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She lives in a really expensive area (Saint-Gilles) where the prices grew like mad for a few years now. Most of Belgians can’t afford to live there anymore. It’s mostly for rich immigrants now. (I lived there for 29 years.) For the food, she choose to go to one of the most expensive market either. There is one (not far from where she lives) where things are way more affordable. She choose a really expensive way to live. Don't see it as a average way to live in Brussels.

the price for the house remember Brussels is the capital off belgium so location counts to

That's a very privileged woman, no wonder she likes liviing in Brussels. Most people here in Belgium live a totally different kind of life !

7:00 Brussels is the capital of Belgium, of the European Union, AND hosts the headquarters of NATO. Of course its going to be expensive to live there and buy a house or apartment there. It's like buying in a major city in the USA, like in DC, LA, NY. Also, she is living in Saint-Gilles/Sint-Gillis, a neighbourhood in the dense city center of Brussels. She bought an appartment right in the city center, close to everything and anything Brussels has to offer. That is again going to mean the price of a house or apartment is going to be very high. Again compare to buying in london, paris, berlin, or NY, LA, DC, etc. Most americans assume that when you say you live "in" a city, you're actually living in a suburb, and commute to the city center. American city centers or "downtowns" are usually monofunctional business districts with nothing but office space and commercial, and barely any residential. In Europe, cities are much more mixed, with residential, commercial, offices etc. all mixed in in every neighbourhood. Often there's even mixing within a building with a shop on the ground floor, offices on the first, and appartements above that. Cities are dense, with mixed functions and very diverse uses all bunched together. It's how those cities are so lively and bustling compared to many N-american cities. Think NY, but with more medium density 5-6 story buildings rather than high density skyscrapers everywhere. So when she says she lives IN the city, she's actually living IN the city, and not in some suburb half an hour or more away from the actual city center like is common in N-america. This again makes buying a house or apartment much more expensive, even though finding a house big enough for a family of three for under 350 000 Euro even in the suburbs of Brussels would be nearly impossible. In europe, especially in Belgium, on if the most densely populated countries in europe, real estate is very expensive. N-america has tons of space to build cheap housing, which is why it's still so cheap to buy a house there. But even then you're usually at least 1h away from the center of the city you're supposedly living in. In my book thats not actually living in the city. Take into account that if she lives in Saint-Gilles/Sint-Gillis, she's not only living right in the city center within a 15 min walking distance of the grand place, but she's also 5-10 mins away from the brussels south train station that will take you anywhere in the country in 2h or less, and that will take you to London in 2.5h, Paris in 1.5h, Amsterdam in 2h, Luxembourg in 2h, Aachen, Köln and Düsseldorf also all in around 2h, and so on. Even Berlin or the South of france is only 5-6h away on high speed rail. And zaventem(brussels) international airport is about 20-30mins by train taking you all over the world. This really isn't comparable to "living in a city" the way americans see it. This really is more like living in a true city center. So of course prices are going to reflect that.

Brussels is the most expensive region to live in Belgium. (790,000 euros median in 2022, with the cheapest being 338,500 euros, for a house.)

High houseprices in and around Brussels are mainly due to the many people working at the European Parliament, Nato and all the Embassies.

I love shopping at the farmers market here in Germany. And, yes, there's somebody selling eggs from his own chickens.

Also remember in Europe most houses are t build of wood. Mainly concrete or stones

The house: built with bricks and concrete vs wood, paper, and gypsum in the US. Location: Brussels, capital of Belgium, seat/headquarters/important branch of European Union and NATO. Of course, the house costs more than one in remote Texas.

thnx for the video of my country. btw the markets (outside foods stands) is very common each village as one morning where you can go to the markets and by fresh food.

House prices are expensive here because of house crisis at least in my country, so that was the shock maybe the price of the house. For Belgium it is expensive though, There are cheaper houses there. Also the houses are made of stone with good isolation and double glass windows. Good quality homes that are meant to stand for hundreds of years.

Lol, she is in Brussels. Not only just a big city, but an EU city. (Meaning EU govt, and several EU agencies.) So why would you be surprised by prices, I think it is low considering the location.

mmmm don't know if this is a realistic view of Belgium in most smaller cities houses bigger than hers cost half as much and you pay for longer so the amount is lower. the tax rates are between 30 and 45% but you get a lot in return

She's living in the capital city of Europe and Belgium. Compared to other European capital cities, Brussels is relatively cheap.

Do not forget that in Belgium we pay 53% TAXES on our salary. Which is why we get more money from the government, like child care support, .... Also, the house she lives in is an upper class home. As her husband is an expat, most probably his company helps I that payment. 😊😊

The house will probably be still there in 2 or 3 hundred years.

