Belgium is one of the most affluent and stable countries in the world, which is also the political center of Europe. Belgium harmoniously combines the charm of the past with modern culture and innovations. It borders the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, and France to the south and west. Washed by the North Sea to the northwest. Currently, there are flights from Moscow and St. Petersburg with layovers in Istanbul, Antalya. The travel time with layovers ranges from 8 hours to a day.

The country has 6 international airports – Brussels, Brussels-Charleroi, Ostend-Bruges, Liège, Antwerp, Bruges.

Belgium is a highly developed post-industrial state with intensive agriculture. The country is characterized by a high standard of living, world-class education and healthcare, and is particularly convenient as an air and ground transport hub. The economy is formed by private entrepreneurship thanks to the country’s central geographical location, highly developed transport network, and diversified industrial and trade base.

Belgium has three official languages – French, Dutch, German

The ethnic composition in Belgium is divided into: 58% Flemish, 31% Walloons, and 11% mixed and other ethnic groups.

The majority of believers are Catholics, and other recognized religions include Islam and Protestantism. Additionally, Belgians are adherents of Judaism, Anglicanism, and Orthodoxy. The church is separated from the state.

The climate of Belgium is temperate maritime, typical for all of Western Europe. The climate of Belgium is characterized by mild and rainy winters and cool, rainy summers. Snow is rare in Belgium, in some years it does not fall at all, and in winter there are sometimes frosts. Summer is cool; Belgium is characterized by a cyclonic weather pattern. Heat is a rare and short-lived phenomenon.

Rent

1-bedroom apartment in the city center – €815
1-bedroom apartment on the outskirts – €688
3-bedroom apartment in the city center – €11,237
3-bedroom apartment on the outskirts – €1,026

Dining

Dinner at an inexpensive restaurant – starting from €17
Dinner at a mid-range restaurant – around €75

Food Prices in Belgium

Milk (1 liter) – €1
Eggs (12 pieces) – €3
White bread loaf (500g) – €2
Chicken breast (1 kg) – €10
Beef (1 kg) – €15

Communication and Internet

Monthly mobile phone plan with calls and 7 GB of data from the mobile operator Lycamobile costs €20.

The healthcare system in Belgium is recognized as one of the best in the world. It is divided into the public and private sectors, both of which are fee-based.

There is a mandatory health insurance system based on sickness funds. The main responsibility of these sickness funds is to reimburse medical institutions and professionals for providing medical services to insured citizens. All officially employed Belgians and self-employed individuals operating within the country must be registered and make contributions to the Belgian Health Insurance Fund. The monthly contribution to the Health Insurance Fund is fixed and amounts to 7.35% of the salary. Medical insurance covers 99% of the population, and children under the age of 18 are covered by their parents’ insurance.

Payments for healthcare services under the mandatory health insurance system are made only for services actually rendered and come in two forms:

• Direct payments, where the patient pays for the services received entirely from their own funds and then receives full or partial reimbursement of their expenses from the sickness fund.
• Involving a third party (in this case, payments for services rendered are made directly by the sickness funds, and the patient pays only the co-payment and the cost of additional and non-reimbursable services).

Since state healthcare in Belgium is subsidized rather than free, the majority of residents in the country also purchase private health insurance policies to gain access to private medical services and expand their insurance coverage with additional options.

Tax rates in Belgium are among the highest in Europe. Each individual who is a resident of the country (spending more than 6 months a year on its territory) pays a tax ranging from 0% to 50%, depending on the income level.

The tax rate for legal entities depends on the company’s income level. If the annual profit exceeds €322,500, the tax rate is 33.99%. If the total income from all sources is less than the specified amount, the taxpayer may be eligible for a reduced rate.

Capital gains are treated as income and are taxed at the rates mentioned above; there is no separate tax for this.

The standard VAT rate in Belgium is 21%. For certain types of services, including pharmaceuticals, restaurant services, sale of solid fuels, and more, the rate is reduced to 12%. Essential food items and medicines are subject to a 6% tax.

The stamp duty rate is 12.5%, and there is no state tax.

The education system in Belgium is structured as follows:

Basic Education – preschool (2.5-6 years) and primary (6-12 years).

Secondary Education (12-18 years).

Higher Education.

Obtaining secondary education in Belgium is equivalent to attending colleges in other European countries. The highest level of education refers to university studies.

In Belgium, career guidance starts quite early.

Obtaining higher education in Belgium is only possible on a fee-paying basis, except in cases where a student receives a scholarship, in which case they can study for free. Other students are required to pay tuition fees, which start from €4,000 per year. However, some specialties may be more expensive; for example, medical studies can cost around €9,000 per year, plus the registration fee, which is usually around €500-€800 and is paid only once. Belgium has three official languages – French, German, and Dutch. However, despite this, most universities offer instruction in French and English.