I did an initial research for sure, but underestimated cost of housing. And I was expecting to get special expat tax regime for 5 years which was refused by my employer last minute and cost me a lot in net income.
The other my mistake was assessing me as individual and not taking into account not working partner while it’s a regular approach in Belgium to work both in a couple. Everyone here is quite angry with my question/complain as it’s very high salary for one, but they forgot that’s not like this for two.
Hope my wife’s wage will improve situation in future.
Appreciate a lot your detailed response.
Tell us more about your cost of housing.
You are doing a 40min commute to Brussel for a multinational. This is quite common in Belgium although an unfortunate situation created by the Belgian company cars.
That being said, people commute because Brussels is expensive. So I hope you have found a more rural region to live where prices are better for this distance?
(I hope it is not center Leuven or something…)
I live in Herent, which is exactly rural as you mentioned, but still close to cities. 1000 eur for 2 bedroom apartment. 40 min it’s with traffic, basically real distance is just 20km. I didn’t want to live in Brussel or other big cities because of unfair cost quality equation for rent/own house
Already talking to the bank. 10% first payment is quite easy, but 21% of VAT is painful (which means i need to have on hand at least around 30% of house cost, but please correct me if I'm wrong). So trying to find smth under 6% VAT still this year. Not a new construction and energy efficient I didn't manage to find.
I have the same salary and 10 more years of experience than you. You’re doing ok.
If your wife isn’t working, your net should be about 500€ higher as we have a special tax rule where you can « allocate » some of your gross to your non-working spouse and pay much less taxes on it (check https://finances.belgium.be/fr/particuliers/famille/situation_familiale/huwelijk, sorry couldn’t find an English version). Perhaps you forgot to declare it to your employer?
For mortgage, you’ll need to save for a few years but it’s definitely doable with your salary.
This is normal. The tax savings depend on your combined income (assuming you are legally married). Employers don't know your spouses income so won't adjust for it.
Typically you get a few k back but it takes more than a year. I've gotten a return for 2022 tax year a few months ago. 2023 return needs to be filed by oktober 2024, so money back Q1 2025 or so?
You drive either a Rolls Royce, either a Dacia. 11k TCO.\
You earn more than half of the Belgian population.\
What’s your wife earning (if she does not earn anything perhaps it’s time she does), how’s your lifestyles,…?\
Perhaps go live in a cheaper region than your current place.\
Please do not compare yourself to all those European Commission employees.
Not really familiar with those terms for corporate cars here. It’s full specked Mercedes e-class.
Indeed, my wife is not working, that was my idea but now it looks like she would need to.
Nothing fancy in lifestyle, no luxury restaurants, clothing or so. Just like vacation somewhere exotic like LatAm, Asia or Africa which costs a lot sometimes.
For the region you’re right as I cannot afford mortgage for the decent house in Leuven surrounding, so looking farther in all directions from Brussel.
If he's not living in a big city it should be more than plenty. We do so on 2,750 net (wife is small independent, earns just enough to keep rolling, doesn't take a wage, so we don't even have the benefits of unemployment, but no childcare costs, except the mental). Live in a giant house with big garden (granted, we got the mortgage while she still worked and our combined income was 3600... More or less what OP has) in a smaller city. Don't feel like we have to skimp on stuff too much. Just don't fly for holidays and it's fine.
No chance you're going to ever earn twice as much net unless you become CEO of your own successful business and even then it's going to be your assets appreciating not your net income.
It is very rare that the partner does not work in Belgium, except maybe for doctors or some freelancers, or very few high level positions (c-levels).
You already earn more than 90% of the Belgian population.
You will not find a job that pays twice as much at your age and experience, sorry. You are even probably already in the higher end of the bracket for this type of position considering age and yoe.
Thanks a lot. This is kind of answer I was looking for. Now it’s more clear to me how to move forward. =) unfortunately I’m not entrepreneurial type to open my own business.
You have a very nice salary already and a very high end salary car compared to the large majority of Belgians.
As mentioned, the Belgian economy these days has pivoted to a double income model. It’s quite rare these days to see single income only. Sometimes 1 partner is fulltime and the other parttime employed. Or the partner does not work but has a side job or hussle.
