Settling Into Brussels: A Guide

Brussels, Belgium

The Flemish capital is the home to over 2 million people. Known for its fries, waffles, amazing chocolate and many beautiful UNESCO world heritage sites.

This easily walkable city has high living standards and a good quality of life which draws many to the city. The metropolis has a young international vibe with a blend of cultures sprawling the streets at every turn.

With a rising contemporary culture and a country well connected and located within Europe we wouldn’t be surprised if you make this city your home!

Transport

Public transport is the best way to get around the city. It has a lot of transport links with trains, underground trains (metro), trams and buses. They run 7 days a week at regular intervals and the transport is the quickest way to get around the city.

Here are a few figures:

One way tickets are 2.40 euros.
Five journey tickets are 8 euros.
Ten journey tickets are 15.60 euros.
One month tickets are 49 euros.
Three month tickets are 137 euros.
An annual ticket is 499 euros.

Bicycles

Bicycles are allowed on public transport on metros, trams and buses. Cyclists are only allowed to enter transport in the carts that have bicycle pictograms indicated on the doors. While on public transport, passengers must stay with their bikes and hold them firmly at all times.

Pets On Public Transport

Guide animals are allowed on public transport free of charge. Non service animals must be leased and small dogs and cats can be carried in a basket that measures 55cm x 30cm x 30cm.

Potentially harmful breads must be muzzled in public for the safety of the public so be aware of this. In addition, animals are not allowed to sit on the seats of public transport. Please respect the people you are sharing the public transport with.

Accommodation

Can't decide where you should live in the beautiful city of Brussels? Here are some of the best places to live in Brussels that will allow you to make the city your home.

In order to feel truly comfortable in a city this is the most important aspect you need to find. There are many safe and secure apartments in Brussels on platforms such as Spotahome. This platform can help you find the best place for all of your needs.

Protected from scams and all securely online so you don’t have to visit various homes around the city to find the perfect place for you!

Living Costs

The average salary in Brussels is around 40,000+ euros. With the high cost of living the salary is reflective of this. Here are a few figures of items and their cost, please keep in mind this is an average:

A meal at an inexpensive restaurant costs around 15 euros.
Domestic beer 0.5 liters cost around 5 euros.
Pepsi costs around 2.38 euros.
12 eggs costs around 3 euros.
1kg of potatoes costs around 1.34 euros.
Mid range bottle of wine costs around 8 euros.
Cinema ticket for one adult costs around 12 euros.
A monthly fitness membership costs around 30 euros.
Tennis court for an hour costs 22 euros.
1kg of oranges costs around 2.36 euros.

Language

Most of the region is bilingual, speaking French and Flemish primarily but the official languages of the country are French, Dutch and German. Therefore if you speak one of these languages you will have a much easier time getting around the city and integrating with natives. Depending on the region you are in depends on the main language the locals in that area speak.

Being an international city bridging the gap between many countries that it is surrounded by English is widely understood and spoken, especially as Brussels is home to one of the European Union’s official institutions.

Living in Brussels and just knowing English will allow you to get by but, as most natives are bilingual it will serve you best to take up one of the official languages and learn it to integrate better with the society you move into.

Weather

Brussels is not for the sun lovers. Hitting an average low of 0 degrees Celsius during the winter months and an average high of 22 degrees Celsius. Winters are cold, wet and foggy and summers are mild so keep this in mind as if you are not used to this weather we advise you to prepare the proper outerwear to brave the weather.

Internet

Brussels has pretty good internet. Ranking top 30 in the world for fixed and mobile internet speed. In comparison to other European cities Brussels is not the best, even coming up as the worst Internet in Western Europe. So globally the country has great internet but if you compare this to Western Europe it is not the absolute best.

Mobile download speed is 56.76 mbps, upload speed 11.86mbps and latency 24ms. There are many internet providers that you can choose from to ensure you get the best internet speed for your needs. Popular providers for mobile networks are Lycamobile, Orange, Mobile Vikings and Proximus. For fixed networks popular providers are Orange, Proximus, Scarlet and Telnet.

Coworking spaces

Brussels has a lot of coworking spaces within the city. With expats comes knowledge and people who own their own businesses, want to share knowledge and be within inspiring environments.

Here are a few you can check out while you are in the city:

Safety

Belgium as a whole is a relatively safe country but crime has increased in the past 3 years. While you are out alone particularly at night it is not very safe to walk around by yourself. Whether it is day or night be vigilant of your surroundings.

Theft and extortion are the most common crimes that have a high rate in the country. While you are out if you are in trouble and need the authorities help for the fire brigade or ambulance you can call 100 and 101 for police. In case you forget both numbers, one useful one to know while within the EU is 112. This number works in all EU countries to give urgent assistance as needed whether police, fire brigade or an ambulance.

The Spots To Have Fun

Whether you are into disco or chill days there is always something to do in the city of Brussels while you are there. There are so many events, museums and parks to explore but here are a few places we recommend.

Bars:

The Green Man Cocktail bar
Au Brasseur
Cobra bar
Lord Byron

Disco:

C12
Fuse
ZODIAK
Mirano
Le Havana

Chill Days:

Schaerbeek - stroll around and enjoy the sites.
Marolles - there is a flea market to explore in the mornings.
Sainte-Catherine - many great restaurants and architecture.
Atomium
Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
Parc du Cinquantenaire

If this isn't enough here are 5 charming places in Brussels you should visit! As you settle into the city you will find many more places that become the go to spots but theses are a few to get you started.

Why You Should Live In Brussels

If you want to live in a city with many career opportunities, that has a great comprehensive transport system, a wide variety of food to march the varying population, lively nightlife, many green spaces and well located within Europe you will settle into Brussels perfectly.

If you don’t want to be in a city with a lot of traffic, long dark winters, a diverse city, high cost of living and are not willing to learn French or Dutch this may not be the city for you.

We hope this helps you settle into Brussels if you are preparing to move there or if you just got there, we hope this helps you feel more at home.
Moving to a new country can be daunting and we understand this. Finding a beautiful apartment in Brussels does not have to be hard!