What are the best cities to live in Belgium?

Curious where expats thrive in Belgium? Explore city-by-city rent, safety, culture, and pro tips for housing—Brussels to Bruges, all in one guide.

Angelina

13 minute read

·

Updated on 26 Oct 2026

·

Moving

The best cities to live in Belgium are Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Liège, Leuven, and Bruges. If you are beginning your housing search, take time to compare rooms, studios and apartments across Belgium to benchmark realistic rental rates across each market.

Moving to Belgium requires practical preparation. Before packing, weigh the pros and cons of living in Belgium and compare the typical cost of living against average salaries. Below, we rank Belgium's top cities across the relocation criteria that matter most: quality of life, international openness, rental prices, safety indices, and daily transit convenience.

Key takeaways:

• For families: Brussels takes first place. It features Belgium’s largest concentration of accredited international schools and English-speaking community services. For families seeking suburban gardens and expansive green spaces, nearby commuter towns such as Tervuren and Waterloo offer high living standards within a 25- to 30-minute commute of the city center.
• For students: Ghent is the clear front-runner. Approximately 30% of its residents are students, giving it a vibrant academic culture, with shared flats (colocations / koten) typically averaging €900 to €1,200 per month.
• For young professionals and creatives: Antwerp is an ideal match. Rents are roughly 5% lower than Brussels, the local fashion, retail, and tech startup ecosystems are thriving, and direct trains reach Brussels-Central in roughly 40 to 45 minutes.
• For the budget-conscious: Liège is the most affordable of Belgium's major metropolitan areas, with private studios averaging €900 per month. Working knowledge of French is essential for daily administration and most local jobs.
• For researchers and commuters: Leuven provides immediate access to KU Leuven and world-class research institutes, sitting just 20 to 25 minutes from Brussels-Central by rail.
• Before you sign a lease: Budget for a garantie locative (rental deposit) of 2 to 3 months' rent held in a blocked bank account. You must also register your legal domiciliation at the local municipal hall (commune / gemeente) within 8 working days of moving in.

1. Brussels: Belgium's international hub

Brussels serves as Belgium's economic engine and Europe's administrative capital. According to Statbel, roughly 1.25 million residents live in the Brussels-Capital Region across 19 separate municipalities (communes / gemeenten), with more than 2 million residing in the broader metropolitan area. It consistently posts the highest GDP per capita in Belgium.

Your living experience varies noticeably by neighborhood. While the historic center features historic grandeur alongside traffic density, greener residential communes like Ixelles, Uccle, and Woluwe-Saint-Pierre offer quiet, leafy boulevards with village-like squares. Consult our guide to which Brussels neighborhood best matches your commute and lifestyle.

Brussels is home to the European Commission, NATO, multinational corporate headquarters, and international NGOs, creating plenty of jobs where English is the primary working language. Culturally, the city offers an eclectic arts scene: from live broadcasts at Kiosk Radio in the Parc de Bruxelles to contemporary exhibitions at Beursschouwburg and KANAL-Centre Pompidou.

If you plan to secure a studio in Brussels before arrival, booking through HousingAnywhere provides verified landlord listings backed by Tenant Protection.

Pros:

• Truly international environment where English is universally understood in professional and service settings.
• First-class healthcare access and specialized medical clinics.
• Extensive municipal parks (Bois de la Cambre, Parc du Cinquantenaire).
• Broadest international job market in Belgium.
• Widest variety of English-medium international and European schools.
• Exceptional dining scene, from traditional bistros to Michelin-starred dining.

Cons:

• Peak-hour traffic congestion and vehicle emissions in central corridors.
• Highest rental and living expenses in the country.
• Street cleanliness issues in select commercial zones.
• Select neighborhoods require extra awareness after dark.
• Resident street parking is scarce and heavily regulated.

Cost of living: Brussels is Belgium's most expensive city. You will need roughly €1,772 a month to cover total living expenses when renting a private studio. High median salaries help offset living costs, but sustained rental demand means finding an affordable place to rent requires starting your search at least 6 to 8 weeks ahead of your move.

International vibe: Brussels is the best city in Belgium for English-speaking expats. Approximately 70% of residents are of international descent. Whether you are moving to Belgium from the UK or the US, integrating into everyday life is straightforward.

Safety: Federal crime statistics cited by Statista reports indicate roughly 75,650 registered criminal infractions annually in the Brussels-Capital Region, with the substantial majority involving non-violent offenses such as pickpocketing and bicycle theft. Southern and eastern communes such as Uccle, Ixelles, and Woluwe-Saint-Pierre rank among the safest residential areas, though expat properties can experience occasional residential burglaries. Brussels is widely recognized as one of the most welcoming and inclusive European capitals for LGBTQ+ individuals.

