Ghent vs London

Thinking about Ghent or London? Here’s the honest, side-by-side comparison for2026 — cost of living, language, climate, careers and getting set up.

🇧🇪

Ghent

Belgium · Europe

🇬🇧

London

United Kingdom · Europe

The short answer

Ghent and London land in a broadly similar monthly budget bracket. London is the softer landing day-to-day since English is the working language, while Ghent rewards picking up Dutch. Both have full set-up guides below, so the real choice comes down to climate, career field, and the lifestyle you're after.

Cost of living, side by side

What it costs🇧🇪 Ghent🇬🇧 London

Rent — 1-bed, central

Ghent ~60% cheaper

EUR 850–1,150 / month

One-bed flat, central (Patershol, Prinsenhof, around the Kouter)

£2,100–2,400 / mo

1-bed apartment (centre)

Mid-range meal (per person)

Ghent ~30% cheaper

EUR 16–24

Dagschotel — the lunchtime plate in an ordinary brown bar

£18–30

Meal, mid-range restaurant

Coffee

EUR 3.00–3.60

Coffee in a city-centre café

—

Getting around

basis varies

EUR 300–400 / year, often reimbursed by employers

De Lijn annual network pass

£171.70

Monthly travelcard (zones 1–2)

Groceries (one person)

EUR 290–400 / month

Groceries, one person

—

Utilities

EUR 150–240 / month

Utilities and internet, one person

—

Other monthly costs (excl. rent)

—

~£1,000 (excl. rent)

Est. single-person monthly

Est. total / month

rent + everyday costs

—

≈ $4,381

Prices are curated local figures shown in their own currency. USD totals and “% cheaper” claims use approximate exchange rates to put both cities on one scale — rough guidance for budgeting, not exact quotes. Ranges are averaged; annual rents are shown per month.

Full Ghent cost breakdown →Full London cost breakdown →

Language, region & climate

🇧🇪

Ghent

Dutch: Day-to-day life rewards some Dutch.
Europe: GMT+1 · EUR
Climate: Temperate maritime — grey and damp for most of the year, mild winters, and summers that are warm rather than hot.

🇬🇧

London

English: English is the working language — an easy landing.
Europe: GMT+0 · GBP
Climate: Temperate maritime — mild, cloudy and damp, with cool summers.

Which is better for…

Your budget

It's a wash

Ghent and London cost about the same month to month once rent and everyday spending are combined.

Your career

London

London's English-first workplace makes switching jobs and networking easier for most internationals. Ghent: Ghent University & the university hospital, Biotech & life sciences, Port, steel & heavy industry. London: Finance (the City & Canary Wharf), Fintech, Technology.

Your lifestyle

Depends what you want

Ghent feels like “A medieval core you are not allowed to drive across, tens of thousands of students, and the lowest city tax in Flanders”, while Londonis “Global capital of finance, culture, and ambition”. Climate is a real differentiator: Ghent — temperate maritime — grey and damp for most of the year, mild winters, and summers that are warm rather than hot. London — temperate maritime — mild, cloudy and damp, with cool summers.

Which one will let you in?

Your passport

Pick your passport to see which of these two you can actually enter, and on what.

The essentials at a glance

Detail🇧🇪 Ghent🇬🇧 London

Population≈272,000 in the municipality — Flanders' second city — with tens of thousands of university and college students on top of that during term~9 million (Greater London)

LanguagesDutch, with a strong local accent. English is spoken almost universally in a city this student-heavy; French is understood but is not the administrative languageEnglish

CurrencyEuro (EUR)Pound sterling (GBP, £)

Time zoneCET (GMT+1), CEST (GMT+2) from late March to late OctoberGMT / BST (UTC+0, +1 in summer)

Power plugType E, 230 V — the socket has a protruding earth pin, so some German and Dutch Schuko plugs sit awkwardlyType G, 230V

ClimateTemperate maritime — grey and damp for much of the year, mild winters, warm rather than hot summersTemperate maritime — mild, grey, wet year-round

RegionFlanders — which means Flemish work permits, compulsory civic integration, the Flemish Housing Rental Decree and a Flemish low emission zone, all different from Brussels—

Communal tax surcharge6.5% for assessment year 2026 — the lowest of the big Flemish cities, against 7.0% in Antwerp and 6.9% in Bruges—

Driving side—Left

Work week—Monday–Friday

Go deeper on each city

🇧🇪

Moving to Ghent

6 set-up guides · cost, language, culture & more

Read the full Ghent guide

🇬🇧

Moving to London

6 set-up guides · cost, language, culture & more

Read the full London guide

Still torn between Ghent and London?

Take the 30-second quiz or start a free, AI-personalized plan built around your job, budget and move date — and land in the right city with confidence.

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