Back to Resources

    Brussels vs Lima: A Complete Data-Driven Comparison

    ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ช

    Brussels

    Belgium ยท $2,200/mo

    0.00
    Total
    0.00
    Nomad
    ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ช

    Lima

    Peru ยท $900/mo

    0.00
    Total
    0.00
    Nomad

    Choosing between Brussels, Belgium and Lima, Peru is one of the most common dilemmas facing digital nomads, expats, and remote workers in 2026. Both cities offer unique advantages. But the right choice depends entirely on your priorities, budget, and lifestyle preferences.

    In this comprehensive comparison, we analyze Brussels and Lima across 12 critical categories: Economic Factors, Quality of Life, Infrastructure & Connectivity, Housing & Living Spaces, and 8 more categories. Each category is scored on a 0-100 scale using data from over 20 verified sources, including Numbeo, WHO, Speedtest, and local government statistics.

    Brussels earns an overall score of 75.33/100, while Lima scores 67.30/100. A 8.03-point modest gap that Brussels leads. But headline scores never tell the full story. Let's break down exactly where each city excels and where it falls short.

    Brussels is described as: "The EU capital. Multicultural, central, and surprisingly affordable." Meanwhile, Lima is known as: "South America's culinary capital. World-class food at rock-bottom prices." These reputations are earned. But how do they hold up under rigorous data analysis? Read on.

    Economic Factors

    Brussels

    67
    / 100

    Lima

    67

    In economic factors, Brussels takes the lead with a score of 67/100 compared to 67/100. This category covers employment & income, cost factors, economic environment.

    Brussels has a solid advantage in employment & income (67 vs 51). Lima has a solid advantage in cost factors (80 vs 65).

    Brussels stands out for currency stability, banking system, economic stability, though tax rates and business regulations could be improved. Lima performs well in daily living costs and entertainment costs despite the overall gap.

    Employment & Income

    Brussels

    67
    / 100

    Lima

    51

    Job Market Strength

    62/ 10048

    Salary Levels

    68/ 10045

    Freelance/Remote Work Market

    72/ 10055

    Entrepreneurship Environment

    64/ 10054

    Cost Factors

    Brussels

    65
    / 100

    Lima

    80

    Housing Costs

    52/ 10084

    Daily Living Costs

    58/ 10089

    Transportation Costs

    72/ 10081

    Entertainment Costs

    64/ 10086

    Healthcare Costs

    78/ 10084

    Education Costs

    68/ 10053

    Economic Environment

    Brussels

    70
    / 100

    Lima

    65

    Tax Rates

    38/ 10064

    Business Regulations

    48/ 10051

    Economic Stability

    85/ 10071

    Currency Stability

    92/ 10066

    Banking System

    88/ 10074

    Quality of Life

    Brussels

    70
    / 100

    Lima

    58

    In quality of life, Brussels takes the lead with a score of 70/100 compared to 58/100. This category covers healthcare, education, safety & environment, climate & nature.

    Brussels has a solid advantage in healthcare (78 vs 60). Brussels has a solid advantage in education (79 vs 67). Brussels has a commanding lead in safety & environment (68 vs 35).

    Brussels stands out for natural disaster risk, political stability, international schools, though beach/water access and crime rates could be improved. Lima performs well in climate suitability and healthcare affordability despite the overall gap.

    Healthcare

    Brussels

    78
    / 100

    Lima

    60

    Healthcare Quality

    82/ 10059

    Healthcare Accessibility

    84/ 10064

    Healthcare Affordability

    76/ 10086

    English-Speaking Medical Staff

    78/ 10041

    Mental Health Services

    74/ 10044

    Dental Care

    76/ 10064

    Education

    Brussels

    79
    / 100

    Lima

    67

    School Quality

    74/ 10049

    International Schools

    86/ 10071

    Universities

    79/ 10076

    Language Schools

    84/ 10079

    Vocational Training

    73/ 10061

    Safety & Environment

    Brussels

    68
    / 100

    Lima

    35

    Crime Rates

    48/ 10026

    Personal Safety

    52/ 10031

    Political Stability

    88/ 10056

    Natural Disaster Risk

    94/ 10041

    Air Quality

    48/ 10029

    Water Quality

    82/ 10024

    Noise Pollution

    62/ 10039

    Climate & Nature

    Brussels

    60
    / 100

    Lima

    73

    Climate Suitability

    82/ 10091

    Sunshine Hours

    54/ 10037

    Rainfall Patterns

    66/ 10084

    Natural Beauty

    68/ 10082

    Green Spaces

    78/ 10064

    Beach/Water Access

    22/ 10073

    Mountains/Hiking

    52/ 10079

    Infrastructure & Connectivity

    Brussels

    81
    / 100

    Lima

    64

    In infrastructure & connectivity, Brussels takes the lead with a score of 81/100 compared to 64/100. This category covers transportation, connectivity, digital infrastructure.