Before signing a lease, review our dedicated guide to areas to avoid in Brussels to ensure your selected street matches your safety expectations.

Getting around: The city operates an integrated public transport system managed by STIB/MIVB, combining metro lines, modern tram routes, and buses across all 19 communes under unified contactless ticketing. High-speed rail connections from Brussels-Midi link to Paris (1h 22m), London (2h), and Amsterdam (1h 50m).

International schools: Brussels offers the premier educational hub in Belgium for expat children, hosting the British School of Brussels, the International School of Brussels (ISB), and four European Schools with dedicated language sections. Admissions waitlists are standard, so early application is essential.

2. Antwerp: The go-to city for creatives and retail

Antwerp is the administrative capital of Antwerp Province in Flanders and Belgium's most populous single municipality, home to approximately 538,000 residents. Covering over 204 square kilometers, it combines a historic maritime trading history with modern cosmopolitan living.

Famed as a global fashion capital, Antwerp’s creative status was established by the Royal Academy of Fine Arts and the renowned "Antwerp Six" designers. The city thrives on retail design, digital branding, media, and logistics tied to the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Europe's second-largest seaport. If you work in creative design, e-commerce, or maritime logistics, Antwerp is an exceptional career choice.

If you want to arrange your lease and rent in Belgium before moving, Antwerp offers a substantial inventory of furnished apartments and modern studios.

Pros:

• Energetic creative, art, and culinary culture.
• Rent prices average roughly 5% to 8% below equivalent Brussels properties.
• First-rate cycling infrastructure and pedestrianized shopping boulevards.
• Well-kept public spaces and historic squares.
• Reliable tram and premetro connectivity.
• Diverse neighborhood profiles well-suited to young professionals and families.

Cons:

• Inner-city road traffic during ring road peak hours.
• Strict Flemish regional language regulations: municipal administration (Stadskantoor) officials are legally required to conduct formal public business in Dutch.
• Major infrastructural works (such as the long-term Oosterweel connection) frequently impact city routing.
• Limited on-street resident parking in the historic center.

Cost of living: Overall living costs in Antwerp track slightly below Brussels. If you find a studio for rent, expect total monthly outlays around €1,550 a month including utilities and groceries.

International vibe: Antwerp is Belgium's second most multicultural city, with over 160 different nationalities accounting for about half the population. The city hosts four reputable international and bilingual educational programs, including Antwerp International School.

Safety: With a low crime index of 39.73 on Numbeo, Antwerp offers a safe and peaceful urban environment. Standard urban precautions apply late at night in the Schipperskwartier (red-light district) and the immediate alleys around Antwerp-Centraal station.

Getting around: De Lijn manages the city's bus, tram, and premetro network. Antwerp is consistently ranked among Belgium's most bike-friendly urban centers, supported by the Velo Antwerpen shared-bike system. Antwerp-Centraal station—widely celebrated for its monumental architecture—provides direct intercity rail to Brussels, Ghent, and Amsterdam.

3. Ghent: The ultimate university city

Ghent is the second-largest municipality in Flanders, home to approximately 268,000 residents. With nearly 80,000 tertiary students attending Ghent University and affiliated university colleges, Ghent has an energetic, progressive, and youthful atmosphere.

Often nicknamed the "Medieval Manhattan" because of its dramatic preserved guildhalls, canals, and UNESCO World Heritage belfry, Ghent offers a pedestrian-friendly city center that pairs history with progressive urban design. Expats and students typically look for places to rent in Ghent's city center or surrounding lively quarters like Dampoort and Sint-Pieters.

Ghent balances quiet daytime canals with a vibrant cultural scene, from independent music clubs like Kompass to the annual ten-day Gentse Feesten festival. To understand what makes Belgium so unique, spending time along Ghent’s Graslei and Korenlei waterways is essential.

If you are looking for student housing in Belgium, Ghent represents one of Europe's top academic destinations.

Pros:

• Internationally acclaimed higher education and biotechnology research.
• Excellent quality of life with extensive car-free pedestrian zones.
• Welcoming local population and active social initiatives.
• Lively, affordable student café culture and nightlife.
• Beautiful, canal-woven historic cityscape.

Cons:

• Professional employment outside academia and tech often requires Dutch proficiency.
• Rental accommodation is competitive and books out rapidly ahead of the autumn academic semester.
• Humid, overcast weather conditions during autumn and winter.

Cost of living: Ghent's living expenses are broadly comparable to Antwerp's. Plan for around €1,500 a month for a single expat living in a private studio, or between €900 and €1,200 a month for a private room in a shared apartment with utility bills included.

