Thinking about moving to Belgium? This overview pulls together how it compares across the things that shape daily life: cost, language, safety, healthcare and the route to staying long term. In MoveMap’s model, Belgium stands out for a quicker path to citizenship, an open, welcoming environment and strong public transport, while it is worth weighing lower safety scores, a heavier tax burden and heavier bureaucracy.
Belgium at a glance
Tap any metric to see what is behind the number.
Cost of living70/100
Cost of living here sits around to a little above the EU average. As rough monthly figures, a typical net salary is around €2300 and a one-bedroom rent runs about €950 a month. Your real budget depends heavily on the city and your lifestyle.
English70/100
English gets you a long way in cities and with younger people. Everyday admin and smaller towns often expect the local language, so some learning helps a lot.
Safety72/100
This is a MoveMap score out of 100 (higher is safer), so 72/100 means safe: everyday crime is low and the main cities feel comfortable, including at night, with normal precautions.
Healthcare82/100
Scored 82/100 in MoveMap's model (higher is better). A strong universal system with good access and quality; most needs are covered publicly.
ClimateMild
A mild, temperate climate without big extremes. Typical daytime highs: winter around 6°C, spring 14°C, summer 23°C, autumn 14°C. Figures are approximate and vary by region.
Citizenship~5 yrs
On the ordinary residence route you can usually apply for permanent residence after about 5 years, and for citizenship after about 5 years of continuous legal residence. Marriage to a citizen or ancestry can be much faster. Most countries also require a language test (commonly around B1) and some restrict holding two passports, so confirm Belgium's current rules and dual-citizenship stance.
Taxes25-50%
Personal income tax: Progressive 25-50%, plus municipal surcharges (~7% of the tax). As a freelancer: Same progressive brackets on profit. Company owners: CIT 25% (20% on the first €100k for SMEs), dividends 30% (15% VVPRbis possible for newer small companies). Rates as of July 2026. Tax rules change every budget cycle and depend on your personal situation: verify with a licensed tax advisor before acting.
Where Belgium stands out
Relative to the other 26 EU countries, Belgium scores best for:
- A quicker path to citizenship.
- An open, welcoming environment.
- Strong public transport.
Worth weighing before you move
Every country has trade-offs. For Belgium, keep an eye on:
- Lower safety scores.
- A heavier tax burden.
- Heavier bureaucracy.
Is Belgium right for you?
These are general patterns. Whether Belgium actually fits depends on your income, work, family, documents and what you want from a move, and the right city matters as much as the country. The quickest way to see where Belgium lands for your situation is the MoveMap check.