When moving, it’s always worth looking into the local economy. If you are on a tight budget or don’t have a job yet, then knowing all the city prices beforehand would be convenient.
Groceries and restaurants
Going to a restaurant after a long day of work is always a way to spend some time with someone, especially if the food itself is tasty. But how much will this little pleasure cost us? A meal in an inexpensive restaurant is around €23, but if you’re feeling fancy and want to impress your date, a two-course meal in a mid-tier restaurant will cost you €90 on average.
But no one lives on only restaurant meals, of course. If we want to be precise about the cost of food in Bruges, we need to look at the grocery store prices for each item individually. Let’s take a look at the most frequently bought food products – bread, one litre of milk, a kilogram of chicken, 12 eggs, a kilogram of tomatoes and a kilogram of apples.
For a basket with these exact products, you will pay around €20, with the most expensive item being the chicken, costing half of this price – a little less than €11.
Accommodation costs
Renting an apartment is also costly. Usually, renting can take even 1/3 of a person’s monthly spending. Of course, it all depends on the area, but one thing is consistent – it takes a large portion of the money.
So, how much will you pay monthly for rent? If you want to live in the city centre by yourself, €745 will be the expected price. However, if you are here to live with your family and need around three bedrooms, be sure to have at least €1,090 per month. The situation is a little different if you’re okay with living outside the centre – rent is much cheaper there. For a one-bedroom apartment, you’ll have to pay at least €565 and for a three-bedroom one – €844.
Of course, prices for buying a property are a completely different story, but we’ve already covered that one.
Average wages in Bruges
While discussing costs and prices, providing context for average earnings and salaries is also essential. After all, you won’t be able to buy anything after moving if you don’t have any money.
In Bruges, the average salary after taxation is around €2,020. Looking at it through the lenses of stated costs and prices, Bruges is one of the most expensive cities in Belgium. Don’t let the high prices fool you into thinking that it’s unprofitable. Bruges believes that the quality must come with a price, and it’s simply not worth it to buy something mediocre just because it’s cheap.
