who want decent rent, Ghent is the ultimate student city, and Liège is your best bet if you're trying to keep costs low.

Moving to Belgium requires a bit of homework. Before you pack your bags, you’ll want to weigh the pros and cons of living in Belgium and get a realistic handle on the cost of living versus average salaries too.

To start, we’ve rounded up the 4 best cities in Belgium based on the stuff that actually matters: quality of life, how international it feels, your budget, and safety.

Key takeaways:

• For families: Brussels is the big winner here. It has the most international schools and a massive expat community, so it’s usually much easier for kids to settle in.
• For students: You’ll love Ghent. It has a great university-town energy (about 30% of people there are students), and shared housing is actually affordable, usually running between €900 and €1,200 a month.
• For young professionals & creatives: Antwerp is the place to be. The rent is cheaper than Brussels, the fashion and retail scenes are huge, and it’s super easy to hop on a train to Ghent or Brussels.
• For the budget-conscious: Liège is definitely the cheapest of the four. You can find studios for around €900 a month. Just a heads-up: you’ll likely need to speak French to land most jobs there.

With about 2.1 million people calling it home, Brussels is the economic engine of Belgium. It’s no shocker that it has the highest GDP per capita in the country.

In terms of quality of life, it really depends on which Brussels neighborhood you pick. The wider region is split into 19 different municipalities. While the city center is famous for its traffic jams, crowds, and smog, you can actually find some peace and quiet in the greener, upscale suburbs like Ixelles or Uccle.

If you’re moving for work, most of the big international firms in the country are based here, so there are plenty of jobs. If you’re a student or a young professional, you’ll likely love the nightlife and the art. This city has a vibe you won't find anywhere else. Think all-day radio at Kiosk in the middle of Parc Royal, or cool art hubs like Beursschouwburg and KANAL-Centre Pompidou. Every corner has something new to see.

Pros:

• Super cosmopolitan vibe; honestly, everyone speaks English.
• The healthcare is top-notch.
• Tons of parks and things to do.
• Plenty of job openings if you're an expat.
• Lots of international schools to choose from.
• The food scene and restaurants are incredible.
• Beautiful views thanks to the hilly landscape.

Cons:

• Traffic is a nightmare in the popular spots.
• Definitely pricier than other Belgian cities.
• Streets in the center can get pretty dirty.
• Some spots feel a bit sketchy at night.
• Not enough bike lanes yet.
• Good luck finding a parking space.

Cost of living in Brussels

Living in the capital isn't exactly cheap. You’re looking at roughly €1,772 a month to live comfortably if you're renting a studio.

Brussels is likely the most expensive city in Belgium, but at least it's also one of the cities in Belgium with the highest average salaries to match.

Just keep in mind that since it's the biggest city in the country, finding an affordable place to rent can be a bit of a struggle.

An International Vibe

Brussels is the best city in Belgium for English-speaking expats. If you’re making the move to Belgium from the UK or the US, you’ll feel right at home here. It’s an incredibly diverse city. About 70% of the people living in Brussels have international roots.

Safety in Brussels

Statista reports that the Brussels-Capital Region actually has the lowest crime numbers in all of Belgium. Most of the 75,650 incidents reported were just petty crimes, like pickpocketing.

Areas like Uccle, Ixelles, and Woluwe-Saint-Pierre are generally the safest areas in Brussels, with fewer than 500 crimes a year, though they do see slightly higher burglary rates. As for areas to avoid, places like Gare du Midi and Molenbeek can feel a bit sketchy, but they aren't exactly dangerous.

On a final note, Brussels is also one of the safest and most welcoming spots for the LGBTQ community.

Getting Around

Thanks to the public transport system, getting across the city is a breeze. The STIB/MIVB network handles the metros, trams, and buses across all 19 municipalities, and one monthly pass covers the whole lot. Most expats don’t even bother with a car. The city center is easy to walk, the bike lanes are getting better every day, and Brussels-Midi station can get you to Paris, London, or Amsterdam on a high-speed train in less than 2 hours.

International Schools

Brussels easily has the best selection of international education in the country. You’ve got the British School of Brussels, the International School of Brussels, and several European Schools with English sections in Uccle, Ixelles, Woluwe, and Laeken. If you're moving with kids, apply as early as you can, as spots at the top schools tend to fill up months ahead of time.