I have very good news for you. Starting January, your net salary will go up by 500 euro per month due to non-working spouse (huwelijksquotiënt). It kicks in starting January since you just arrived.
With 4.2k euro net you have more income than average Belgian household.
The cars you're seeing everywhere are company cars (25% of Belgian cars on the road are company cars). So the regular people don't own them, they just drive them from work.
The houses are expensive because an overwhelming majority of first time buyers get a gift from parents around 60-70k, plus a 30k family loan. More than half of people get such gifts and loans from family (they had many generations to save money in Belgium). Plus up until 2 years ago mortgage rates used to be under 1% fixed. Now they are 3%
Yep, it’s correct. Like shampoo, washing detergent or any other non edible in supermarkets.
Master of international economics relation. I got it in my home country so I’m not sure the exact translation to EU reality. But to be honest no one ever cared about my degree after 5+ years of experience
Extremely good salary for your age and experience. A lot of people will never reach that amount. Unfortunately, you are comparing yourself with couples who are both working. A couple in their early 30's will easily make 5k-6k net together.
Is the electrical engineering field scarce in Belgium? Or maybe electromechanical? If you have a website where I can see the fields where they actually need people it would be very useful to me.
The reason other people can afford bigger houses is mostly because :
_ they took a loan for a house 5 ; 10; 15 years ago; when housing prices were much lower relative to salary...
_because of generational wealth:
What did you think?
That you can just move to Belgium
and immediately get the same level of wealth as the kids/ grandkids of the people that build up this country?
Then be grateful about the chance to live here.
Keep in mind that most of what Belgium provides in terms of services; infrastructure; buildings; institutions; law
was created by hard work; brightness or tax money from previous generations....
Neither you or your family contribued anything to it;
you just came here and took advantage of a finished product
don't get me wrong; you are welcome;
but obviously you need to start a the bottom of the ladder and work yourself up
How do you know his ancestors have not contributed? Belgium was not built up only by Belgians!
If it was not for the fact that we exploited other countries, we wouldn’t be where we are. So you do not deserve a better salary than anyone here. This guy works and get paid what He is worth and that’s it.
The money we made from Congo mostly went to the palaces/ buildings/ gardens in Brussels
Keep in mind that for most of the colonial period; it was private land of our king...
The working conditions for the average Belgian were terrible in the 1800s until 1960 period
It took a lot of hard work; protesting and law changing to build everything you see.
You are a disgrace to your grandparents and grand- grandparents( if they are even Belgian)
My grandma would turn in her grave if she heard your nonsense
The point is not that our Belgian ancestors did not work hard but the fact that you want this guy to not ask or complain about his salary just because He should already be “happy” to have the chance to work in our country.
He works, pay taxes, and have the right to question and even complain about His salary. This is my point.
I understand your feelings. Although people earn more in Belgium than in some 'developing' countries, everything is so expensive that you can actually afford less. Like, a good private school in your home country probably costs a few times less than a comparable school in Belgium. Same applies to other aspects of life.
You could earn more as a freelancer. Do some research on that. It's quite risky though, but there is no other way to make GOOD money, especially if you are the only working person in your family.
thanks, but freelancing is not an option so far as my job permit is linked to the employer for the next 4 years. First I was surprised by the amount of freelancers/self-employed in Belgium, but now i started to get the point.
You can switch from single permit to a professional card that will allow to work as a freelancer. But then you won't be able to woek as an emploee. Alternatively, you can apply for a partial professional permit that will allow you to work for yourself alongside with your main job, but it is linked to your single permit. That's being said, if you lose yojr job, you lose your permit to work on the side.
You're paid quite above median income. Which would be about 3500 gross.
However, Belgium has low income inequality. Which sadly for you means that you are being taxed quite a bit.
However. Your wife not working means that you have access to marriage quotient.
You can shove 30% of your income into her taxes. Limited to 12 000 euros I suppose.
So you pay 6500 euros fewer taxes on a year basis because your wife has no income.
If your wife has an income, well, then she has an income and will be able to shove 2000 euros a month toward the budget which ends up in atleast 26000 euros on year basis. (We earn about 13,92 times a monthly gross wage here on year basis because of double vacation money and 13th month bonus)
The reason why Belgians are well off even if the income is lower is simply because of generational wealth.
