Living in Belgium: The Complete Expat Guide for 2026
Belgium is home to the European Union's principal institutions, NATO headquarters, and one of the densest concentrations of international organisations in the world. As a result, it has a uniquely cosmopolitan expat community — particularly in Brussels — that operates largely in English even though the country's official languages are Dutch, French, and German.
For HNW investors and those with significant private portfolios, Belgium long stood out for having no general capital gains tax on private investments. That changed on 1 January 2026, when Belgium introduced a flat 10% tax on capital gains realised on financial assets. The rate is still modest by international standards, an annual exemption (around €10,000, indexed) shelters smaller gains, and gains on assets held for at least ten years are exempt — but the long-standing "no-CGT" proposition no longer applies. Combined with a double taxation agreement with the UK and an accessible immigration framework, Belgium remains worth serious consideration by internationally mobile individuals, provided the new regime is planned for.
Brussels, Antwerp, and Ghent
Brussels (officially a bilingual French/Dutch region) is the primary expat destination. The EU institutions — the European Commission, Council of the EU, European Parliament — together with NATO, the North Atlantic Council, and hundreds of lobbying, law, and consultancy firms that surround them, create an enormous international employment base. The expat community is concentrated in the eastern and south-eastern communes of Brussels Capital Region: Ixelles/Elsene, Saint-Gilles, Etterbeek, and the municipalities of Uccle, Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, and Woluwe-Saint-Lambert (the latter two particularly popular with families for their parks, schools, and quiet character). Avenue Louise and the Sablon area are prestigious central addresses.
Antwerp is Belgium's port city and the diamond capital of the world — a Flemish city with a strong design, fashion, and business character, and a growing tech and creative sector. It is more affordable than Brussels and distinctly more Dutch-language in its culture, though English is widely spoken professionally.
Ghent is a university city with exceptional medieval architecture, a vibrant cultural life, and an increasingly recognised tech and food ecosystem. It attracts expats who want a European city life without Brussels prices or intensity.
Post-Brexit Residency for UK Nationals
UK nationals are third-country nationals in Belgium following Brexit. Residence rights are no longer automatic.
Short stays (under 90 days) remain visa-free under the Schengen visa-waiver for UK passport holders.
Longer-term residence requires an application to the local municipality (commune) and registration in the foreigner's register, with a status linked to the reason for residence: employment, self-employment, family reunion, retirement, or sufficient resources (for those not working).
Those employed by EU institutions or NATO typically hold a separate status under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations or relevant protocol agreements, which provides straightforward residency without going through the standard Belgian immigration route.
For non-institutional residents, the Belgian residency system requires demonstrating the purpose and means of residence, and registration at the local commune. Processing can be slow, and the practical complexity of navigating Belgian bureaucracy (operating across three language communities) should not be underestimated.
Capital Gains Tax from 2026
For decades, Belgium did not levy capital gains tax on gains realised by private individuals on investment portfolios — equities, bonds, funds, and most other securities — provided the portfolio was managed as the "normal, prudent management of private assets" (the bon père de famille, or prudent family man, standard). This was a genuine structural advantage and remains part of the reason Belgium attracts internationally mobile investors.
From 1 January 2026, however, Belgium applies a new flat 10% capital gains tax on financial assets (shares, bonds, funds, and crypto-assets) realised by private individuals. Key features:
- Annual exemption: the first portion of gains each year (approximately €10,000, indexed annually) is exempt, which shelters smaller investors entirely.
- Long-term holdings: gains on assets held for at least ten years are exempt.
- Substantial shareholdings: a higher exemption threshold (up to €1 million) and separate rules apply to disposals of holdings of 20% or more in a company.
- Base cost reset: for assets acquired before 1 January 2026, the taxable gain is generally measured from their value on 31 December 2025 (the last 2025 closing price for listed securities), so only gains accruing from 2026 are caught.
- Losses: realised losses can be offset against gains in the same year but cannot be carried forward.
- Exit tax: an exit charge can apply to unrealised gains when a taxpayer ceases Belgian residence or transfers assets to beneficiaries resident abroad.