The lifestyle she talks about applies to most other countries than America. I live in Australia as a Canadian expat of many years. I can do the same things, (in some fashion) as she does. You may watch these types of videos and think 'oh yeah, that looks great'. But you are young, and you can make life choices that you can still reverse. So, don't live vicariously through your computer screen. Dive in the deep end and go live somewhere foreign . And for an extended time. I did, and I have no regrets. My philosophy on life is that I'd rather be apologising for the things I did, rather than regretting the things I didn't do. And I'm well into my 70s, am a Canadian expat who has lived in Canada, the United States and the U.K., before finally settling in Australia. I've also travelled around the world over the many years. Courage isn't a big leap. It's just determining a goal, and taking many small steps towards that goal.

Hello from bruxelles, belgium native here. Originally from flanders louvain, also a beautiful city to visit 😉 cheers

She asked and the vendor confirmed that the eggs were laid by "plain air" (=free range) chickens.

Loving your videos…. Your reaction to the cost of the house second time watching was absolutely hilarious!!!

7:29, the 300k-500k price range for a house in europe is pretty common especially in countries like belgium

In Paris, for 1500 rent a month you live in a small 2 rooms flat (1 bedroom, 1 main with kitchen inside).

You are right, buildings in Belgium are like the last house in the big bad wolf but reinforced and insulated, American houses are like the first one the wolf blows :) Our taxes are indeed increasing when our income increase, but 55 percent is roughly the baseline for the lowest earners.

Mind you, she is living near the City Hall of Brussels, capital of Belgium and capital of the EU. Property prices (and living expenses) are accordingly. You shouldn't compare to Texas but to a 3 bed 1.5 bath condo within the more expensive areas of Austin or Dallas.

She's not the average Belgian in that video. Brussels is the most expensive region for real estate but outside the big cities, you can really can get good deals. However, keep in my mind when you buy a house these days, you have to restore it: put in new isolation, install solarpanels, put isolating glass in your windows until you reach the certificate EPC D, if I'm correct. Otherwise you get fined. Apart from that, as a Belgian, I can't complain about my country. I think more Americans should visit Belgium more and skip the cliché destinations like Paris, London, Amsterdam, Italy, Spain etc

The mortgage is so high probably because they opted for a period of less than 20 years. Most likely it's only 15, depending on what the down-payment was. It seems as if they can afford it.

Pour ma part, je suis heureuse de payer les impôts et les lois sociales, cela permet à tous les belges d'avoir un filet de sécurité solide tant sur les soins de santé que lorsqu'on perd son emploi. L'enseignement est fort bon marché aussi. Là où je ne suis plus d'accord, c'est quand on accueille des gens qui ne travailleront jamais et qui ne cotiseront jamais. Cela déséquilibre l'ensemble. C'est aussi la même chose pour l'évasion fiscale des grosses entreprises. Nous avons un pays extraordinaire, à nous de protéger ce qui a été si dûrement acquis lors des révoltes sociales.

If you don't live in the centre of Brussels you can pay half of that and live in a bigger house, so don't focus on the price of their house. Even as a Belgian myself I was shocked 😛

btw eggs in america can't be sold like that because they are "cleaned" in advance (removing their "defense") and thus have to be refrigerated. (has to do with different rules around chickens if i'm not mistaken)

Hello, I am Belgian, I find the spirit of my country in the video.

The houses aren't usually this expensive, but she is living in the capital city of Belgium. Usually it's more like 300,000 - 400,000 dollars (I think)

living in one coutry in Europ makes u hv free access to other 26 european countries :)

She is living in an expensive neighbourhood in the capital. You can get two houses for that price in other parts of Belgium as well, probably even 3.

A house in USA is more like a barrak . They don t know a real strong house.lol

As many people are saying already, don't focus so heavily on the numbers and prices here. This is ONE family living in an expensive area in Brussels. It's not a representative median for life in Belgium. Yes, the many benefits of Europe's countries compared to the U.S. are still present but again, this is she and her family's life. And she has a sweet deal and good life, no doubt! I am happy for her sake. Plus, as I always keep in mind when watching these types of videos, you never know the whole financial situation for a person. They could've inherited, won, or something, money. The video only tells you so much. Take care!

That's $600.000 for a house in the capital city of a european country which has limited housing expansion posibilities, so land is at a premium. You have to compare with likewise in the US, in a major city where land is at a premium.