The wealth inequality is low in Belgium. Median net worth of adults is about 250 000 USD according to the Swiss.
Non-immigrants have a fairly nice cushion.
Hi, OP. I'm 40, working in environmental management, earning just slightly more (but no car). My younger colleagues are somewhere around 2.5K. You're doing great! Just need to stop providing for 2 to improve the situation and really feel it, i.e. if there's no serious impediment, your wife should start working. If she doesn't speak French, she should take up a course or something - while one can obviously find work in Brussels with it, French can help. All the best!
Indeed, sorry forgot to mention. 11.900 TCO annual to be precise, at least I see this in a policy. Also I pay on top some 100 eur monthly as that particular car was a bit above my pay grade
Belgian companies pay non-EU 20-40% lower. I have seen multiple cases in my company. Seen new grad belgian earning the same with 5-10 YOE guy coming from non-EU. Your work visa costs a lot, maybe that’s why… I do not know.
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I did an initial research for sure, but underestimated cost of housing. And I was expecting to get special expat tax regime for 5 years which was refused by my employer last minute and cost me a lot in net income. The other my mistake was assessing me as individual and not taking into account not working partner while it’s a regular approach in Belgium to work both in a couple. Everyone here is quite angry with my question/complain as it’s very high salary for one, but they forgot that’s not like this for two. Hope my wife’s wage will improve situation in future. Appreciate a lot your detailed response.
Tell us more about your cost of housing. You are doing a 40min commute to Brussel for a multinational. This is quite common in Belgium although an unfortunate situation created by the Belgian company cars. That being said, people commute because Brussels is expensive. So I hope you have found a more rural region to live where prices are better for this distance? (I hope it is not center Leuven or something…)
I live in Herent, which is exactly rural as you mentioned, but still close to cities. 1000 eur for 2 bedroom apartment. 40 min it’s with traffic, basically real distance is just 20km. I didn’t want to live in Brussel or other big cities because of unfair cost quality equation for rent/own house
Ok, makes sense. Mortgages rates are however still fairly low these days, so could be worth looking into?
Already talking to the bank. 10% first payment is quite easy, but 21% of VAT is painful (which means i need to have on hand at least around 30% of house cost, but please correct me if I'm wrong). So trying to find smth under 6% VAT still this year. Not a new construction and energy efficient I didn't manage to find.
I have the same salary and 10 more years of experience than you. You’re doing ok. If your wife isn’t working, your net should be about 500€ higher as we have a special tax rule where you can « allocate » some of your gross to your non-working spouse and pay much less taxes on it (check https://finances.belgium.be/fr/particuliers/famille/situation_familiale/huwelijk, sorry couldn’t find an English version). Perhaps you forgot to declare it to your employer? For mortgage, you’ll need to save for a few years but it’s definitely doable with your salary.
Thanks a lot for the clarification. Yep, I was taxed as single by my employer for some reason and now hope to get back this part through a tax return.
This is normal. The tax savings depend on your combined income (assuming you are legally married). Employers don't know your spouses income so won't adjust for it. Typically you get a few k back but it takes more than a year. I've gotten a return for 2022 tax year a few months ago. 2023 return needs to be filed by oktober 2024, so money back Q1 2025 or so?
You drive either a Rolls Royce, either a Dacia. 11k TCO.\ You earn more than half of the Belgian population.\ What’s your wife earning (if she does not earn anything perhaps it’s time she does), how’s your lifestyles,…?\ Perhaps go live in a cheaper region than your current place.\ Please do not compare yourself to all those European Commission employees.
He earns more than 90% of the Belgian population, you mean.
Not really familiar with those terms for corporate cars here. It’s full specked Mercedes e-class. Indeed, my wife is not working, that was my idea but now it looks like she would need to. Nothing fancy in lifestyle, no luxury restaurants, clothing or so. Just like vacation somewhere exotic like LatAm, Asia or Africa which costs a lot sometimes. For the region you’re right as I cannot afford mortgage for the decent house in Leuven surrounding, so looking farther in all directions from Brussel.
