A stylish, walkable port city with a big creative streak and Dutch-speaking directness. More affordable than Brussels and easier to feel at home in.
What it costs to live in Antwerp
A one-bed runs around EUR 860 a month, roughly 10% below the national baseline for Belgium, which is a large part of why people look here instead of the capital. Across the 60 EU cities we profile, that lands Antwerp in the middle of the range.
Against a typical net salary in Belgium of about EUR 2,300, rent takes roughly 37% of take-home pay, which leaves more room than most of Western Europe.
What the economy runs on
Port logistics, diamonds, creative industries.
The combination that makes Antwerp work for a lot of people is a country that is comfortable with remote and freelance workers paired with rent that does not dominate the budget.
How far English gets you
English carries you a long way in Antwerp, through work, restaurants and most services, though tax forms, rental contracts and municipal admin still arrive in Dutch and French.
Antwerp rates 75/100 for English, broadly in line with Belgium as a whole at 70/100. There is a fuller breakdown on the English in Belgium page.
What day-to-day life leans on
Healthcare is a genuine draw, with Belgium at 82/100, and a capital or major city is normally where the best-equipped hospitals sit.
Safety scores lower than the EU norm here, at 72/100 for Belgium, which in practice tends to mean petty crime and neighbourhood variation rather than anything dramatic.
Worth weighing
Fewer English-first corporate jobs than Brussels.
Antwerp is the cheapest of the cities we cover in Belgium. For comparison: Brussels (about EUR 950 a month).
City picked, country still open? See the full Belgium overview including cost of living, safety, healthcare and the path to residence, or compare Belgium with other EU countries.