With the cost of living continuing to rise in Belgium, some households are struggling to do more than simply "get by" financially.
A third of the average household budget in this country is now spent on housing costs and utilities, meaning families are feeling the pinch in other areas – particularly as the cost of transport and food shopping remains high.
Researchers at Thomas More University College and the University of Liège have calculated the amount of money needed to “live with dignity” in Belgium. This means looking beyond the cost of basic necessities, and factoring in the cost of so-called luxuries such as socialising and entertainment.
Laurent Nisen, coordinator of studies and evaluations at the ESPRIst-ULiège interfaculty platform told RTL: "When we talk about living with dignity, it concerns not only basic things like healthcare, food, etc, but also needs that are not always taken into account but which are just as important for being able to integrate socially.”
The study looked into two cases: that of a single person with one dependent child, and a household of two adults with two children.
For the first household, the study suggested a minimum monthly income of €2,077 was required to live with dignity, while the second household required a minimum monthly income of €2,911.
RTL interviewed a single mother living in La Louvière with her eight-year-old daughter. She told the broadcaster: "To pay for all the necessities, you need €1,200. And I only earn €1,800...You can't stop a child from doing activities, and so at work, you try to earn extra to cover all that."
Belgian salaries
According to the most recent figures from Eurostat, the Belgian labour force remains one of the best paid in the EU, with the average annual salary almost 50% higher than the average across the bloc.
The average salary for employees in Belgium stood at €57,989 in 2023 – the fourth highest in the EU.
The relatively high wages can be partly attributed to the fact that Belgium is one of only two eurozone countries where both public and private salaries are automatically increased in tandem with inflation (the other being Luxembourg).
However, while average salaries are relatively high, Belgian workers also face one of the greatest tax burdens in the world.
Most Belgians are said to be “moderately satisfied” with their salary, according to a survey of 2,000 workers conducted this summer by HR service provider Partena Professional.
Only 16% say they are truly satisfied, 53% say they are quite satisfied, 26% are somewhat dissatisfied, and 5% are truly dissatisfied.