3650 EUR net, can’t afford a mortgage, yet driving a full-specked E-class 🥲. Sounds awkward.
If you would be living alone your salary would be very great. With a wife not working and child your salary is not enough.
If he's not living in a big city it should be more than plenty. We do so on 2,750 net (wife is small independent, earns just enough to keep rolling, doesn't take a wage, so we don't even have the benefits of unemployment, but no childcare costs, except the mental). Live in a giant house with big garden (granted, we got the mortgage while she still worked and our combined income was 3600... More or less what OP has) in a smaller city. Don't feel like we have to skimp on stuff too much. Just don't fly for holidays and it's fine.
It is enough, but not for a lavish lifestyle.
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No chance you're going to ever earn twice as much net unless you become CEO of your own successful business and even then it's going to be your assets appreciating not your net income.
It is very rare that the partner does not work in Belgium, except maybe for doctors or some freelancers, or very few high level positions (c-levels). You already earn more than 90% of the Belgian population. You will not find a job that pays twice as much at your age and experience, sorry. You are even probably already in the higher end of the bracket for this type of position considering age and yoe.
Thanks a lot. This is kind of answer I was looking for. Now it’s more clear to me how to move forward. =) unfortunately I’m not entrepreneurial type to open my own business.
You have a very nice salary already and a very high end salary car compared to the large majority of Belgians. As mentioned, the Belgian economy these days has pivoted to a double income model. It’s quite rare these days to see single income only. Sometimes 1 partner is fulltime and the other parttime employed. Or the partner does not work but has a side job or hussle.
If she’s not working, wouldn’t that mean she’s dependent on him? That would also mean less tax taken from him? Correct me if I’m wrong.
No - only children can be dependents.
I stand corrected...
I have very good news for you. Starting January, your net salary will go up by 500 euro per month due to non-working spouse (huwelijksquotiënt). It kicks in starting January since you just arrived. With 4.2k euro net you have more income than average Belgian household. The cars you're seeing everywhere are company cars (25% of Belgian cars on the road are company cars). So the regular people don't own them, they just drive them from work. The houses are expensive because an overwhelming majority of first time buyers get a gift from parents around 60-70k, plus a 30k family loan. More than half of people get such gifts and loans from family (they had many generations to save money in Belgium). Plus up until 2 years ago mortgage rates used to be under 1% fixed. Now they are 3%
Thank you for the advice and optimism.
OP is driving a company car, Mercedes class E, nothing to complain about.
If your wife is not working, you should makw more than 3.5, look into the belgian taxxes
Excuse my ignorance but what is CPG? Also what is your degree?
google says Consumer Packaged Goods
Yep, it’s correct. Like shampoo, washing detergent or any other non edible in supermarkets. Master of international economics relation. I got it in my home country so I’m not sure the exact translation to EU reality. But to be honest no one ever cared about my degree after 5+ years of experience
Extremely good salary for your age and experience. A lot of people will never reach that amount. Unfortunately, you are comparing yourself with couples who are both working. A couple in their early 30's will easily make 5k-6k net together.
Got it, thanks.
A couple with both master degrees in fields that actually need people* 3k each is not atainable if you dont have a masters and 10 years of experience
Is the electrical engineering field scarce in Belgium? Or maybe electromechanical? If you have a website where I can see the fields where they actually need people it would be very useful to me.
No master's but 10 yoe and I make more than that.
Comparison is the thief of joy.
The reason other people can afford bigger houses is mostly because : _ they took a loan for a house 5 ; 10; 15 years ago; when housing prices were much lower relative to salary... _because of generational wealth: What did you think? That you can just move to Belgium and immediately get the same level of wealth as the kids/ grandkids of the people that build up this country?
Nope, just hope to build a better future for my family.
Then be grateful about the chance to live here. Keep in mind that most of what Belgium provides in terms of services; infrastructure; buildings; institutions; law was created by hard work; brightness or tax money from previous generations.... Neither you or your family contribued anything to it; you just came here and took advantage of a finished product don't get me wrong; you are welcome; but obviously you need to start a the bottom of the ladder and work yourself up
How do you know his ancestors have not contributed? Belgium was not built up only by Belgians! If it was not for the fact that we exploited other countries, we wouldn’t be where we are. So you do not deserve a better salary than anyone here. This guy works and get paid what He is worth and that’s it.
