Brussels vs Havana Cost of Living Comparison
Takeaway for Brussels vs Havana: everyday costs favor Havana (~69% CPI gap), housing index favors Havana, wage stretch favors Brussels. Use category winners, not a single headline, when the binding constraint is rent or income.
Overall Cost Winner
Havana
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Utilities (852% gap, Brussels ahead); Transport (529% gap, Brussels ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $965 lower in Havana than in Brussels (~64% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $965 (favoring Havana).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Havana | CPI 23.1 vs 73.4 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Havana | Rent index 14.2 vs 38.9 (lower is better) |
| Food | Havana | Groceries index 34.6 vs 67 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Brussels | One-way ticket 1.67 vs 10.51 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Brussels | Utilities (85m²) 71.58 vs 681.6 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Brussels | Internet 61.18 vs 362.88 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Havana | Restaurant index 25 vs 72 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Havana | Avg net salary 24998.4 vs 5875.12 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Brussels | PP index 103 vs 16.8 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Utilities: Brussels leads with a 852% gap.
Utilities (85m²) 71.58 vs 681.6 (lower is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Havana — Lower housing / rent index (63% gap).
- Families: Havana — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Havana; purchasing power favors Brussels.
- Remote Workers: Havana — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Havana (~69% gap).
- Budget Living: Havana — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Havana is the overall cost winner on CPI (~69% lower everyday-cost index than Brussels).
- Housing: Havana leads on rent index (63% gap).
- Food / groceries: Havana is lower (48% gap).
- Purchasing power: Brussels scores higher (84% gap).
- Largest category gap: Utilities (852%), favoring Brussels.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$965 cheaper in Havana.
Analysis
Brussels versus Havana is not a single number. With a 69% CPI spread, groceries and services tend to move with Havana, while housing follows Havana's rent index. Purchasing power (103 vs 16.8) decides whether local wages offset local prices.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-25
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Regional
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Regional.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.