As Belgium’s second-largest city, Antwerp is home to about 524,501 people. It’s the capital of the Antwerp Province in Flanders and officially the biggest city in the country, stretching across roughly 204 square kilometers.

You’ve probably heard of Antwerp as a major fashion hub. That’s not just because of the killer vintage shops; it’s also thanks to the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, which turned out legends like Dries Van Noten and Martin Margiela.

Fashion and retail are huge here. If you’re looking for work in those industries, or even in PR and marketing, Antwerp is easily one of the best places in Belgium to be. Some of the coolest creative agencies call this city home.

Pros:

• A super lively creative scene
• Rent is actually more affordable than you'd think
• Perfect for getting around on a bike
• Really clean streets
• Great public transport around the city center
• Solid job market
• Plenty of spots that are great for families

Cons:

• Traffic in the city center can be a headache
• Good luck finding a parking spot
• Heads up: Town hall staff aren't allowed to speak English with you
• It feels like there’s always some kind of construction happening

Cost of living

Price-wise, Antwerp isn’t too far off from Brussels. You’ll usually spend about 5% less here, mostly because rent is a bit cheaper. If you find a studio for rent, you’re probably looking at spending around €1,550 a month.

The international vibe

After Brussels, Antwerp is the most multicultural spot in the country. We’re talking at least 166 different nationalities, which actually make up about half the population. It doesn't have quite as many international schools as some other cities, but the 4 it does have are pretty solid.

Is it safe?

With a crime index of 39.73, Antwerp is generally a very peaceful place. You don’t really have to worry about your safety here, and you'll feel perfectly fine walking through most neighborhoods at night.

The Red Light District (Leguit) and the area around Central Station can feel a bit sketchy late at night.

Getting around Antwerp

Getting around Antwerp is simple because the public transport is so well-connected. It’s super easy to hop between different neighborhoods, and you’re just a short trip away from places like Brussels, Ghent, Bruges, or Liège. Even big hubs like Paris, Amsterdam, or London are less than 3 hours away!

De Lijn handles the trams, buses, and the "premetro" (the underground tram), but most of the inner-city areas are easy enough to walk or bike through. It’s no surprise that Antwerp is always ranked as one of the most bike-friendly cities in Belgium.Antwerp-Centraal, regularly called one of the most stunning train stations in the world, gives you a direct line to every other city on this list.

Ghent is the second-largest city in Flanders, but it feels much more intimate than that. With about 264,000 residents, nearly 30% of whom are students, it’s very much a university town with a young, energetic soul. If you're into engineering or life sciences, the University of Ghent is top-tier.

People call Ghent the "Medieval Manhattan" because of its historic skyline and UNESCO World Heritage sites, and it really does feel like a mix of a bustling metropolis and a quiet village. Most expats and students look for places to rent in Ghent’s city center, where the cobblestone streets are lined with great food and museums.

If you’re looking for a night out, Kompass is a popular spot. To really see what makes Belgium so unique, you’ve got to spend time in the old town here. It’s packed with street festivals, cafes right on the water, and local traditions you won’t find anywhere else. The historical center is entirely pedestrian-only, so it's very walkable, though most people just jump on a bike to get around.

Pros:

• Amazing options for science and tech education
• That perfect "big city meets cozy village" vibe
• Locals are super welcoming and friendly
• The student nightlife is legendary
• Incredible architecture and canals everywhere

Cons:

• Finding a job is tough if you don't speak Dutch or Flemish
• The weather? Yeah, it’s pretty unpredictable
• Housing is expensive and gets snapped up fast

Cost of living in Ghent

Expect to pay about the same as you would in Antwerp. Rent is on the higher side. You’ll probably need around €1,500 a month to live comfortably if you’re planning on renting your own studio. If you're thinking about moving into a shared apartment, you're probably looking at a budget between €900 and €1,200 a month.

Is it international?

Ghent might not feel quite as global as Antwerp or Brussels, but it still has a really lively international community. A lot of that comes from the stream of international students who come for school and end up staying for good. Right now, non-Belgians make up about 15.3% of the population.

Safety in Ghent

With a crime index of 27.82, Ghent is actually a very safe city. In fact, it's consistently ranked as one of the safest spots for the LGBTQ community. That said, like any city, there are places locals suggest skipping late at night, specifically Brugse Poort, Nieuw Gent, and Citadel Park.

