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Rental prices in Belgium are high, although they do vary by region of the country. To rent a furnished house in the Brussels area you are likely to have to pay at least EUR1000 per month. If staying in the country for a significant length of time, it may be more cost-effective to buy a property there, as purchase prices are reasonable, particularly outside Brussels.

The Belgium rental market is heavily regulated and rent levels are fixed by the state for the entire duration of the lease. You can take out a lease for either three or nine years, and it is reportedly often better to opt for the 9-year lease since this is in practice more flexible than the 3-year lease, if you need to leave the property before the lease expires.

Under the 3-year lease you can be required by law to pay rent for the whole period, but under the 9-year lease you can only be asked to make an indemnity payment of up to 3 months' rent if you leave during the first three years, and no additional payment if you leave after three years. Under the 9-year lease the landlord can only ask you to leave either at the end of the third year or the sixth year of occupation, if they are going to occupy the property themselves or if major renovation work is required, and they have to pay compensation to the tenant of up to nine months' rent depending on length of occupation.