International vibe: While more traditionally Flemish than Brussels or Antwerp, Ghent maintains an expanding international community, with international residents representing about 15.3% of the population. A large portion consists of international researchers, postgraduates, and EU professionals who choose to stay permanently after graduating.

Safety: Registering an exceptionally low crime index of 27.82 on Numbeo, Ghent ranks as the safest city among Belgium’s four major urban centers. It also maintains a strong reputation as an open, LGBTQ+-supportive environment. Standard late-night caution is sensible around Citadelpark, Nieuw Gent, and Brugse Poort.

International schools: International schooling is centered at International School Ghent (ISG), located adjacent to the UZ Gent medical campus. ISG offers accredited English-curriculum instruction in an intimate setting; because classes are small, applications should be submitted months in advance.

4. Liège: Affordable living right by the border

Liège is the largest urban center in Wallonia, with around 195,000 residents in the municipal center and over 680,000 across the greater metropolitan valley along the Meuse River. Situated in eastern Belgium near the borders of the Netherlands and Germany, Liège was historically a cornerstone of the European steel and mining industries. Today, it has reinvented itself into an economic hub for logistics, aerospace, biotechnology, and academic research anchored by the University of Liège.

If minimizing rental expenses is your top objective, renting a place in Liège provides substantial savings compared to northern Belgian alternatives.

Liège features dramatic topography, offering panoramic hillside views, winding stairways like the Montagne de Bueren, and green residential neighborhoods. Expat professionals frequently settle in central residential districts such as Boulevard Frère-Orban, Piercot, and Rue du Jardin Botanique, or suburban communes like Sart-Tilman and Cointe.

The University of Liège enrolls more than 26,000 students, over 20% of whom are international, with recognized specializations in biomedical engineering, veterinary medicine, and space science.

Pros:

• Significantly lower housing costs and overall living expenses.
• Strong higher education infrastructure.
• Authentic local Walloon culture and festive traditions.
• Proximity to the High Fens, the Ardennes, and cross-border hubs (Aachen, Maastricht).
• High-speed rail connectivity via the Santiago Calatrava-designed Liège-Guillemins station.

Cons:

• French proficiency is practically mandatory for everyday administrative tasks and non-academic jobs.
• Urban renewal is ongoing, and select post-industrial areas show visible wear.
• Limited international English-curriculum school options within the immediate municipality.

Cost of living: Liège is easily the most budget-friendly major city in Belgium. Typical rents sit roughly 25% to 30% below Antwerp and Ghent. An expat renting a private studio can expect a comprehensive monthly budget of around €900 a month including basic living overheads.

The vibe: Liège offers a warm, community-centered atmosphere with deep civic pride. Daily life is conducted almost entirely in French. While younger Belgians speak conversational English, establishing administrative registrations and banking requires basic working French.

Safety: Liège records a moderate crime index of 57.38 on Numbeo, which is higher than Ghent or Antwerp but standard for regional European post-industrial centers. Exercising standard city precautions after dark is recommended around the Sainte-Marguerite quarter and the outskirts of the central pedestrian grid. Take typical care of personal belongings when enjoying late-night venues in the lively Le Carré entertainment district.

Leuven and Bruges represent the best smaller historic cities in Belgium, while Tervuren, Waterloo, and Rixensart are the premier commuter municipalities for expat families working in Brussels. These locations offer exceptional safety ratings, quiet neighborhood living, and easy access to top schools.

If you are moving as a student or university researcher, take care to find student rooms in Leuven or Ghent early in the summer, as student housing demand peaks sharply before the academic year starts.

Leuven: Best for researchers and Brussels commuters

Leuven is a historic university town of approximately 102,000 residents centered around KU Leuven, Belgium’s oldest and highest-ranked university. It is also an international hub for high-tech innovation and nano-electronics (anchored by the IMEC research center). Direct trains to Brussels-Central run in just 20 to 25 minutes, with Brussels Airport reachable in under 15 minutes. This makes Leuven an ideal location for researchers, PhD candidates, and expat professionals who prefer a clean, small-city atmosphere while earning Brussels salaries.

Monthly living costs run similar to Ghent, but competition for rental housing is intense ahead of the autumn term. Beginning your housing search 2 to 3 months in advance is critical to securing verified accommodation.

Bruges: Best for a quiet, safe base

With roughly 120,000 residents, Bruges is globally renowned for its preserved UNESCO-listed medieval canals and architecture. Beyond international tourism, the city offers a quiet, highly secure, and family-friendly home base for remote workers, retirees, and staff at the College of Europe.

