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Living in Brugge

In Brugge, the median rent tenants pay is €757 a month (2025).

At the end of 2025, Brugge had a population of 120,283. Annual PM2.5 in the air was 9 µg/m³ at the end of 2024.

Last checked 2026-09-2317 sources

Population120,283people31 Dec 2025Official source · Statbel (Belgian statistical office)
Median gross salary (region)3,711EUR/month31 Dec 2022Official source · Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022
Median rent756.9EUR/month31 Dec 2025Official source · Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP50
Unemployment rate4.36%country median 5.3% — 18% belowOfficial source · bestat.statbel.fgov.be
Recorded crime8,780incidents per 100,000country median 5,167 — 70% aboveOfficial source · Statistiek Vlaanderen - Geregistreerde criminaliteit (criminaliteitsgraad per gemeente, per 100 inwoners)
PM2.5, annual mean9µg/m³31 Dec 2024Nearest stationOfficial source · European Environment Agency (EEA)

Lower unemployment than 63% of Belgian cities that publish it, more recorded crime than 92% of Belgian cities that publish it and dirtier air than 97% of Belgian cities that publish it.

Which Belgium-wide rules apply when you move to Brugge?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in BelgiumNational rates and thresholds that apply in Brugge.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

What recurs every month3 published recurring costs, € per month
Brugge recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Transport pass€62
Internet, 60 Mbps€60
Mobile plan, 10 GB€50
MetricValuePeriodSource
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited59.99 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Proximus Internet Go12Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB49.99 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Proximus Mobile Maxi13Official · national market
Monthly transport pass62 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Omnipas - subscriptions - De Lijn9Official
Median monthly rent756.9 EUR/month31 Dec 2025Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP501Official

Is Brugge a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker61%strong on work, weak on safety · range 52–70%
Skilled employee62%strong on work, weak on education · range 53–71%
Student41%strong on cost, weak on education · range 31–51%
Family49%strong on family, weak on education · range 40–58%
Retirement54%strong on legal route, weak on admin · range 43–65%

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Brugge?

The unemployment rate is about 4.4 % (2011).

  • Unemployment rate: 4.36 % · bestat.statbel.fgov.be2
Unemployment across cities in BelgiumUnemployment in Brugge is 4.4%. Of 509 cities with data, 160 have unemployment of 2 to under 4%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Average gross earnings4,028 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-202214Official · regional context
Median gross salary (regional)3,711 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-202215Official · regional context
Unemployment rate4.36 %country median 5.3%31 Dec 2011bestat.statbel.fgov.be2Official

What does a salary buy in Brugge?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

regional median gross pay: €3,711 (Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022, 2022-12-31).
Left over each month€1,558of €2,487 take-home
  • Rent
  • Transport
  • Internet
  • Mobile
  • Left over
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
Each month€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions.€2,487
Rentmedian rent of a whole dwelling · official · Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP50 · 2025-12-31− €757
Public transport pass€62 · official · Omnipas - subscriptions - De Lijn · 2026-09-30− €62
Utilities, 85 m²not published for this city—
Internet€60 · official · Proximus Internet Go · 2026-09-30− €60
Mobile plan€50 · official · Proximus Mobile Maxi · 2026-09-30− €50
Left overbefore the bill this city does not publish€1,558
Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Brugge Salary needed to live in Brugge

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Brugge. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Actiris — Public employment service

Actiris Brussels public employment service

Job Search
Search jobs

Le Forem — Public employment service

Le Forem Walloon public employment and training service

Job SearchRegistration
Register Search jobs
Open the Belgium service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Brugge. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Safety

How safe is Brugge?

Police recorded 8,780 incidents per 100,000 (2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Statistiek Vlaanderen - Geregistreerde criminaliteit (criminaliteitsgraad per gemeente, per 100 inwoners)17

Recorded crime across major citiesBrugge highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Brugge highlighted

recorded incidents per 100k residents

Brussels24,104
Liège17,918
Ixelles14,236
Charleroi14,026
Leuven12,730
Ghent12,110
Anderlecht11,116
Schaerbeek10,141
Molenbeek-Saint-Jean10,075
Hasselt9,031
Namur8,912
Brugge8,780
MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents8,780 incidents per 100,000country median 5,16731 Dec 2025Statistiek Vlaanderen - Geregistreerde criminaliteit (criminaliteitsgraad per gemeente, per 100 inwoners)17Official

Mobility and administration

Brugge's nearest airport was OST, 24 km away and offered 1 direct destinations.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Direct destinations from the nearest major airport1 count3 Aug 2026OpenFlights10Official
Distance to the nearest major airport24 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports11Official
Nearest major airport (IATA code)OST3 Aug 2026OurAirports11Official

Climate and air quality

Brugge's monthly mean temperatures were 4.1°C in January and 17.3°C in July. Brugge's monthly precipitation totalled 61.5 mm in January and 68.1 mm in July. Average monthly sunshine totalled 65.5 hours in January and 238.7 hours in July.

Is the air quality good in Brugge?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 9 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: European Environment Agency (EEA)3

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in BelgiumAnnual PM2.5 in Brugge is 9.0 µg/m³. Of 442 cities with data, 142 have annual PM2.5 of 8 to under 9 µg/m³.

