Rental prices in Brussels have seen a significant increase over the past five years, with the average cost of a three-bedroom apartment in the city centre jumping by 38%, from €1,522 in 2020
to €2,103 in 2025.
One-bedroom apartments have experienced even steeper growth, with average rents climbing 44%, from €828 to €1,192. These figures, drawn from a recent Deutsche Bank report cited by Euronews, place Brussels in the mid-range among European cities in terms of affordability.
The report examined rental trends in 67 global cities, including 28 in Europe. While Brussels remains less expensive than high-cost cities like London, Zurich, and Amsterdam—where rents for three-bedroom apartments exceed €4,000—the Belgian capital is catching up quickly due to persistent demand and a shortage of available housing.
Protests over rising rents have also erupted in the city. As part of European Housing Action Day, hundreds of demonstrators marched in Brussels to call for “dignified and affordable” housing.
Europe-wide, the largest rental hikes since 2020 have occurred in southern and eastern cities. Istanbul leads the surge with a 206% increase in three-bedroom rents, followed by Lisbon (81%), Prague (73%), and Edinburgh (71%). With a 38% rise, Brussels sits above cities like Vienna and Stockholm, but still trails behind Spain's largest urban centres.
Only five European cities now offer average rents for three-bedroom apartments below €2,000—Athens, Budapest, Istanbul, Warsaw, and Helsinki. Brussels has now moved into the €2,000–€3,000 range, alongside Vienna, Prague, and Birmingham.
While Brussels is still more affordable than Europe’s priciest cities, the trend underscores mounting housing pressures across the continent, as factors like inflation, post-pandemic recovery, and rapid urbanisation continue to drive up rental costs.