Because Bruges is smaller, the local rental market is more limited, requiring flexibility on move-in dates. Daily municipal administration is conducted in Dutch, and local commerce centers on hospitality, healthcare, and services. Direct train routes reach Ghent in 25 minutes and Brussels in approximately 1 hour.

Commuter towns near Brussels

Commuter towns are an outstanding solution for professionals working in Brussels who desire detached housing, private gardens, and proximity to international school campuses.

Brussels is the top option if you work in an English-speaking environment or international governance, whereas Liège offers the lowest barrier to entry for overall living expenses. Ghent records the lowest crime index among Belgium's major cities. Use the comparison matrix below to shortlist your top destinations before diving into each city profile.

Belgium is a safe European country with low rates of violent crime, where safety issues predominantly involve petty property theft such as pickpocketing, bicycle theft, and opportunistic break-ins. There are no strict "no-go" municipalities, but specific urban sectors warrant extra vigilance late at night. Official municipal safety and crime statistics are compiled and published by Statbel and the Belgian Federal Police.

Expat residents and safety registries commonly highlight the following areas for late-night caution:

• Brussels: The transit concourses and surrounding streets of Brussels-Midi (Gare du Midi) and Brussels-Nord (Quartier Nord), along with isolated pockets of Molenbeek. Check our detailed guide to areas to avoid in Brussels when vetting prospective streets.
• Antwerp: The Schipperskwartier (red-light district) and the dimly lit alleys immediately surrounding Antwerp-Centraal late at night.
• Ghent: Citadelpark, Nieuw Gent, and parts of Brugse Poort after dark.
• Liège: Late-night crowds in the Carré nightlife quarter (alcohol-related disturbances and pickpocketing) and the Sainte-Marguerite neighborhood.
• Charleroi: As Belgium’s most economically challenged post-industrial city, Charleroi records higher unemployment and property crime rates. Careful neighborhood selection is recommended if your employment is located there.

Now you know better the cities in Belgium, you can begin your shortlist down to a few Belgian cities and compare homes within your budget to see where you could picture your everyday life. Explore rooms, studios and apartments in Belgium on HousingAnywhere, check what’s included in the rent, and map out your commute to work or university. A place that leaves you enough time and money to enjoy your new city is always a good place to start.

What is the safest city in Belgium?

Among Belgium's major urban centers, Ghent holds the lowest crime rate, with a Numbeo crime index of 27.82. Smaller regional hubs like Leuven and Bruges offer exceptionally safe, family-friendly environments. In the Brussels capital region, southern and eastern communes such as Uccle, Ixelles, and Woluwe-Saint-Pierre report the lowest rates of violent crime.

What is the cheapest city to live in Belgium?

Liège is the most affordable major city, with private studios averaging around €900 per month and shared housing options starting lower. Across Belgium, Wallonia generally offers lower real estate costs than Flanders and Brussels. Brussels is the most expensive city, requiring approximately €1,772 per month for studio living.

Can you live in Belgium speaking only English?

Yes, particularly in Brussels, Antwerp, and Leuven. In Brussels, English functions as the common working language across European institutions, international corporations, and expat dining. In Antwerp and Leuven, English is widely spoken in daily business, though municipal administration in Flanders is conducted in Dutch by regional statute. In Ghent, Dutch is required for most local commercial roles, and in Liège, conversational French is essential.

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

Begin your search on verified accommodation portals 2 to 3 months prior to your intended arrival, as university staff and students place heavy demand on the rental market ahead of September. Rents in Leuven are similar to Ghent. The city is especially popular with commuters to Brussels, thanks to direct 20- to 25-minute train links.

Can I rent an apartment in Belgium before arriving?

Yes. To protect yourself from scams, book through a trusted rental platform that verifies landlord identities and uses secure payment escrow, rather than transferring deposits directly to private accounts. Ensure the rental contract explicitly permits address registration, which is legally mandatory for completing your Belgian domiciliation.

Which cities have the best cultural scene?

Brussels leads the country in global cultural diversity, offering major arts centers like KANAL-Centre Pompidou, international film festivals, and diverse nightlife. Antwerp and Ghent offer walkable urban centers rich in historic architecture, contemporary galleries, and dynamic design scenes. Liège provides a rich regional identity shaped by its Meuse Valley heritage, folklore, and active music traditions.

What's the deal with healthcare for expats?

Health insurance in Belgium is compulsory. You must register with an accredited mutuelle (French) or ziekenfonds (Dutch) within 90 days of taking up residency. The statutory state system reimburses approximately 70% to 75% of standard medical and prescription expenses. Many expats supplement this coverage with private hospital insurance (assurance hospitalisation / hospitalisatieverzekering) provided through their employer or private policy.