How much do you need to earn to live here, after Belgium takes its share?
Here's the gross monthly salary that covers rent, food, transport, and utilities once Belgium's tax system has taken its cut. (2026)
The floor in Antwerp is roughly €1,837/month gross, on a lean budget.
For something that feels comfortable, think €2,258/month gross (€1,797 net after ~20% tax).
| Expense | Budget | Comfortable | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (1BR) | €800 Cheapest neighborhood (Borgerhout) | €975 Median neighborhood | €1,400 Premium neighborhood (Centrum) |
| Groceries | €320 | €384 | €480 |
| Transport | €50 | €50 | €50 |
| Utilities | €208 | €208 | €208 |
| Dining & Entertainment | €150 | €180 | €225 |
| Total Monthly Expenses | €1,528 | €1,797 | €2,363 |
€1,837/month gross
€2,258/month gross
€3,174/month gross
Second-hand 1BR rents across 12 neighborhoods in Antwerp.
Borgerhout
15 min by tram
€800 - €900
Linkeroever
18 min by bus
€800 - €1,000
Hoboken
20 min by tram
€820 - €950
Centrum
5 min by walk
€1,300 - €1,500
Het Eilandje
15 min by walk
€1,200 - €1,400
't Stad
10 min by walk
€1,100 - €1,300
All 12 neighborhoods, the full expense sheet, and what you could save.
Explore AntwerpPlug in what you'd really earn. Get your take-home pay, neighborhoods within reach, and monthly savings.
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We add up monthly expenses (rent, groceries, transport, utilities, dining out) for each lifestyle tier, then work backwards to find the gross salary that lands on that number after Belgium's income tax and social contributions. Rent data reflects second-hand listings, which is what expats actually pay. All figures come from 2026 official government statistics. Full attribution lives on our data sources page.
On a budget lifestyle, you need at least €1,837/month gross salary to cover basic expenses in Antwerp. For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for €2,258/month gross. These figures include rent, food, transport, utilities, and dining out, with taxes calculated for Belgium.
The average 1-bedroom rent across 12 neighborhoods in Antwerp is approximately €1,065/month. Rents range from €800 in Borgerhout to €1,500 in Centrum.
Monthly groceries for a single person in Antwerp cost approximately €320. This covers basic home cooking. Dining out and premium food will add to this budget.
Tax rates in Belgium are progressive. At the budget salary level of €1,837/month, the effective tax rate is approximately 17%. At the comfortable level of €2,258/month, it rises to approximately 20%. This includes income tax and social contributions.