Although Belgium is a small country, it has a lot to offer. Travelers can choose between modern cities, like Brussels or Antwerp, or fairy-tale destinations, such as Bruges.
Belgium can be pricey, but with some tricks up your hat, you can find it a proper destination to budget travel Western Europe. In my opinion, when you visit Belgium, you should try to visit Antwerp, Bruges, Brussels (the capital), and Ghent. You can find more details about budget traveling to each of these Belgian cities below.
Antwerp
Antwerp may be well-known as a center for diamond trading and fashion, but it’s not limited to that. This beautiful city has a well-preserved medieval architecture to spark up your interest by day, and a vibrant nightlife to keep you up till late.
How much does it cost to visit Antwerp?
A budget traveler should aim to spend around € 44 per day while visiting Antwerp. Please note that this price does not take into account the accommodation costs for that day.
Below, you can get more details on the everyday average costs of visiting Antwerp:
Antwerp accommodation costs
| Hotel or hostel for one person | € 25 – 114 |
| Typical double room | € 49 – 228 |
Antwerp food and drinks costs
| Meal in an inexpensive restaurant | € 12 – 20 |
| Meal in a mid-range restaurant | € 25 – 40 |
| Local beer (0.5 liter, draught) | € 3 – 4.50 |
| Water (0.33 liter, bottle) Tap water is safe to drink in Antwerp, however. | € 1 – 2.60 |
Antwerp fares and public transport
| One-way public transportation ticket | € 2.10 |
| Taxi (price per kilometer) | € 2 – 2.10 |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | € 1.28 – 1.53 |
Antwerp visiting costs – Top attractions in Antwerp
| Cathedral of Our Lady | € 6 |
| De Koninck Antwerp City Brewery | € 17 |
| Grote Markt | Free |
| MAS – Museum aan de Stroom | € 5 |
| Museum Plantin-Moretus | € 8 |
Antwerp City Pass
| 24h Antwerp City Card | € 27 |
| 48h Antwerp City Card | € 35 |
The Antwerp City Card includes free transportation on buses and trams of De Lijn. It also provides you with free access to Cathedral of Our Lady, De Koninck Antwerp City Brewery, DIVA – Home of Diamonds, Eugeen Van Mieghem Museum, FOMU – Photo Museum, House of Literature, Library Hendrik Conscience, M HKA – Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp, Maidens’ House Museum, MAS – Museum aan de Stroom, Museum Butcher’s Hall, Museum De Reede, Museum Platin-Moretus, Museum Mayer van den Bergh, Red Star Line Museum, Rubens House, Snijders & Rockox House, St. Andrew’s Church, St. James’s Church, and St. Paul’s Church.
Planning to visit Antwerp? Read this blog post for travel inspiration:
Visit Antwerp: A brief travel guide
Bruges
A medieval town in northwest Belgium, Bruges (or Brugge) looks like it’s taken out of a storybook. Its beautiful buildings, canals, and cobblestone streets make it a great travel destination, especially for couples on a romantic getaway.
You can get a preview of this beautiful Belgian city by watching the movie In Bruges.
However, expect it to be a lot more tranquil in reality!
How much does it cost to visit Bruges?
If you’re traveling on a budget to Bruges, you should aim to spend around € 41 per day. This cost, however, does not take into account the accommodation costs for that day.
If you look below, you can get a few more details on the everyday average costs of visiting Bruges:
Bruges accommodation costs
| Hotel or hostel for one person | € 20 – 96 |
| Typical double room | € 41 – 192 |
Bruges food and drinks costs
| Meal in an inexpensive restaurant | € 10 – 20 |
| Meal in a mid-range restaurant | € 20 – 40 |
| Local beer (0.5 liter, draught) | € 1.80 – 4.50 |
| Water (0.33 liter, bottle) Tap water is safe to drink in Bruges, however. | € 1 – 2.60 |
Bruges fares and public transport
| One-way public transportation ticket | € 3 |
| Taxi (price per kilometer) | € 1.24 – 2.50 |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | € 1.12 – 1.53 |
Bruges visiting costs – Top attractions in Bruges
| Historic Centre of Brugge | Free |
| The Markt | Free |
| Belfort (Belfry & Carillon) | € 10 |
| De Halve Maan Brewery | € 12 |
| Basilica of the Holy Blood | Free |
There is a Discover Bruges Card, but it is provided only by specific hotels after check-in. In addition, it only offers discounts instead of free entry to museums and other attractions.