    Brussels has a solid advantage in transportation (79 vs 60). Brussels has a commanding lead in connectivity (85 vs 57).

    Brussels stands out for train connections, airport distance, public transport quality, though traffic congestion and internet cost could be improved. Lima performs well in internet cost and public transport affordability despite the overall gap.

    Transportation

    Brussels

    79
    / 100

    Lima

    60

    Public Transport Quality

    86/ 10069

    Public Transport Coverage

    84/ 10074

    Public Transport Affordability

    82/ 10087

    Bike Infrastructure

    76/ 10039

    Walkability

    80/ 10066

    Traffic Congestion

    68/ 10034

    Driving Conditions

    74/ 10039

    Taxi/Rideshare

    78/ 10079

    Car Ownership Necessity

    82/ 10053

    Connectivity

    Brussels

    85
    / 100

    Lima

    57

    Airport Connectivity

    84/ 10084

    Airport Distance

    88/ 10086

    Train Connections

    90/ 10032

    Bus Connections

    82/ 10081

    Ferry Connections

    80/ 1000

    Digital Infrastructure

    Brussels

    80
    / 100

    Lima

    76

    Internet Speed

    78/ 10086

    Internet Reliability

    84/ 10079

    Internet Cost

    72/ 10091

    Mobile Network Quality

    85/ 10069

    Coworking Spaces

    82/ 10071

    Public WiFi

    76/ 10059

    Housing & Living Spaces

    Brussels

    71
    / 100

    Lima

    70

    In housing & living spaces, Brussels takes the lead with a score of 71/100 compared to 70/100. This category covers housing market, neighborhoods.

    Brussels stands out for expat/international areas, neighborhood diversity, proximity to amenities, though purchase prices and rental costs could be improved. Lima performs well in rental costs and expat/international areas despite the overall gap.

    Housing Market

    Brussels

    65
    / 100

    Lima

    67

    Rental Availability

    62/ 10076

    Rental Costs

    54/ 10086

    Purchase Prices

    52/ 10044

    Housing Quality

    76/ 10066

    Housing Variety

    78/ 10071

    Landlord Regulations

    66/ 10059

    Neighborhoods

    Brussels

    80
    / 100

    Lima

    74

    Neighborhood Diversity

    86/ 10076

    Expat/International Areas

    88/ 10084

    Gentrification Trends

    62/ 10057

    Proximity to Amenities

    86/ 10079

    Daily Life & Services

    Brussels

    80
    / 100

    Lima

    80

    In daily life & services, Brussels takes the lead with a score of 80/100 compared to 80/100. This category covers shopping & retail, food & dining, essential services, utilities & connectivity.

    Brussels stands out for electricity reliability, banking services, water reliability, though street food and restaurant affordability could be improved. Lima performs well in restaurant variety and street food despite the overall gap.

    Shopping & Retail

    Brussels

    78
    / 100

    Lima

    79

    Supermarket Availability

    88/ 10086

    Shopping Mall Quantity

    72/ 10079

    Shopping Mall Quality

    74/ 10074

    International Brands

    82/ 10079

    Local Markets

    80/ 10091

    Opening Hours

    68/ 10071

    E-commerce

    84/ 10074

    Food & Dining

    Brussels

    78
    / 100

    Lima

    87

    Restaurant Variety

    88/ 10094

    Restaurant Quality

    82/ 10091

    Restaurant Affordability

    64/ 10089

    Cafรฉ Culture

    86/ 10079

    Street Food

    58/ 10093

    Alcohol Availability

    88/ 10079

    Food Delivery

    80/ 10086

    Essential Services

    Brussels

    81
    / 100

    Lima

    76

    Pharmacy Density

    86/ 10089

    24-Hour Pharmacies

    68/ 10086

    Medicine Availability

    88/ 10079

    Postal Services

    82/ 10054

    Banking Services

    90/ 10081

    Laundry Services

    76/ 10074

    Repair Services

    74/ 10069

    Hair Salons/Barbers

    84/ 10084

    Pet Services

    78/ 10069

    Utilities & Connectivity

    Brussels

    81
    / 100

    Lima

    77

    Electricity Reliability

    92/ 10086

    Water Reliability

    90/ 10069

    Utility Costs

    64/ 10084

    Heating/Cooling

    78/ 10084

    Waste Management

    82/ 10064

    Cultural & Social Life

    Brussels

    76
    / 100

    Lima

    70

    In cultural & social life, Brussels takes the lead with a score of 76/100 compared to 70/100. This category covers culture & entertainment, social life, community.

    Brussels stands out for museums & galleries, expat community size, historical sites, though local friendliness and nightlife safety could be improved. Lima performs well in historical sites and museums & galleries despite the overall gap.

