Buying or renting in Brussels in 2026: the real maths

In Brussels in 2026, buying beats renting from around five years of ownership. Below that, acquisition costs, including 12.5% registration duty, are not yet recouped. Beyond it, every monthly payment builds your own equity instead of a landlord's.

The real break-even point

The question is not buy or rent, it is for how long. Buying is expensive upfront: budget around 12.5% in duties, plus the notary and your deposit. Those costs come back over time. Under five years, reselling often wipes out the gain. Beyond it, buying pulls ahead, and the gap widens fast.

What rent never builds

Rent pays for a roof, not for equity. At the end, you have capitalised nothing. Buying turns part of the payment into capital and exposes you to Brussels capital growth, modest but real, around 3% a year for apartments in 2025. The trade-off: less flexibility, and costs when you resell.

Rate, deposit, term: the three levers

Three numbers set your payment. The rate, around 3.2 to 3.7% in early 2026 over 25 years. The deposit, because the bank lends at most 90% of the value. The term, which lowers the payment but raises the total cost. To see what you can borrow, read our guide to borrowing capacity.

Worked example: a two-bedroom in Schaerbeek

Take a two-bedroom apartment in Schaerbeek, around €255,000, your main residence.