City comparison
Brussels vs Luxembourg City: which is better to live in?
Quick verdict
Brussels is the cheaper of the two: our estimate for a single person is about €550 a month less than Luxembourg City, mostly because of rent. Brussels has the milder winter (about 7°C vs 5°C average highs in Dec to Feb). They’re in different countries, so visa routes, taxes and healthcare differ too: see below.
Choose Brussels for
- Affordability
- Nightlife
- Flights home
- Culture
- Lower living costs
Choose Luxembourg City for
- Safety
- Calm, slower pace
- Public transport
- Nature & green space
Brussels vs Luxembourg City at a glance
| Brussels | Luxembourg City | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Belgium | Luxembourg |
| Single budget / month | €2,250 | €2,800 |
| Couple budget / month | €3,350 | €4,200 |
| 1-bed rent, center | €1,150 | €1,900 |
| Winter highs (Dec to Feb) | 7°C / 44°F | 5°C / 40°F |
| Summer highs (Jun to Aug) | 22°C / 72°F | 23°C / 73°F |
| Sunshine (hours/yr) | 1,604 | 1,803 |
| City size | Capital / metropolis | Mid-size city |
| Coastal | No | No |
| Direct flights to the US | Yes | Yes |
| Affordability | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Sunny, warm climate | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| English-friendliness | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Safety | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Walkability | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Public transport | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Nature & green space | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Beach life | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Mountains nearby | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Culture | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Nightlife | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Family life | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Remote-work scene | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Expat community | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Flights home | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Calm, slower pace | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
Cost of living: Brussels or Luxembourg City?
By our estimates, a comfortable mid-range life costs about €2,250 a month for one person in Brussels and €2,800 in Luxembourg City, rent included. For a couple it’s €3,350 vs €4,200, and for a family of four €4,500 vs €5,600.
Rent drives most of the gap: a one-bedroom in the center runs about €1,150 in Brussels against €1,900 in Luxembourg City, while a monthly transit pass costs - vs Free*. Want to plug in your own lifestyle? Use the cost of living calculator.
Climate and weather
Winters average highs of about 7°C (44°F) in Brussels and 5°C (40°F) in Luxembourg City. In summer it’s roughly 22°C vs 23°C. Brussels gets about 1,604 hours of sunshine a year and Luxembourg City about 1,803.
1,604 hours of sunshine a year · 837 mm of rain a year · Source: Uccle 1991-2020 normals (Royal Meteorological Institute) via the Wikipedia climate table
Monthly temperatures in °C and °F
| Month | Avg high | Avg low |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6°C / 43°F | 1°C / 35°F |
| Feb | 7°C / 45°F | 2°C / 35°F |
| Mar | 11°C / 52°F | 4°C / 38°F |
| Apr | 15°C / 59°F | 6°C / 43°F |
| May | 18°C / 65°F | 9°C / 49°F |
| Jun | 21°C / 70°F | 12°C / 54°F |
| Jul | 23°C / 74°F | 14°C / 57°F |
| Aug | 23°C / 73°F | 14°C / 57°F |
| Sep | 20°C / 67°F | 11°C / 52°F |
| Oct | 15°C / 59°F | 8°C / 47°F |
| Nov | 10°C / 50°F | 5°C / 40°F |
| Dec | 7°C / 44°F | 2°C / 36°F |
1,803 hours of sunshine a year · 832 mm of rain a year · Source: Luxembourg airport 1991-2020 normals (MeteoLux) via the Wikipedia climate table
Monthly temperatures in °C and °F
| Month | Avg high | Avg low |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4°C / 39°F | -1°C / 30°F |
| Feb | 5°C / 41°F | -1°C / 31°F |
| Mar | 10°C / 50°F | 2°C / 36°F |
| Apr | 14°C / 58°F | 5°C / 41°F |
| May | 18°C / 65°F | 9°C / 48°F |
| Jun | 22°C / 71°F | 12°C / 53°F |
| Jul | 24°C / 75°F | 14°C / 57°F |
| Aug | 24°C / 74°F | 14°C / 56°F |
| Sep | 19°C / 66°F | 10°C / 51°F |
| Oct | 14°C / 56°F | 7°C / 44°F |
| Nov | 8°C / 46°F | 3°C / 37°F |
| Dec | 5°C / 40°F | 0°C / 32°F |
Daily life
Brussels is a capital / metropolis; Luxembourg City is a mid-size city. Brussels is the most international city in our set, home to the EU institutions, with French, Dutch and English all in daily use. Rents are moderate for a capital and it is superbly connected, but the weather is grey and the city can feel messy. Luxembourg City is small, safe, rich and very international: most residents are foreign, salaries are high and public transport is free. Housing is among the most expensive in our set, and many workers live across the border in France, Belgium or Germany.
Living in Brussels: the upsides and downsides
- A huge international community and jobs around the EU institutions and NATO
- Moderate rents for a Western European capital
- Eurostar to London in about 2 hours and fast trains to Paris and Amsterdam
- Downside: Grey, rainy weather and short winter days
- Downside: High taxes on salaries
Living in Luxembourg City: the upsides and downsides
- High salaries in finance, EU institutions and tech
- Free public transport across the country
- Very safe, green and family-friendly
- Downside: Among the highest rents in our set
- Downside: Grey winters with little sunshine
Visas and residency
Brussels is in Belgium and Luxembourg City is in Luxembourg. The main routes for each:
- Belgium EU Blue Card - Work permit, open, €4,748/mo income
- Belgium Professional Card (Self-Employed) - Freelance visa, open
- Belgium Single Permit (Highly Skilled Workers) - Work permit, open, €3,703/mo income
- Luxembourg EU Blue Card - Work permit, open, €5,471/mo income
- Luxembourg Residence Permit for Salaried Workers - Work permit, open
- Luxembourg Residence Permit for Self-Employed Workers - Freelance visa, open
Read the full guides: living in Brussels and living in Luxembourg City.
Related comparisons
Costs are our estimates for a comfortable mid-range lifestyle; scores are editorial, relative to the 56 cities we cover. Methodology.