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
PM2.5 — annual mean9 µg/m³31 Dec 2024European Environment Agency (EEA)3Official · nearest-station reading
Average daytime high by monthJan 6.7 · Feb 7.4 · Mar 10 · Apr 13.3 · May 16.3 · Jun 19.1 · Jul 21.3 · Aug 21.7 · Sep 19.1 · Oct 15 · Nov 10.4 · Dec 7.3 °C31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO4Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by monthJan 1.4 · Feb 1.2 · Mar 2.8 · Apr 4.8 · May 8.5 · Jun 11.5 · Jul 13.3 · Aug 13.1 · Sep 10.7 · Oct 7.7 · Nov 4.7 · Dec 2.2 °C31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO5Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by monthJan 4.1 · Feb 4.3 · Mar 6.4 · Apr 9 · May 12.4 · Jun 15.3 · Jul 17.3 · Aug 17.4 · Sep 14.9 · Oct 11.4 · Nov 7.6 · Dec 4.7 °C31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO6Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by monthJan 61.5 · Feb 55.6 · Mar 46.3 · Apr 40.6 · May 54 · Jun 62.6 · Jul 68.1 · Aug 81.7 · Sep 73.4 · Oct 80.1 · Nov 88.6 · Dec 85.6 mm31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO7Official · nearest-station reading
Average sunshine by monthJan 65.5 · Feb 86.6 · Mar 143.4 · Apr 205.1 · May 229.8 · Jun 232.5 · Jul 238.7 · Aug 223.7 · Sep 171.8 · Oct 120.6 · Nov 67.3 · Dec 53.4 hours31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO8Official · nearest-station reading

Similar climate. In Belgium: Ghent ±0.7 °C. Elsewhere: Werl (Germany) ±1.1 °C, Bremerhaven (Germany) ±1.1 °C, Saanich (Canada) ±1.1 °C, Neustadt in Holstein (Germany) ±1.1 °C, Heide (Germany) ±1.2 °C. Twenty closest, compared month by month

Monthly highs and lows against the 1991–2020 station normals of the nearest station; ± is the average monthly difference.

Population and city profile

How many people live in Brugge?

The published population was 120,283 people in 2025. Source: Statbel (Belgian statistical office)16

MetricValuePeriodSource
Population120,283 people31 Dec 2025Statbel (Belgian statistical office)16Official

Alternatives for people set on Brugge

Nothing here reaches an argued comparison yet: no other published city shares enough metrics with Brugge from the same source, period and grain. What is collected is below.

Alternative cities in Belgium

Other cities in Belgium to compare with Brugge, nearest in population first.

All Belgium cities
Namur115,457 residentsSchaerbeek129,278 residentsAnderlecht129,600 residentsLeuven104,906 residentsMolenbeek-Saint-Jean98,411 residentsAalst92,131 residents

How does Brugge compare?

Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Brugge's.

Open the full comparison

Brugge in rankings

#8 of 30 in Largest cities in Belgium

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Brugge when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

School for children who move here. School is compulsory from age 5 to 18. Newly arrived pupils get support in the school language: OKAN/OKATN (onthaalonderwijs, reception education for foreign-mother-tongue newcomers). How to enrol a child (belgium.be).

A country-wide rule for Belgium; Brugge's school authority applies it locally.

Sources: eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu · 2025–2026.

Put Brugge's key facts on your site — a card with this page's figures and a link back, free under CC BY 4.0.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Brugge?

The published population was 120,283 people in 2025. Source: Statbel (Belgian statistical office).

Is the air quality good in Brugge?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 9 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: European Environment Agency (EEA).

How safe is Brugge?

Police recorded 8,780 incidents per 100,000 (2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Statistiek Vlaanderen - Geregistreerde criminaliteit (criminaliteitsgraad per gemeente, per 100 inwoners).

What is the unemployment rate in Brugge?

The unemployment rate is about 4.4 % (2011). Source: bestat.statbel.fgov.be.

What is the typical salary around Brugge?

The median gross salary is 3,711 EUR/month. Source: Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022.

How much is public transport in Brugge?

A monthly transport pass is 62 EUR/month. Source: Omnipas - subscriptions - De Lijn.

Is Brugge a good place to live?

Brugge may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Brugge, Belgium: population, rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 3841c1464afe1c1a3423d2e63049ba41]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/brugge-vlg-vwv/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_brugge-belgium-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living_1a9356f7e4d3,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Brugge, Belgium: population, rent, salary, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {3841c1464afe1c1a3423d2e63049ba41},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/brugge-vlg-vwv/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Brugge, Belgium: population, rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/brugge-vlg-vwv/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 3841c1464afe1c1a3423d2e63049ba41; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP50 opendata.fin.belgium.be · checked 2026-09-23
  2. bestat.statbel.fgov.be bestat.statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-08-26
  3. European Environment Agency (EEA) air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-06
  4. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
  5. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
  6. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
  7. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
  8. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
  9. Omnipas - subscriptions - De Lijn delijn.be · checked 2026-09-19
  10. OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
Show 7 more sources
  1. OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
  2. Proximus Internet Go proximus.be · checked 2026-09-15
  3. Proximus Mobile Maxi proximus.be · checked 2026-09-15
  4. Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022 bestat.statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-09-23
  5. Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022 bestat.statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-09-23
  6. Statbel (Belgian statistical office) statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-08-04
  7. Statistiek Vlaanderen - Geregistreerde criminaliteit (criminaliteitsgraad per gemeente, per 100 inwoners) vlaanderen.be · checked 2026-09-18

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.