How Much is the Minimum Wage in Belgium 2024? Belgium Occupations and Salaries 2024

How Much is the Minimum Wage in Belgium 2024? Belgium Occupations and Salaries 2024. Belgium is one of the most curious countries as a result of the researches made by those who want to go abroad. As such, Belgium Minimum Wage 2024 How Much? is being wondered. Those who want to collect information about Belgium, Belgium Occupations and Salaries 2024, Belgium Cost of Living, Can you live on minimum wage in Belgium? also investigates questions such as. Let’s learn all the curious things together …

How Much is the Minimum Wage in Belgium 2024

In this article for those who want to work abroad and those who are curious about the salaries of different countries, we will try to give information about Belgium Minimum Wage 2024 and Belgium cost of living, Belgium sought-after professions and salaries 2023. Unlike many other European Union countries, the minimum wage in Belgium is determined monthly, not hourly, just like in Turkey. Belgium ranks seventh among 33 countries in Europe in the ranking of minimum wages by country.

The official currency of Belgium, Frang, was changed to Euro with the transition of the European Union countries to the common currency. Citizens of the Republic of Turkey who are doing research on the Belgian language also examine the currency in their travel plans to Belgium. Euro, the currency used by an average of 40 countries, is used as the official currency of Belgium.

Salaries in Belgium vary by many different factors such as occupational groups, working hours, education level, gender and length of experience. The average salary in Belgium is 3,450 euros. The highest salaries in Belgium are earned in the petrochemical industry, while the lowest salaries are paid in accommodation and catering services. Although the minimum wage in Belgium 2024 has not yet been determined, the current minimum wage is 1593 euros.

Belgium Occupations and Salaries 2024

The majority of people in the country are self-employed or work in different positions. Therefore, the minimum wage is lower than in the private sector. When it is looked at in Belgium, it is found in societies that are considered to be highly prosperous and developed. The rate of working with minimum wage in the country is around 1.1%. The remaining people prefer different sectors as a position.

Occupations Average Lowest Salary – € Average Highest Salary – €
Woodworking Industrial Engineer 2.600 € 5.200 €
Coach, Sports Instructor 3.100 € 6.200 €
Anthropologist 2.600 € 5.200 €
Archaeologist 2.600 € 5.200 €
Astronomy and Space Sciences 4.200 € 8.300 €
Lawyer 3.100 € 6.200 €
Shoe Designer 2.600 € 5.200 €
Fisheries Technology Engineer 2.600 € 5.200 €
Banker 2.600 € 5.200 €
Banking 2.600 € 5.200 €
Press and Publication 2.600 € 5.200 €
Computer Engineer 3.700 € 7.300 €
Information Systems Engineer 3.700 € 7.300 €
Biochemistry 3.100 € 6.200 €
Biologist 3.100 € 6.200 €
Biomedical Engineer 4.200 € 8.300 €
Bioengineering 3.100 € 6.200 €
Biosystems Engineer 3.100 € 6.200 €
Biotechnologist 3.700 € 7.300 €
Environmental Engineer 2.600 € 5.200 €
Child Development Specialist 2.600 € 5.200 €
Marine Science and Technology Engineer 2.600 € 5.200 €
Marine Transport Management Engineer 2.600 € 5.200 €
Leather Engineer 2.600 € 5.200 €
Dentist 4.200 € 8.300 €
Doctor 4.200 € 8.300 €
Economics and Finance Specialist 5.200 € 10.300 €
Economist 5.200 € 10.300 €
Electrical Engineer 3.100 € 6.200 €
Electrical – Electronics Engineer 3.700 € 7.300 €
Electronics Engineer 3.700 € 7.300 €
Electronics and Communication Engineer 3.100 € 6.200 €
Industrial Engineer 3.700 € 7.300 €
Industrial Design Engineer 4.200 € 8.300 €
Industrial Designer 3.100 € 6.200 €
Energy Systems Engineer 4.200 € 8.300 €
Occupational Therapy Specialist 3.100 € 6.200 €
Finance and Banking 3.100 € 6.200 €
Financier 3.700 € 7.300 €
Physics Engineer 5.200 € 10.300 €
Physicist 3.700 € 7.300 €
Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Specialist 4.200 € 8.300 €
Photo and Video 2.600 € 5.200 €
Photography 2.600 € 5.200 €
Gastronomy and Culinary Arts 3.700 € 7.300 €
Journalist 3.700 € 7.300 €
Shipbuilding and Ship Machinery

Living Conditions in Belgium 2024

Full-time employees in Belgium earn on average 3,450 euros gross per month. The petrochemical industry is the highest paying sector in Belgium with a salary well above the national average. In addition to the highest-paying sector, general managers and senior executives are another of the highest-paid professions in Belgium, with a monthly salary of 9,285 euros.