    Culture & Entertainment

    Brussels

    82
    / 100

    Lima

    77

    Museums & Galleries

    90/ 10086

    Historical Sites

    88/ 10089

    Theaters & Performing Arts

    80/ 10071

    Music Scene

    76/ 10076

    Cinema Options

    78/ 10074

    Libraries

    80/ 10069

    Art Scene

    82/ 10074

    Social Life

    Brussels

    75
    / 100

    Lima

    67

    Nightlife Quality

    76/ 10079

    Nightlife Safety

    58/ 10036

    Festival Calendar

    82/ 10081

    Sports Culture

    72/ 10084

    Social Clubs

    76/ 10066

    Dating Scene

    72/ 10071

    LGBTQ+ Scene

    86/ 10049

    Community

    Brussels

    71
    / 100

    Lima

    64

    Local Friendliness

    56/ 10081

    Expat Community Size

    90/ 10064

    Expat Integration

    64/ 10059

    Language Barriers

    58/ 10036

    Cultural Events

    86/ 10081

    Professional & Career

    Brussels

    77
    / 100

    Lima

    66

    In professional & career, Brussels takes the lead with a score of 77/100 compared to 66/100. This category covers business environment, work environment, market opportunities.

    Brussels has a solid advantage in business environment (79 vs 64). Brussels has a solid advantage in market opportunities (70 vs 58).

    Brussels stands out for internet for work, professional networking, client base, though competition level and startup ecosystem could be improved. Lima performs well in internet for work and time zone despite the overall gap.

    Business Environment

    Brussels

    79
    / 100

    Lima

    64

    Industry Clusters

    82/ 10064

    Major Companies

    80/ 10069

    Startup Ecosystem

    66/ 10054

    Coworking Culture

    80/ 10069

    Professional Networking

    84/ 10066

    Business Associations

    80/ 10064

    Work Environment

    Brussels

    79
    / 100

    Lima

    72

    Work-Life Balance

    74/ 10061

    Remote Work Acceptance

    76/ 10069

    Internet for Work

    88/ 10086

    Time Zone

    82/ 10076

    Business Visa Options

    74/ 10069

    Market Opportunities

    Brussels

    70
    / 100

    Lima

    58

    Client Base

    84/ 10059

    Freelance Market

    72/ 10056

    Competition Level

    54/ 10059

    Lifestyle & Pace

    Brussels

    73
    / 100

    Lima

    72

    In lifestyle & pace, Brussels takes the lead with a score of 73/100 compared to 72/100. This category covers daily rhythm, lifestyle options, tourism impact.

    Brussels stands out for tourist infrastructure, authenticity, pet friendliness, though tourist volume and crowding could be improved. Lima performs well in authenticity and outdoor lifestyle despite the overall gap.

    Daily Rhythm

    Brussels

    72
    / 100

    Lima

    71

    Pace of Life

    72/ 10066

    Working Hours Culture

    74/ 10064

    Dining Hours

    70/ 10079

    Shop Opening Hours

    68/ 10071

    Weekend Culture

    76/ 10076

    Lifestyle Options

    Brussels

    73
    / 100

    Lima

    72

    Outdoor Lifestyle

    74/ 10081

    Fitness Culture

    70/ 10069

    Health Consciousness

    66/ 10059

    Pet Friendliness

    78/ 10074

    Family Orientation

    76/ 10079

    Tourism Impact

    Brussels

    74
    / 100

    Lima

    72

    Tourist Volume

    62/ 10061

    Tourism Seasonality

    78/ 10081

    Tourist Infrastructure

    84/ 10076

    Authenticity

    80/ 10086

    Crowding

    64/ 10056

    Legal & Administrative

    Brussels

    74
    / 100

    Lima

    63

    In legal & administrative, Brussels takes the lead with a score of 74/100 compared to 63/100. This category covers visa & residency, administration, rights & freedoms.

    Brussels has a solid advantage in administration (65 vs 51). Brussels has a commanding lead in rights & freedoms (88 vs 67).

    Brussels stands out for deportation risk, freedom of speech, lgbtq+ rights, though bureaucracy level and residency process could be improved. Lima performs well in visa requirements and religious freedom despite the overall gap.

    Visa & Residency

    Brussels

    70
    / 100

    Lima

    71

    Visa Requirements

    70/ 10084

    Residency Options

    78/ 10079

    Residency Process

    52/ 10054

    Citizenship Pathway

    58/ 10059

    Deportation Risk

    92/ 10079

    Administration

    Brussels

    65
    / 100

    Lima

    51

    Bureaucracy Level

    42/ 10036

    Digital Government

    76/ 10054

    Document Requirements

    58/ 10061

    Language Requirements

    62/ 10039

    Legal System

    86/ 10064

    Rights & Freedoms

    Brussels

    88
    / 100

    Lima

    67

    Freedom of Speech

    90/ 10071

    Religious Freedom

    88/ 10084

    Women's Rights

    88/ 10069

    LGBTQ+ Rights

    90/ 10046

    Worker Rights

    84/ 10064

    Family & Children

    Brussels

    73
    / 100

    Lima

    68

    In family & children, Brussels takes the lead with a score of 73/100 compared to 68/100. This category covers child-friendly infrastructure, family services.

