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Living in Ghent

In Ghent, the median rent tenants pay is €700 a month (2025).

Ghent (locally: Gent) is a city in Belgium, and the figures below are its published values. Residents of Ghent numbered 272,657 at the end of 2025. At the end of 2024, annual PM2.5 reached 9 µg/m³.

Last checked 2026-10-1030 sources

Population272,657people31 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 rent700EUR/month31 Dec 2025Official source · Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP50
Unemployment rate7.62%country median 5.3% — 43% aboveOfficial source · bestat.statbel.fgov.be
Recorded crime12,110incidents per 100,000country median 5,167 — 134% 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)

Higher unemployment than 67% of Belgian cities that publish it, more recorded crime than 98% 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 Ghent?

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 Ghent.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month
Ghent recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Private kindergarten€500
Utilities, 85 m² flat€199
Transport pass€53
Internet, 60 Mbps€40
Fitness club€32
Mobile plan, 10 GB€8

Supplemental estimate lane, not official statistics: Utilities, 85 m² flat, Private kindergarten, Transport pass, Fitness club. The others are published prices.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Fitness club membership, monthly31.5 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo25Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Grocery basket, monthly88.79 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo25Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited39.99 EUR/month31 Oct 2026Internet Light Fiber6Official · national market
Private kindergarten, monthly500 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo25Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant20 eur3 Aug 2026Numbeo25Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB8 EUR/month31 Oct 2026Scarlet Red 10 GB16Official · national market
Monthly transport pass52.5 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo25Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Basic utilities, 85 m² home198.7 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo25Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Median monthly rent700 EUR/month31 Dec 2025Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP501Official

Is Ghent 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 employee61%strong on work, weak on education · range 52–70%
Student44%strong on cost, weak on education · range 34–54%
Family45%strong on housing, weak on education · range 36–54%
Retirement55%strong on housing, weak on admin · range 44–66%

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Gent?

The unemployment rate is about 7.6 % (2011).

  • Unemployment rate: 7.62 % · bestat.statbel.fgov.be2
Unemployment across cities in BelgiumUnemployment in Ghent is 7.6%. 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
Public employment offices2 count15 Sept 2026VDAB — Gent office locations20Official
Median gross salary (regional)3,711 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-202215Official · regional context
Unemployment rate7.62 %country median 5.3%31 Dec 2011bestat.statbel.fgov.be2Official

What does a salary buy in Ghent?

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€1,488of €2,487 take-home
  • Rent
  • Utilities
  • 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− €700
Public transport pass€53 · market price · Numbeo · 2026-08-03− €53
Utilities, 85 m²€199 · market price · Numbeo · 2026-08-03− €199
Internet€40 · official · Internet Light Fiber · 2026-10-31− €40
Mobile plan€8 · official · Scarlet Red 10 GB · 2026-10-31− €8
Left over€1,488
Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Ghent Salary needed to live in Ghent

Public employment offices in Ghent

VDAB lists 2 public employment offices in Ghent (checked 2026-09-16). Use the official office finder for addresses and appointments; registration and job search are also available online through the national service below.

Office count verified

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

The office count comes from the service's own directory. Individual addresses and opening hours are not listed here yet. Sources checked through 16 Sept 2026.

Safety

How safe is Gent?

Police recorded 12,110 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)19

Recorded crime across major citiesGhent highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Ghent 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 residents12,110 incidents per 100,000country median 5,16731 Dec 2025Statistiek Vlaanderen - Geregistreerde criminaliteit (criminaliteitsgraad per gemeente, per 100 inwoners)19Official

Mobility and administration

Ghent's nearest airport was ANR, 54 km away and offered 1 direct destinations.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Direct destinations from the nearest major airport1 count3 Aug 2026OpenFlights11Official
Distance to the nearest major airport54 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports12Official
Nearest major airport (IATA code)ANR3 Aug 2026OurAirports12Official

Climate and air quality

Ghent's monthly mean temperatures were 4°C in January and 18.7°C in July. Ghent's monthly precipitation totalled 67.8 mm in January and 72.4 mm in July.

Is the air quality good in Gent?

