North or South: Where do Belgians spend the most money?

With rising prices, Belgians are paying more attention to their money, but that does not mean that they can no longer afford anything in addition to their monthly expenses. Here are the cities where the most money is spent each month.

News: Antwerp and Liège top the list of Belgian cities with residents spending the most money in terms of minimum wage – excluding rent – according to a study by financial comparison platform HelloSafe.

• Thus, Antwerp residents spend the equivalent of 66.7% of the net Belgian minimum wage, i.e. 1370.56 EUR (1955 EUR total), on groceries, bills, entertainment and transportation, which amounts to about 915 EUR.
• In the heart of the “City of Fire”, Liege residents spend the equivalent of 64%, or 879.5 euros. Liège is the Walloon city where the average monthly household budget is the highest.
• On the other side we find Bruges. The Flemish city is where the least amount of extra is spent, with 54.7% of net minimum wage excluding rent (€750).

distinct: These expenses include both basic needs such as bills, food, and transportation costs, and extras such as entertainment, clothing, and restaurants. In addition, rental amounts must be added, which can vary greatly depending on the cities.

• Food accounts for, on average, 30.4% of the income of Belgians. It is the highest expenditure item.
• Rent ranks second at 23.8% of the monthly expenses for Belgians.

Everyone has priorities

In addition, the results of this report give just a snapshot of the spending pattern of Belgians and the budget they are able to spend each month after paying rent – the average amount for all types of accommodation together was €759 in 2022. But actual expenditures per capita also vary widely depending on A variety of factors, including actual salary, rent, costs, but most importantly, personal priorities. (kg)