The one time Trump wasn’t lying is when he said that Brussels is a hellhole. Imagine how happy she would be if she moved 10 miles north : no traffic, green everywhere, half the mortgage for double the space AND a garden, NO crime, …

Im belguim, tax is high heren, but they take good care of the system here

Viewing where she lives.... That's a cheap house. It's in Brussels, imagine the same house in Washington DC, it would be a multitude... Also I think she has a lot of advantages because of working in the military. Life in Belgium is not always that easy as she portraits it to be.

le as a belgian can say that the phone bill is pretty high but i am thinking she is calling america alot maybe thats why.

I live in Willebroek, Belgium and it lays between two major cities: Antwerp and Brussels. That means that all the people that can’t afford to live in Brussels or Antwerp move to Willebroek, 1 5th of the citizens of Willebroek don’t have work and we’re in the top 10 cities / counties that hates the city / county most. Every day i hear lot off sirenes sometimes there are fights at the train station, In school (In Mechelen) theres a lot of fights, Just really different then how she makes it out to be.

590,000 euro for that house ? Cheap !! Amsterdam is a lot more expensive

That's not Belgium style. Most people there can't afford this .

In the Uk the advice is not to store eggs in the fridge ,they are not refrigerated in the shops and the same goes for Europe ❤ .

I think they buy their house, so it is in normal, a cool appartment with place , probably in a good place ( not in a bad place is already good) so yeaah it is normal. For rent in Bruxelles, if u pay less than 1000 euro a month, it is probably a old appartment. For a new appartment or good looking (modern) with enough place to feel comfortable and in a good place , it is 1100 minimum per month ( rent )

She's representinga very small part of the population... the overpaid expat community 😂. Phone bill probably due to intercontinental calls. Some (expat) areas in Brussels are expensive, but so is NYC... the majority of the country is fairly priced. 600K can buy you a mansion with a pool and whatever... Yes taxes are a pain itb. They are progressive though.Tax liberation day is around mid July... the price to pay for the social security safety net i guess. That and our insanely complex government structure. Problem is that labour is heavily taxed and wealth not. Apart from taxation, one of the best places to live! Good food, good people with a sense of humour who don't take themselves and life too seriously.

you can buy a 3 bedroom house on the countryside for about a third of the price but might need some work so about half the price just depends the region

Here in Switzerland it's not unusual to see people having a beer or glass of wine at a cafe even at 8 in the morning It's typically people on their way home after a night shift, but nobody will look sideways

the tax % increases when you are in high paying job.

this is not the average Belgian, she obviously is a part of the wealthy people

@foreignreacts 580 000 euro is much, but there are much expensive home's in London for example is it at least 1 million. My sisters has both houses that cost more than 580 000 euro's...

...is a sentence that no one in their right mind would say.

Brussels real estate prices are high because all employees of the European Union pay little to no taxes on their earnings.

that house price isnt that crazy to be honest, i bought for 200k and my house is worth 500k+ now (Netherlands). In some locations it can be less or more but that price is kinda general now for a good place to live. can you live cheaper? of course but its all about location and i imagine its the same in US. You also have to remember that in Europe it is less about keeping up with the Johnsons and more focust on what you really need, housing is generally smaller so less can be stored in them :), markets btw are or used to be cheaper but fresher than a super market, nowadays its about the same or so little cheaper or expensive it doesnt really make you think about it i guess.

You should compare the price for her duplex to prices in other major cities. Brussels is the capital of Europe. You can get a lot more for less if you move out of the city 😊

She live in Brussels wich is in the heade city of european union and NATO with a lot of expat. I bought my appartement 160k $ for 80m²

yo, the house is made out of Brick :D and its in Brussels one of the most expensive citys around here

In the Netherlands the average price is €465.000 right now. In big cities you get an apartment of 25m2 for €400.000

She definately lives in upper Saint Gilles. The other side of Saint Gilles is one of the sketchiest and dirtiest places in Belgium, streets full of litter and drug addicts.

Houses are cheaper then in Paris or London. You have to compare it to prices in New York

I mean they live in Brussels, one of the most expensive cities I know (I'm from Belgium but don't know the costs in every city)

Well, in BE and in expansion Europe, we don't process eggs ... means washing like in the US as it takes away the natural protection of eggs. So yeah, you can get eggs with some feathers still attached to them. I never ever keep eggs in the fridge, degrades the taste.

Do know that belgian houses are build in brick😅

She has 3 appartements dude ...... She lives in one and the rest is rented

As a Belgian; this is crazy to hear xD though, it does make sense. Belgium is kind of a miniature version of America. Both in mindset, and history. Young countries that broke free from the overarching rulers and got their independence. Then continued through history with a provincial mindset. (I.e; verbal aggression, racism, elitism, etc). And then there's the many millionaire scene; which is also heavily presented in america. It's more important how you look and who/what you wear; than it is to act moderately properly.