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
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 Ghent 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 6.6 · Feb 7.6 · Mar 11.1 · Apr 15.2 · May 18.6 · Jun 21.4 · Jul 23.6 · Aug 23.5 · Sep 20 · Oct 15.4 · Nov 10.3 · Dec 7 °C31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO7Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by monthJan 1.4 · Feb 1.3 · Mar 3.1 · Apr 5.3 · May 9 · Jun 11.9 · Jul 13.9 · Aug 13.5 · Sep 10.7 · Oct 7.8 · Nov 4.6 · Dec 2.1 °C31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO8Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by monthJan 4 · Feb 4.4 · Mar 7.1 · Apr 10.2 · May 13.8 · Jun 16.7 · Jul 18.7 · Aug 18.5 · Sep 15.4 · Oct 11.6 · Nov 7.5 · Dec 4.6 °C31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO9Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by monthJan 67.8 · Feb 55.5 · Mar 53.1 · Apr 43.5 · May 55.3 · Jun 69.9 · Jul 72.4 · Aug 79.8 · Sep 67 · Oct 67.7 · Nov 78.6 · Dec 83.9 mm31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO10Official · nearest-station reading

Similar climate. In Belgium: Antwerp ±0.2 °C. Elsewhere: Werl (Germany) ±0.7 °C, Reims (France) ±0.8 °C, Lille (France) ±0.3 °C, Saanich (Canada) ±0.9 °C, Dusseldorf (Germany) ±0.4 °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 Gent?

The published population was 272,657 people in 2025. Source: Statbel (Belgian statistical office)17

MetricValuePeriodSource
Population272,657 people31 Dec 2025Statbel (Belgian statistical office)17Official

Alternatives for people set on Ghent

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Roeselare as a Ghent alternative in the same region

44 km away, better on 1 of 4 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0. Recorded crime, per 100k cannot be compared like for like.

  • Unemployment: 4.0% Roeselare vs 7.6% Ghent−48%
  • Residents: 66,888 Roeselare vs 272,657 Ghent−75%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 7,852 Roeselare vs 12,110 Ghentno percentage
  • Median gross pay, region: €3,711 Roeselare vs €3,711 Ghentsame level
  • Annual PM2.5: 9.0 µg/m³ Roeselare vs 9.0 µg/m³ Ghentsame level
Full comparisonMore about Roeselare

Brugge as a Ghent alternative in the same country

Better on 2 of 5 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0.

  • Unemployment: 4.4% Brugge vs 7.6% Ghent−43%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 8,780 Brugge vs 12,110 Ghent−27%
  • Residents: 120,283 Brugge vs 272,657 Ghent−56%
  • Median gross pay, region: €3,711 Brugge vs €3,711 Ghentsame level
  • Annual PM2.5: 9.0 µg/m³ Brugge vs 9.0 µg/m³ Ghentsame level
Full comparisonMore about Brugge

Brno as a Ghent alternative in another country

A move, not a commute, at 940 km, better on 1 of 2 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1. Median gross pay, region and recorded crime, per 100k cannot be compared like for like.

  • Median gross pay, region: €1,658 (2024) Brno vs €3,711 (2022) Ghentno percentage
  • A meal out: €8 Brno vs €20 Ghent−59%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 2,262 Brno vs 12,110 Ghentno percentage
  • Basic utilities, 85 m²: €266 Brno vs €199 Ghent+34%
Full comparisonMore about Brno

Cities near Ghent

Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.

Evergem Commuting Zone · 4.4 km away
Rent
950 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2025-12-31
Destelbergen Commuting Zone · 5.1 km away
Rent
1,050 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2025-12-31
Lochristi Commuting Zone · 7.1 km away
Rent
930 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2025-12-31
Sint-Martens-Latem Commuting Zone · 9.2 km away
Rent
1,395 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2025-12-31
Laarne Commuting Zone · 9.4 km away
Rent
900 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2025-12-31

Alternative cities in Belgium

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

All Belgium cities
Charleroi206,900 residentsBrussels198,674 residentsLiège198,102 residentsAntwerp562,002 residentsAnderlecht129,600 residentsSchaerbeek129,278 residents

How does Ghent compare?