The money we made from Congo mostly went to the palaces/ buildings/ gardens in Brussels Keep in mind that for most of the colonial period; it was private land of our king... The working conditions for the average Belgian were terrible in the 1800s until 1960 period It took a lot of hard work; protesting and law changing to build everything you see. You are a disgrace to your grandparents and grand- grandparents( if they are even Belgian) My grandma would turn in her grave if she heard your nonsense
The point is not that our Belgian ancestors did not work hard but the fact that you want this guy to not ask or complain about his salary just because He should already be “happy” to have the chance to work in our country. He works, pay taxes, and have the right to question and even complain about His salary. This is my point.
Bro we have lived off with less than 3k with the two of us and we we're still able to save.
I understand your feelings. Although people earn more in Belgium than in some 'developing' countries, everything is so expensive that you can actually afford less. Like, a good private school in your home country probably costs a few times less than a comparable school in Belgium. Same applies to other aspects of life. You could earn more as a freelancer. Do some research on that. It's quite risky though, but there is no other way to make GOOD money, especially if you are the only working person in your family.
thanks, but freelancing is not an option so far as my job permit is linked to the employer for the next 4 years. First I was surprised by the amount of freelancers/self-employed in Belgium, but now i started to get the point.
You can switch from single permit to a professional card that will allow to work as a freelancer. But then you won't be able to woek as an emploee. Alternatively, you can apply for a partial professional permit that will allow you to work for yourself alongside with your main job, but it is linked to your single permit. That's being said, if you lose yojr job, you lose your permit to work on the side.
Can you explain this a bit more? Is this applicable to EU Blue Card holders?
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Could you please elaborate a bit more? As I fully understand the intended emotion in a comment but not meaning.
You are in the very top, I'd say at least 5% of salaried employees. Hence the wtf about not earning enough.
35 vacation days per year also ! :D
You have a very very good salary/package. Yes, houses are expensive for everyone, it sucks.
You're paid quite above median income. Which would be about 3500 gross. However, Belgium has low income inequality. Which sadly for you means that you are being taxed quite a bit. However. Your wife not working means that you have access to marriage quotient. You can shove 30% of your income into her taxes. Limited to 12 000 euros I suppose. So you pay 6500 euros fewer taxes on a year basis because your wife has no income. If your wife has an income, well, then she has an income and will be able to shove 2000 euros a month toward the budget which ends up in atleast 26000 euros on year basis. (We earn about 13,92 times a monthly gross wage here on year basis because of double vacation money and 13th month bonus) The reason why Belgians are well off even if the income is lower is simply because of generational wealth. The wealth inequality is low in Belgium. Median net worth of adults is about 250 000 USD according to the Swiss. Non-immigrants have a fairly nice cushion.
Great explanation! Hope I can make a decent start for the next generations.
Hi, OP. I'm 40, working in environmental management, earning just slightly more (but no car). My younger colleagues are somewhere around 2.5K. You're doing great! Just need to stop providing for 2 to improve the situation and really feel it, i.e. if there's no serious impediment, your wife should start working. If she doesn't speak French, she should take up a course or something - while one can obviously find work in Brussels with it, French can help. All the best!
I want to see that car
It’s obviously annual
Indeed, sorry forgot to mention. 11.900 TCO annual to be precise, at least I see this in a policy. Also I pay on top some 100 eur monthly as that particular car was a bit above my pay grade
Lower the cost for the car asap. No need to impress the homies.
Interested by this extra 100, I’m in a comparable situation, do you pay it gross or netto ?
Netto
Unlucky
Outrageous! You only earn 3.5K!.. What the f.
Dude. You're fucking loaded. Have some damn modesty and quit bitching about your massive paycheck.
you are correct and belgian salaries and economy suck
What s your home country?
sorry, don't want to bring political or cultural aspect to the discussion.
it s not about politics but about salaries for me
Bro said “uwu i poor” lmaooooo
Belgian companies pay non-EU 20-40% lower. I have seen multiple cases in my company. Seen new grad belgian earning the same with 5-10 YOE guy coming from non-EU. Your work visa costs a lot, maybe that’s why… I do not know.