International schools

The main English-speaking option is the International School Ghent (ISG). It’s located near the UZ Gent hospital in the southwest. It’s a pretty small, tight-knit community with kids from about 30 to 40 different nationalities, mostly children of researchers, academics, or people working for international firms. Since it’s the only dedicated international school in town, spots fill up fast. Definitely try to register as early as you can.

With 682,000 people, Liège is actually the biggest city in Wallonia. It’s tucked away in eastern Belgium on the Meuse river, right near the borders of Germany and the Netherlands. Because of that location and its river port, it used to be a massive industrial hub for steel and coal. These days, the city is focused on modernizing and shifting its economy. If you’re in manufacturing, tech, tourism, or aviation, there are plenty of jobs, though you’ll likely need to pick up some French to land them.

Even with its industrial roots, Liège is surprisingly green. You’ll find a cool mix of old and new architecture scattered across narrow cobblestone streets and scenic hills.

If you're looking to move here, most expats tend to cluster around the greener spots like Boulevard Frère-Orban, Piercot, Rue du Mont St-Martin, and Rue du Jardin Botanique, or they head out to the suburbs like Sart-Tilman and Cointe.

The city is also a huge student hub, especially for engineering and biology at the University of Liège. Out of the 26,000+ students there, about 22% are from abroad.

Pros:

• Solid education options
• A really vibrant culture
• Lots of history and character
• Super welcoming locals
• Affordable housing
• Hilly views and cool landscapes

Cons:

• The language barrier is real
• The streets can be a bit dirty
• Not many jobs for English-only speakers
• No international schools

Cost of living in Liège

The good news is that Liège is way more affordable than Brussels, Antwerp, or Ghent. Rent is roughly 29% cheaper than what you’d pay in Ghent. On average, you’re looking at spending about €900 a month if you’re renting a place in Liège on your own.

The Vibe

Even though Liège pulls in plenty of expats and tourists, it still feels very local. You might hit a bit of a language barrier. Almost everyone speaks French, and while you’ll hear English, Italian, and Spanish, Dutch isn't nearly as common.

Safety in Liège

Liège does have one of the higher crime rates in Belgium. According to Numbeo, the safety index is around 42.62, with a crime index of 57.38. Now, that doesn’t mean it’s dangerous. It’s generally a safe place to live, but you probably want to avoid the Sainte Marguerite neighborhood and the outskirts after dark. Also, keep an eye on your stuff when you're hanging out in the Carré nightlife district.

Now that you've seen what the different cities have to offer, which one feels like the right fit for you to live in Belgium?

Here's a summary to decide:

Once you’ve settled on a city, the real challenge begins: finding a place to live. It’s a good idea to book through a platform like HousingAnywhere where you can browse safely move-in-ready rooms, studios, and apartments in Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, or Liège right from your couch.

What are the best cities for expats in Belgium?

Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, and Liège are almost always the top picks. Brussels is the go-to for international careers and schools, while Antwerp is great for creative roles and is surprisingly affordable. Ghent has a fantastic student vibe, and if you're looking for the lowest cost of living, Liège is your best bet.

How does the cost of living vary between cities?

Brussels is definitely the priciest—expect to pay around €1,772 a month for a studio. Antwerp and Ghent aren't far behind at roughly €1,550 and €1,500 respectively. If you’re on a budget, Liège is significantly cheaper, with studios going for about €900 a month.

Which cities have the best cultural scene?

Brussels has the most going on just because of its size and international crowd—places like KANAL-Centre Pompidou and all the festivals are a big draw. Ghent and Antwerp are also great; they’re very walkable and packed with museums, nightlife, and beautiful old architecture. Liège has its own unique vibe too, rooted in its industrial history and local festivals.

How do I find a place to stay in Leuven as an expat?

Even though Leuven didn't make our top four list, it’s a huge hit with expats working at KU Leuven or commuting to Brussels. It’s got a lovely small-town feel and the train to the capital is super fast. Just a heads-up: start your search for verified listings early. Between all the students and the high demand, places go fast, and rent is usually pretty similar to what you'd pay in Ghent.

What’s the deal with healthcare for expats?

Health insurance isn't optional here—you have to register with a mutuelle (or ziekenfonds) within 90 days of getting to Belgium. Once you're set up, you’ll usually get about 75% of your medical costs reimbursed. A lot of expats also grab private insurance just to cover that remaining gap.