Planning to visit Bruges? Read these articles for travel inspiration:
Visit Bruges: A short travel guide
Day trip to Bruges with Belgian beer & chocolate
Best 10 things to do in Bruges
Brussels
The city of Brussels is the capital of Belgium. It is also one of the most expensive cities in Europe, with a cost of living almost 90% higher than that of my home city, Bucharest.
Brussels is also the capital of the European Union and a business center. Its regular visitors are very well-paid and therefore can afford the high costs of hotels and restaurants available in Brussels.
How much does it cost to visit Brussels?
When visiting Brussels on a budget, aim to spend around € 45 per day. That is without including any accommodation costs. Look below for more information on the everyday average costs of visiting Brussels:
Brussels accommodation costs
| Hotel or hostel for one person | € 21 – 124 |
| Typical double room | € 42 – 248 |
Belgium budget travel advice
Accommodation costs in Brussels peak during the week, so it’s best to book your stay over the weekend.
Brussels food and drinks costs
| Meal in an inexpensive restaurant | € 10 – 20 |
| Meal in a mid-range restaurant | € 25 – 35 |
| Local beer (0.5 liter, draught) | € 3 – 4.50 |
| Water (0.33 liter, bottle) Tap water is safe to drink in Brussels however. | € 1 – 3 |
Brussels fares and public transport
| One-way public transportation ticket | € 2.10 |
| Taxi (price per kilometer) | € 1.80 – 2.50 |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | € 1.35 – 1.60 |
Brussels visiting costs – Top attractions in Brussels
| Grand Palace | Free |
| Royal Museum of the Armed Forces & Military History | € 10 |
| Les Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert | Free |
| St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral | Free |
| Parc du Cinquantenaire | Free |
Brussels City Pass
| 24h Brussels Card | € 27 |
| 48h Brussels Card | € 35 |
The Brussels Card provides you with free access to 41 museums. For a fee, you can add the optional unlimited travel on public transport or unlimited access to hop-on-hop-off buses.
Planning to visit Brussels? Read these blog articles for travel inspiration:
Visit Brussels: A brief travel guide
What to eat in Brussels, Belgium
Ghent
Ghent is thought to be one of Western Europe’s best-kept secrets. This port city is also a university center and a cultural hub. It’s well worth spending a couple of days exploring this hidden gem of Belgium, discovering its beautiful medieval architecture and cool events.
How much does it cost to visit Ghent?
If you are a budget traveler heading to Ghent, aim to spend around €39 per day, without accommodation costs. More information on the everyday average costs of visiting Ghent is available below:
Ghent accommodation costs
| Hotel or hostel for one person | € 23 – 113 |
| Typical double room | € 46 – 326 |
Ghent food and drinks costs
| Meal in an inexpensive restaurant | € 10 – 17 |
| Meal in a mid-range restaurant | € 25 – 37 |
| Local beer (0.5 liter, draught) | € 3.50 – 5 |
| Water (0.33 liter, bottle) Tap water is safe to drink in Ghent, however. | € 1.80 – 2.50 |
Ghent fares and public transport
| One-way public transportation ticket | € 3 |
| Taxi (price per kilometer) | € 1.80 – 2.30 |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | € 1.27 – 1.50 |
Ghent visiting costs – Top attractions in Ghent
| Ghent City Center | Free |
| St. Bavo’s Cathedral | € 4 |
| Graslei and Korenlei area | Free |
| Gravensteen | € 10 |
| St. Michael’s Bridge | Free |
Ghent City Pass
| 48h CityCard Ghent | € 30 |
| 72h CityCard Ghent | € 35 |
The CityCard Ghent provides you with free access to all the museums and attractions in the city. In St. Bavo’s Cathedral, you will only need to pay € 1 for the audio guide normally included in the cost of the regular ticket.
Planning to visit Ghent? Read these blog articles for travel inspiration:
Visit Ghent, Belgium: Quick travel guide
How to spend a beautiful afternoon in Ghent
Belgium travel costs sources
- Accommodation costs via Budgetyourtrip.com
- Food, drinks, and transportation costs via Numbeo.com
- Tap water safety researched separately via Google answers for each city.
- Top attractions selected using TripAdvisor. Each attraction name is a link to the official website page of that attraction, if available
- Ticket costs / free access information via the official websites of the attractions. I mentioned the cost of a regular adult ticket, for permanent exhibitions. Discounts and temporary exhibition prices are available on their official websites.
- City pass information about prices and what each includes is from the official website for each travel pass. A link is available for each pass to easily find more information and/or to purchase a pass.