Living in Belgium is the dream of many people. However, this situation can be a bit upsetting when comparing the Turkish Lira with the Dollar or Euro. Of course, your personal expenses, house rent, food expenses may change the situation. If you are working in Belgium and earning foreign currency, this situation becomes a little easier. According to a survey conducted by the European Union’s Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, Belgium, Finland and Austria were selected as the cities with the highest quality of life.

The biggest plus of Belgium is that living conditions, health care and education are very good. Flemish people care about quality of life and know how to enjoy it. Belgium may be a small country, but it has a very big role in the international context. Famous for its delicious chocolates, French fries and beer, Belgium is also the starting point of the adventures of our favourite comic series Tintin.

Belgium has a multicultural society, so you will never feel out of place. While Antwerp is one of the centres of the chemical industry, it is also the centre of the diamond trade. At the same time, Flanders, one of the leaders of the pharmaceutical industry, has also made great advances in the field of biotechnology.

Cost of living in Belgium

Living standards in Belgium are quite high. Apartments and flats are well maintained. In the big cities you may need to keep your budget a bit larger, but this depends entirely on the type of accommodation you choose and your spending habits. Roughly, it varies between 780 – 1230 EUR per month in Antwerp, 890 – 1,300 EUR per month in Brussels, 750 – 1200 EUR per month in Ghent, 800 – 1,300 EUR per month in Leuven.

Accommodation Fees in Belgium

Accommodation fees in Belgium range between 200 – 400 EUR per month in dormitories on campuses, around 500 EUR per month for off-campus apartments, and 600 – 700 EUR per month for renting a house. When considering costs other than accommodation, services such as electricity / water / gas bills are included in the accommodation fee in dormitories, while it may be necessary to pay approximately 100-400 EUR per month extra for off-campus accommodation.

Is it possible to go to Belgium as a tourist and work?

It is not possible to work in Belgium with a tourist visa, which is a short-term visa type. People who visit Belgium as tourists do not have the right to work officially in Belgium.

In order to work legally in Belgium, the person must obtain a Belgian work visa or have a work permit by specifying that he/she will go for work purposes while obtaining a Belgian visa. Working in Belgium without a work permit has severe penalties for both the employer and the employee. People working in Belgium without a work permit are deported and removed from Belgium.

How Much Are Unemployment Benefits in Belgium?

The amount of unemployment benefit in Belgium varies depending on the duration of unemployment and previous work history. The Belgian unemployment benefit received in the first year is given in the form of a certain proportion of the salary received in the last place of work in the past.

The table below lists the percentage of unemployment benefit that a person will receive in the first year of unemployment as a percentage of the last salary received while working.

UNEMPLOYMENT PERIOD PROPORTION OF THE SALARY RECEIVED AT THE LAST PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT
0 – 3 months 65
3 – 6 months 60
6 – 12 months 60%

What are the Income Tax Rates in Belgium?

Income tax is a type of tax on a person’s income and varies according to the amount of income. In Belgium, income tax rates start from 25% and increase to the highest 50%.

As of 2015, Belgian income tax rates are listed in the table below according to the amount of annual income.

ANNUAL INCOME INCOME TAX RATE
0 – 10.860 Euro 25
10.860 – 12.470 Euro 30
12.470 – 20.780 Euro 40
20.780 – 38.080 Euro 45
38.080 Euro and above 50%

How Much Are House Rents in Belgium in 2024

For house prices in Belgium, as in every European country, it is necessary to mention two different standards as city centre and out of town. Here, the average figures in the city centre for studio apartments with one person and one room vary between 720 and 810 €. When the location is chosen outside the centre, the price ranges between 610 and 700 €. The fact that there is not much price difference between the centre and the outskirts of the centre pushes people to live in more central locations.

For families, the cost of renting a three-bedroom apartment in the centre is around €1,100 to €1,200. For an out-of-centre location, prices for the same three-bedroom apartment fluctuate between €930 and €1,000. Although house rents in Belgium may seem high based on the minimum wage, the fact that general salaries are higher than the minimum wage increases prosperity.

Belgium Service/Training Expenses

ADSL/ VDSL internet fee 45,90 €
90 m’2 apartment monthly natural gas, water and electricity costs 149,85 €
Cinema Ticket 11,12 €
Gym membership (Monthly) 27,90 €
Nursery fee (Monthly) 536,43 €
Private School Fee (Annual) 16.735,17 €

Average information on internet, cinema, sports and education expenses in Belgium was shared.

