Expat Insider 2026 – Brussels

➡️You’re welcome to use these 2026 Expat Insider results. Please remember to credit InterNations as the source, and where possible, include a link to www.internations.org.

In this article:

• In Brief
• Careers Made in the EU Quarter
• Comfortable Paychecks
• Top Healthcare, Tough Streets
• Inside the Expat Bubble
• Who Moves to Brussels?

In Brief

Brussels lands in 13th place out of 33 cities in the Expat City Ranking 2026, based on the annual Expat Insider survey by InterNations. It placed 18th out of 53 in 2024 — the last time a city ranking was published. The pattern is unmistakable: professional aspects excel — Working Abroad and Personal Finance both rank 7th — while the city itself disappoints, with the Quality of Life Index in 29th place. Expat Essentials (13th) and Ease of Settling In (17th) sit in between. The contrasting strengths and weaknesses ultimately balance out: 70% of expats are happy with their life in Brussels (vs. 70% globally), giving the city a ranking of 17th for overall happiness.

Careers Made in the EU Quarter

Work brings expats to Brussels like few other cities: 31% moved for a job they had found or applied for (vs. 17% globally), 22% were recruited internationally — over five times the global average of 4% — and 7% came on a diplomatic or NGO assignment (vs. 1%). The institutional flavor is obvious: over a quarter of expats with a job (26%) work in the public sector or for governmental and non-governmental organizations, compared to 4% globally.

The Working Abroad Index (7th) rewards them. Brussels places 5th in the Career Prospects Subcategory, with close to seven in ten (69%) agreeing that moving to Brussels has improved their career prospects (vs. 55% globally) — and just 5% disagreeing (vs. 22%). Job security satisfies with 71% (vs. 54% globally) and overall job satisfaction reaches 76% (vs. 61%). Still, the hours stay civilized: full-time employees work 39.8 hours per week (vs. 42.2 globally), with 72% happy with their working hours (vs. 63%) and 69% praising the business culture’s flexibility (vs. 56%).

Comfortable Paychecks

The Personal Finance Index (7th) completes the professional package. More than four in five expats (84%) say their disposable household income is enough or more than enough for a comfortable life (vs. 71% globally) — including 57% who call it more than enough (vs. 42%). Among working expats, 78% agree they’re paid fairly, twenty percentage points above the global average of 58%. And 69% are satisfied with their financial situation overall (vs. 55%). The general cost of living still stings a little — 52% rate it negatively (vs. 40% globally) — but the salaries clearly absorb it.

Top Healthcare, Tough Streets

The Quality of Life Index (29th) is where Brussels stumbles. Next to the language barrier, the climate was expats’ biggest concern before moving (35% vs. 15% globally), and rightly so: just 17% rate the climate & weather positively (vs. 58% globally). And the air quality convinces only 21%, less than a third of the global average of 65%. When the grayness gets to be too much, escape is at least easy — 95% praise the opportunity to travel (vs. 84% globally).

Most striking, however, is personal safety, or rather a lack thereof: over a third (34%) rate it negatively (vs. 9%). The political stability (37% positive vs. 59% globally) doesn’t reassure either, resulting in a 30th place for Brussels in the Safety & Security Subcategory.

Healthcare (6th) is the great exception in the index: expats appreciate the quality of medical care (86% positive ratings vs. 71% globally), its availability in the city (86% vs. 71%), and its affordability (79% vs. 61%).

Inside the Expat Bubble

Socializing happens largely among internationals: 60% of expats describe their friends as mostly other expats (vs. 37% globally). Making local friends is difficult according to 52% (vs. 40%), and less than half (47%) are happy with their social life (vs. 54%). The local population reads as reserved rather than hostile — while just over half (53%) rate their general friendliness positively (vs. 63% globally), 62% find them friendly towards foreign residents, not far off the global average of 61%. All in all, Brussels thus lands in 17th place in the Ease of Settling In Index.

The practicalities land midfield (Expat Essentials 13th). Housing (8th) is unusually manageable for a European capital — 46% find it easy for expats to find housing (vs. 44% globally), and its affordability (50% negative ratings vs. 49%) is no worse than the global norm. The surprise weakness is Digital Life (27th): only 67%, for example, find it easy to get high-speed internet at home (vs. 81% globally), with 18% reporting trouble (vs. 9%).

Who Moves to Brussels?

Brussels hosts a highly educated, well-traveled, and strikingly female community: 66% of respondents are women (vs. 49% globally), 68% hold a postgraduate degree (vs. 50%), and 68% have lived in at least two other foreign countries before (vs. 49% globally). Germans (9%), US Americans and Italians (8% each), and French expats (7%) are the top nationalities. The average age is 49.5, and 43% work in senior or specialist positions (vs. 24% globally).

Tenures run long — 45% have lived there for more than ten years (vs. 39% globally) — but hearts stay uncommitted: only 17% plan to stay forever (vs. 27%). Brussels, it seems, is an excellent posting more than a beloved home.