What this means in practice: a UK national who relocates to Belgium and holds a substantial investment portfolio will now pay 10% on realised gains above the annual exemption, rather than nothing. That is still considerably lower than the UK's CGT rates of 18–24% on assets, or Ireland's 33%, or France's 30% flat tax — but the planning point has shifted from "tax-free" to "low-rate, with timing and the ten-year exemption to manage."
The professional-trading caveat still applies: if the Belgian tax authorities determine that portfolio management has crossed from passive investment into speculative or quasi-professional trading activity (frequent transactions, high leverage, very short holding periods), they may instead reclassify gains as professional income taxed at progressive rates up to 50%. Maintaining a conservative, buy-and-hold approach to portfolio management remains strongly advisable.
Dividends are subject to a 30% withholding tax (précompte mobilier) in Belgium. This is applied at source and, for Belgian-source dividends, is typically the final tax. Foreign dividends received by Belgian residents are generally also subject to this 30% withholding at the point of Belgian declaration.
There is no inheritance tax at the federal level in Belgium, but there are regional succession taxes (applied at the regional level in Wallonia, Flanders, and Brussels) which can be significant and are worth reviewing in any estate planning exercise.
Income Taxation
Belgian income tax is among the highest in the EU. Rates are progressive:
- 25% on income up to €15,820
- 40% on income €15,820–€27,920
- 45% on income €27,920–€48,320
- 50% above €48,320
The 50% rate kicks in at a relatively low threshold by international standards. Municipal surtaxes of 0–9% are added on top, giving effective rates of up to 54–55% for those in certain communes.
Expatriate Tax Regime: Belgium operates a Expat Special Tax Status (ESTS) — from January 2022, this replaced the previous expatriate regime. The ESTS is available to individuals newly recruited from abroad or seconded to Belgium, who have not been Belgian tax residents or subject to Belgian professional tax in the five preceding years. Benefits include:
- A flat 30% of gross professional income (capped at €90,000 per year) treated as a non-taxable expense allowance (covering notional living costs)
- Tax exemption on certain additional employer-provided allowances (housing, schooling, Belgian income tax, home travel)
The ESTS significantly reduces effective income tax for qualifying expats and has made Belgium more competitive for attracting international talent. The regime runs for up to five years (extendable to eight in some circumstances) and requires the employer to formally apply.
Healthcare: The Mutualité System
Belgium's healthcare is universal and high quality but structurally complex. All residents must affiliate with a mutualité/ziekenfonds (mutual health insurance fund) — the five main ones being CM, Solidaris, Mutualité Libérale, Partena, and Caisse Auxiliaire. These are not private insurers but rather approved non-profit bodies that reimburse a proportion of healthcare costs under the compulsory system.
Typical reimbursement is 75% of agreed rates for GP visits, specialist consultations, and hospitalisation. Patients pay the remainder (the ticket modérateur). Co-payments are low in absolute terms but can accumulate.
Most expats supplement this with complementary private health insurance (from the same mutual funds or from private insurers) that covers the co-payment and provides private room hospitalisation. Premiums are modest — typically €100–€300 per year for a healthy adult for a basic complementary plan.
Cost of Living
Brussels is expensive for housing relative to Belgian salaries, though moderate compared to London or Paris.
A furnished two-bedroom apartment in Ixelles or Etterbeek costs approximately €1,500–€2,500 per month. Family houses in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre or Uccle might range from €2,500–€4,500 monthly in rent.
The European schools (free for EU officials, subsidised for others) and several international schools (BSB, St John's International School, Antwerp International School) serve the expat community. Fees vary; European School places are highly competitive.
How Global Investments Can Help
Belgium's low 10% rate on financial-asset gains (from 2026), together with its annual exemption and the exemption for assets held over ten years, remains attractive relative to UK and most EU CGT regimes — but it merits careful consideration alongside the high income tax rates and regional succession taxes. The interaction with the UK's own CGT regime on departure, the new Belgian base-cost reset and exit tax, and the timing of asset disposals before and after establishing Belgian residency are all critical planning points.
Global Investments advises UK nationals on pre-departure planning for Belgium, portfolio structuring under the new capital gains regime, and long-term estate planning that takes account of both Belgian regional succession taxes and UK inheritance tax exposure.
Contact Global Investments for a confidential initial consultation.
This guide is for general information only and does not constitute financial, legal or tax advice. Rules, fees and regulations change frequently; verify current requirements with a qualified adviser before acting.