Top expat cities

Belgium

Brussels

#1 Top 5 cities

Brussels is the clear top choice for expats in Belgium thanks to EU institutions, international firms, schools, and a large foreign community.

Country overview

Population

1 019 022

Year-round temperatures

Day: 6°C až 24°C

Night: 1°C až 14°C

Climate

A mild oceanic climate with frequent cloud cover and few temperature extremes.

Distance to the sea

110 km

Social atmosphere

7/10

Costs

Housing cost 3/10
Food cost 4/10

Business friendliness

8/10

Safety

6/10

Petty theft is common around major stations, public transport, and crowded areas; terrorism risk, demonstrations, and occasional drug-related violence justify increased caution.

Natural disaster resilience

6/10

Urban and river flooding, intense rainfall, heatwaves, and storms are the main hazards; strong infrastructure limits but does not eliminate disruption.

Other scores

Other scores

Internet availability 9/10
Internet speed 8/10
Internet stability 8/10
Electricity stability 9/10

Community types

  • Corporate expats
  • Entrepreneurs
  • Families
  • Digital nomads
  • Long-term expats

Largest nationality groups

  • 🇫🇷French
  • 🇩🇪Germans
  • 🇬🇧British
  • 🇮🇹Italians
  • 🇪🇸Spanish

Pros / Cons

Pros

  • +Large international community
  • +Quality services
  • +Good transport links
  • +International environment

Cons

  • −Higher living costs
  • −Traffic congestion
  • −Noise