Belgium Grocery Expenses
Bread price 1.68 €
Belgium Cigarette Price 7,50 €
Rice Price 1.87 €
1 Kilo Meat Price 14,45 €
Eggs 12 pcs 2,65 €
Half Kilo Chicken 4,55 €

Belgium Clothing Outfit Prices
Leather Kundura Shoes 112,60 €
Regular Shoe 60,09 €
Jeans Trousers 88,04 €
Sneakers 83,95 €
Summer dress 39,15 €

Average prices for clothes and shoes in Belgium are shared above. Belgium clothing prices are determined by the euro exchange rate.

Restaurant Prices in Belgium
A single meal in a normal restaurant 14,87 €
Meal for two in a good restaurant 64,90 €
Mc Donalds Menu 8,75 €
Coffee 2,88 €
1 can of Coke 2,41 €
1 bottle of water 330 ml 2,40 €
Beer Price 4,12 €

The average cost of food in Belgium is presented in euros. You can calculate how many euros you can shop in a normal restaurant.

Belgium Transport Costs
Public transport ticket 2,50 €
Taxi opening fee 4,95 €
Monthly public transport pass 49,10 €
Taxi 1 hour wait 29,75 €
1 Km taxi fare 1,96 €
Belgium 1 litre of petrol price €1.43
Wolkswagen Golf 1.4 24.876,22 €

Belgium car prices, petrol cost and taxi fare information in Belgium.

Life in Belgium 2023

According to a survey conducted by the European Union Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, Belgium, Finland and Austria were selected as the cities with the highest quality of life. The biggest advantages of Belgium are the very good living conditions, health care and education. Flemish people care about quality of life and know how to enjoy it. Belgium may be a small country, but it has a very big role in the international context.

Famous for its delicious chocolates, French fries and beer, Belgium is also the starting point for the adventures of our favourite comic series Tintin. Belgium has a multicultural society, so you will never feel out of place. Antwerp is one of the centres of the chemical industry and is also the centre of the diamond trade. At the same time, Flanders, one of the leaders of the pharmaceutical industry, has made great progress in the field of biotechnology.

Job Opportunities in Belgium 2024

The most common ways of finding job opportunities and vacancies in Belgium are recruitment agencies, job search websites, newspaper advertisements, personal contacts and labour placement agencies. The Brussels Economic and Employment Directorate carries out activities related to job placement services, employment advice and the publicising of vacancies. Private employment agencies serving foreigners coming to Belgium from abroad to work or planning to come to Belgium to work act as intermediaries for finding a job in Belgium.

Job vacancies in Belgium are generally in the fields of information technologies, tourism, service sector, industry, agriculture, engineering, production and gastronomy. In the big cities of Belgium, there are jobs in almost every sector and the need for personnel is on the rise. In Belgium, Dutch, French and German languages are used as official languages in government institutions and workplaces, and learning and speaking one of these languages provides a great advantage in terms of finding a job in Belgium.

What are the Working Conditions in Belgium?

The daily working time is 9 hours and a total working time of 40 hours per week is applied.
Working days are from Monday to Friday and from 09.00 am to 17.00 pm.
There is the right to work overtime; however, it is limited to a maximum of 11 hours per day and a total of 50 hours per week.
Overtime pay is at least 50 per cent of the current hourly rate. The overtime wage on weekends and public holidays is double the current hourly wage.
The annual leave period is at least 20 days. Paid annual leave may vary according to the working period of the employee.
The mother who has given birth is given 3 months paid maternity leave and the father is given 10 days paid paternity leave.

What are the Professions Required in Belgium?

Industry Sector: The sector where you can find the most comfortable job opportunities in this country, whose currency is EURO, is the industrial sector. Labour recruitment in the field of industry is quite high. The most important industrial branches are energy, manufacturing industry, construction and civil engineering. The average hourly wage is 9 dollars. For engineers, this wage is 25 dollars.
Agriculture Sector: Local agriculture is not common in the country. Industrialised agriculture is carried out and production is supplied from factories. Only 1.15% of the number of workers working in Belgium is in the agricultural sector. The average hourly wage is 9 dollars. For agricultural engineers, this wage can vary between 15-30 dollars.
Finance Sector: The financial sector in Belgium is growing every year. The average hourly wage of a normal finance employee is 23 dollars. For senior employees, this wage can vary between 50-80 dollars.
Tourism – Service Sector: The service sector is highly developed. There are many businesses in Belgium that provide commercial, legal and financial counselling services related to EU institutions. Companies that want to be close to EU institutions open offices in Belgium. The tourism sector also has an important place. The tourism income of the country is 2.5 per cent of the total national income.