    Brussels has a solid advantage in child-friendly infrastructure (78 vs 66).

    Brussels stands out for pediatric care, playgrounds, kid activities, though childcare costs and child safety could be improved. Lima performs well in family housing and playgrounds despite the overall gap.

    Child-Friendly Infrastructure

    Brussels

    78
    / 100

    Lima

    66

    Playgrounds

    80/ 10071

    Kid Activities

    78/ 10071

    Child Safety

    68/ 10051

    Pediatric Care

    84/ 10069

    Baby/Toddler Facilities

    78/ 10066

    Family Services

    Brussels

    69
    / 100

    Lima

    70

    Childcare Availability

    70/ 10066

    Childcare Costs

    52/ 10069

    School Holidays

    70/ 10071

    Extracurricular Activities

    78/ 10071

    Family Housing

    74/ 10074

    Practical Considerations

    Brussels

    79
    / 100

    Lima

    65

    In practical considerations, Brussels takes the lead with a score of 79/100 compared to 65/100. This category covers transportation costs, special services, communication, emergency services.

    Brussels has a solid advantage in transportation costs (66 vs 56). Brussels has a solid advantage in special services (80 vs 70). Brussels has a solid advantage in communication (84 vs 66).

    Brussels stands out for natural disaster preparedness, emergency numbers, translation services, though fuel prices and vehicle costs could be improved. Lima performs well in gas station density and international calling despite the overall gap.

    Transportation Costs

    Brussels

    66
    / 100

    Lima

    56

    Fuel Prices

    52/ 10061

    Gas Station Density

    86/ 10084

    EV Infrastructure

    72/ 10026

    Vehicle Costs

    54/ 10044

    Vehicle Maintenance

    66/ 10064

    Special Services

    Brussels

    80
    / 100

    Lima

    70

    Moving Services

    78/ 10071

    Storage Facilities

    74/ 10064

    Translation Services

    88/ 10074

    Legal Services

    82/ 10071

    Accounting Services

    80/ 10071

    Communication

    Brussels

    84
    / 100

    Lima

    66

    Postal Reliability

    84/ 10051

    Package Import

    80/ 10054

    Language Learning

    84/ 10076

    International Calling

    86/ 10081

    Emergency Services

    Brussels

    89
    / 100

    Lima

    68

    Emergency Response

    86/ 10056

    Emergency Healthcare

    88/ 10071

    Emergency Numbers

    90/ 10081

    Natural Disaster Preparedness

    92/ 10064

    Specific to Your Profile

    Brussels

    78
    / 100

    Lima

    63

    In specific to your profile, Brussels takes the lead with a score of 78/100 compared to 63/100. This category covers remote work specific, personal circumstances.

    Brussels has a commanding lead in personal circumstances (77 vs 57).

    Brussels stands out for video call quality, dietary requirements, pet import rules, though partner citizenship advantages and language skills could be improved. Lima performs well in cafรฉ laptop culture and video call quality despite the overall gap.

    Remote Work Specific

    Brussels

    80
    / 100

    Lima

    71

    Time Zone Alignment

    76/ 10074

    Coworking Day Passes

    82/ 10069

    Cafรฉ Laptop Culture

    84/ 10081

    Video Call Quality

    86/ 10081

    Tech Ecosystem

    72/ 10051

    Personal Circumstances

    Brussels

    77
    / 100

    Lima

    57

    Citizenship Advantages

    72/ 10039

    Partner Citizenship Advantages

    60/ 10050

    Industry Presence

    78/ 10054

    Language Skills

    68/ 10039

    Religious/Cultural Fit

    82/ 10066

    Dietary Requirements

    86/ 10076

    Hobby Availability

    80/ 10071

    Pet Import Rules

    86/ 10064

    The Verdict: Brussels or Lima?

    With an overall score of 75.33/100 versus 67.30/100, Brussels leads on paper. But the "better" city ultimately depends on what matters most to you.

    Brussels excels in quality of life, infrastructure & connectivity, housing & living spaces. Lima leads in several areas.

    Use our interactive comparison tool to drill deeper into specific metrics. No single ranking captures the complexity of choosing a new home. But data-driven analysis gives you the best starting point.

    Dive Deeper with Our Interactive Tool

    See the full data breakdown with live filtering and side-by-side analysis.

    Compare Brussels vs Lima Live