Yeah... Belgium is a paradise for the rich. However, it's an expensive country for the middle classes, taxes and inflation are going thru the roof right now (a pack of 20 cigarettes costs €11,5) 500k - 600k for a house in Brussels, Brugge or Antwerp? That's nothing special unfortunately. Housing prices have effectively doubled since the early 2000's because we're just a small country but have 11 to 12 million inhabitants so building space is getting scarse in Flanders. Limburg, West-Flanders and Wallonia are exemptions where you can find large beautiful houses for around 300K. The average salary in Belgium is somewhere between €2000 - €5000. Also a fun fact: "Our entire political system is as dysfunctional as it can possibly get. It's a miracle that we're still on the map as 1 unified country..."

im from belgium she rich rich lol

Eggs,,,,, these hens live a free range existence out side close to the city.

with 1 income you can't afford that lifestyle , you are very lucky alone you can buy a house in belgium , most young people can't anymore

That is because mostly everything in Belgium is 100- 5000x better than in the US and this comes from someone with a dual citizenship. ( US-Swiss) If you go buy a house near Hasselt you will get way more for your buck. Capitals and big cities like Ghent, Bruges, Antwerp, Leuven, Liege, to some extent Hasselt are expensive to sometimes insanely so. Belgians pay high taxes on basically everything from 53% if you are living with a gf/wife and 56% ( last time i checked) if you are single. its one of the reasons i left Belgium for Switzerland and renovated my grandparents mansion.

Maybe not the best example. Nobody in Belgium I know Comes even close to such a mortgage. That's more than one person net income unless you're rich

Great video 👍 Brussels is the central governece of the EEC.So civil servants of every European nation works in Brussels $$$$😂

The mortgage isnt accurate when it comes to the average Belgian. Most people pay about 1200/1500 for a house.

Very nice video 👍❤️

I was thinking that seems like an Okey price for where she lives😅but I'm from Belgium

I bought my stand alone house for 170.000 in Belgium Limburg, city's are way more expensive

Hate to say it but the low end house prices in the netherlands is hitting € 500.000,00 ( and this is the correct amount notation)

i pay 650 outside a big city for a nice appartment

keep in mind brussels isnt crazy expensive but stil a capitol city and the capitol of europe the rest of belgium is a bit cheaper but stil

I live in Belgium and i want to leave as fast as possible

you compare Brussels with Texas? hahahahaha... Brussels is like Washington DC or Manhattan ... compare the housing prices with those not Texas...

It's Brussels. House prices are high. Not New York high but it is the capital of Europe.

What's wrong with selling eggs outside? They are sold wherever the vegetables are.

Every alcoholic is happy in a alcohol addicted country like Belgium. Drinking early in the morning ain't abnormal here, and if they could, they would feed their baby's with beer in the baby bottle. We also are the world champion in drinking and driving, if you kill some one in Belgium in a drunk condition (they call it an accident) you get no jail time. Belgian politicians, brewers, stores, cafés and the medical world, make a huge profit of it. A human life in Belgium ain't worth shit. You Americans have the RNA as a mighty lobby, while we have the alcohol industry as a mighty lobby.

3000$ for a house? you are probably in a average house. Food 700 is average cost for 3-4people

Houses are as expensive as that in the place I live too even if not in Brussels itself but relatively close to it.

Brussel is also the capital of the European Union. So, it must be expensive, i think.

These ppl are living above avrg

Brussel speak french half of Belgium speak dutch the part i live in i am dutch myself

The only thing she's not faking is being able to afford a house in brussels without working.. excuse me, i should say real job.

i belggium and my hous was 250 000 she has a hosue in the biggest city is exspesif city if she go live 10 minets away with car is cheaper

actually traditional markets aren't that expensive

Belgium is expensive en it is going up every year , bud Brussels is more expensive for a house by now here house could be word extra 100,000 euro i dit by my house fore 110,000 in 2022 with nothing in it just walls renovating it now

Brussels is the capital of the EU. The center of 27 member states. Compare the housing price to the central cities of the USA.

What mortgage of 3000 that is a lot. Mine is 1100 Mortgage and it is a medium big house in the centrum of Ypres.

and what would that place cost in New York? then you would think it was cheap

How much does a house cost in New York?

Look, she lives in the capital of not only the country, but The capital of Europe. In the US, you can get a very cheap house, but where? Try to buy something on the coast!

yes but she has an overaverage income and no worries