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

Open the full comparison

Ghent in rankings

#2 of 30 in Largest cities in Belgium #18 of 30 in Cheapest cities to rent in Belgium

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Ghent 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; Ghent's school authority applies it locally.

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

Is Ghent part of Brussels?

Ghent is near Brussels, but the collected evidence does not establish that it is administratively part of the hub or an official satellite. It is about 50.2 km away by straight-line distance. Brussels city profile

Relationship type: Nearby Independent Place. Source5

Which comparable places record less crime than Ghent?

21 places have a lower recorded total crime rate than Ghent in this strictly source-matched cohort.

Ghent: 12,136.9 offences/100k (2025).

Sint-Genesius-Rode — 4,208.6 offences/100k2025Kapellen — 4,346.6 offences/100k2025Hove — 4,625.9 offences/100k2025Zoutleeuw — 4,734.2 offences/100k2025Hamme — 4,971.6 offences/100k2025Herk-de-Stad — 5,028.2 offences/100k2025Temse — 5,554.7 offences/100k2025Oudenaarde — 6,960.2 offences/100k2025

Only the same source family, offence definition, period, grain and denominator method are compared. This is recorded crime, not a claim about personal safety. Official source13

Put Ghent'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 Gent?

The published population was 272,657 people in 2025. Source: Statbel (Belgian statistical office).

Is the air quality good in Gent?

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 Gent?

Police recorded 12,110 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 Gent?

The unemployment rate is about 7.6 % (2011). Source: bestat.statbel.fgov.be.

What is the typical salary around Ghent?

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 Ghent?

A monthly transport pass is 52.5 EUR/month. This is a supplemental estimate, not an official municipal measurement. Source: Numbeo.

Is Ghent a good place to live?

Ghent 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.

Is Ghent part of Brussels?

Ghent is near Brussels, but the collected evidence does not establish that it is administratively part of the hub or an official satellite. It is about 50.2 km away by straight-line distance.

Which cities are near Ghent?

Evergem, Destelbergen, Heusden, Lochristi, Sint-Martens-Latem are near Ghent. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.

Which comparable places record less crime than Ghent?

21 places have a lower recorded total crime rate than Ghent in this strictly source-matched cohort. The comparison uses Police fédérale SPC municipal PDF 2025 + Statbel TF_SOC_POP_STRUCT_2025, period 2025, and does not compare across incompatible police definitions.

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). Ghent, Belgium: population, rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version e07feab679afc2a47e998295d4e9a549]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/gent-vlg-vov/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_ghent-belgium-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living_f5c2118d8001,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Ghent, Belgium: population, rent, salary, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {e07feab679afc2a47e998295d4e9a549},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/gent-vlg-vov/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Ghent, Belgium: population, rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/gent-vlg-vov/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version e07feab679afc2a47e998295d4e9a549; 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. GISCO Urban Audit 2021 — Functional Urban Areas (URAU_RG_100K_2021_4326_FUA) GISCO Urban Audit 2021 · gisco-services.ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-09-19
  5. gisco-services.ec.europa.eu place coordinates gisco-services.ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-28
  6. Internet Light Fiber proximus.be · checked 2026-10-08
  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. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
  10. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
Show 20 more sources
  1. OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
  2. OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
  3. police.be recorded crime data police.be · checked 2026-08-28
  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. Scarlet Red 10 GB scarlet.be · checked 2026-10-08
  7. Statbel (Belgian statistical office) statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-08-04
  8. statbel.fgov.be recorded crime data statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-08-28
  9. Statistiek Vlaanderen - Geregistreerde criminaliteit (criminaliteitsgraad per gemeente, per 100 inwoners) vlaanderen.be · checked 2026-09-18
  10. VDAB — Gent office locations VDAB · vdab.be · checked 2026-09-15
  11. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  12. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  13. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  14. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  15. Numbeo numbeo.com · checked 2026-08-03
  16. Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q12997 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
  17. Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q3177595 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
  18. Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q730696 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
  19. Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q735827 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
  20. Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q737538 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05

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