Grocery prices in Belgium, from the butcher to the chocolate shelf

Eurostat sets the EU average at 100. Belgium in 2025:

• Food and non-alcoholic beverages — 104.5, fifth of the ten European countries this site covers.
• Overall price level — 118.1, third of the ten, behind the Netherlands and Austria.

That puts Belgian groceries nearly 14 points below Belgium's overall level. The extra cost of Belgian life sits mostly in services, which Eurostat prices at 127.3. Food prices were steady, at 104.8 in 2024 and 104.5 in 2025.

Source: Eurostat — Purchasing power parities and price level indices (prc_ppp_ind_1), 2024 and 2025 values, dataset updated 9 July 2026, read 7 October 2026.

Eurostat's food breakdown for Belgium, against the EU average of 100. The standout:

• Sugar, confectionery and desserts — 88.5, the cheapest of the ten countries we cover

Also below or close to the average: vegetables (98.1), fish and seafood (97.8), fruit (98.8) and dairy and eggs (100.3).

And the dearer end:

• Meat — 121.3, second-dearest of the ten
• Oils and fats — 112.8
• Alcohol — 112.7
• Bread and cereals 106.0, soft drinks 104.9

So the chocolate shelf really is good value in Belgium, and fresh vegetables and fish are fair. A meat-heavy basket is where Belgian prices show.

A price level index compares the same basket across countries, taxes included. It isn't what households spend, and rent sits outside it.

For a move to Belgium, groceries can be budgeted at roughly 5% above an EU-average assumption, with services and other everyday costs running noticeably higher. Brussels residents will also want our guide to the city's transport passes.

International health cover isn't priced on Belgian costs — it depends on your age and the cover you choose.