What to expect when you move to Brussels

Moving to Brussels: What to Expect  If you’ve decided to move to Brussels, welcome to your new adventure! 

Maybe you’ve visited this vibrant city before, and if so, you have a small taste of all the things that make Brussels so great — even beyond the beer, frites, mussels, chocolate, and waffles. But living in Brussels is a much different experience than a short city break. Over 50’000 people move to this amazing city every year – and it’s easy to see why. There’s a lot to get excited about so keep reading for the inside scoop on living your best life day-to-day, plus some administrative tips for making Brussels your new home.

 

What to expect from Brussels life

Languages in Belgium

Belgium has three national languages: French, Dutch, and German. French dominates the Brussels scene, but the capital city is officially bilingual along with Dutch. You’ll probably notice that all the street names are written in French and Dutch, along with food & package labeling, advertising, public transport, and lots of other day-to-day communication. The German language will prevail only if you venture to a small corner of eastern Belgium. 

Luckily for the plethora of expats who call Brussels home, language education is excellent in Belgium so most locals speak English without any trouble. In fact, most websites and public transport stations all tend to have things written in English so communicating won’t be an issue! 

And if you have the time and interest to learn a new language yourself, here’s a list of language schools in the Brussels region.

Making Friends in Brussels

Brussels welcomes around 40,000 newcomers every year. Loads of people come here because so many European institutions and companies are based in this city. So there are plenty of jobs around – particularly in service areas like law, PR, and consulting. As a result, Brussels is a fairly busy city and quite a youthful one too. One of the best parts of living in this vibrant capital is meeting new friends from all over the world! You’ll mix with a multitude of expats out at networking events, bars, coffee shops, food markets, gyms, concerts, local events and just walking around the city. Expect to mingle with plenty of international professionals in all facets of your daily life, many of whom have probably emigrated from other countries like you.

Weather in Brussels

Belgium has a special weather reputation, right? Grey, rainy, blah. In realty, there’s more to Belgian weather than this unfortunate stereotype! Yes, the one thing you can count on is rain – but it’s not all day, everyday. Sometimes it even hails for added excitement! In general, the temperature is mild all year round, and you’ll likely see beautiful sunny spells in the late spring, summer and even into fall. Some summer days are downright hot, so you might even escape to the Belgian coast. The winter months aren’t unbearable either; snow can fall, but the temperatures rarely drop too far below freezing. Pro tip: it’s best to invest in a small umbrella to keep in your bag since Brussels always seems to play tricks on the weather apps!

 

Administrative Tasks

When you arrive in Brussels, there are various admin tasks you need to concern yourself with such as registration, figuring out how to get around, and getting a phone plan. These are some of our tips for navigating these challenges smoothly:

 

How to set up your Domicile “domiciliation” : Registering at the  Town Hall “commune”

As you may know, Brussels consists of 19 separate communes, or municipalities. Belgian law requires that most adults register with the commune where they reside if planning to stay longer than three months. 

Head over to our step by step guide on how to register your residency. 

Two key points to keep in mind when planning your move to Brussels: 

When landlords say you can register or “domicile” with your lease that means you can use that address to register to live in Brussels legally. If you have seen the term “non-domiciliation,” you can’t register to live legally at that address and might want to reconsider housing options. 

Residents of non-EU member states will need to apply for a visa prior to requesting residency. Most likely your employer has already finalized this process, which includes work permits and necessary applications. 

 

Mobile Phone Services: Staying Connected 

At Morton Place, you’ll be up and running with wifi and Internet services in no time. But if you need to update your mobile phone service, or require other online necessities, you’ll find a slew of spots in Brussels to stay connected. Visit companies like Proximus, Orange, Telenet, and Base for mobile subscriptions, prepaid & SIM cards, products and more. Prepaid cards from local nightshops can be tempting but unless they come from a major provider, are best avoided. Pop into the Apple store for all the latest & greatest gadgets, centrally located near Avenue Louise. 

Banking

Banking in Brussels may be a little different to your home country. The vast majority of places in Brussels only take card payments, with cash rarely accepted these days. Contactless banking system is called Bancontact is the free debit banking system, with payments of up to 50 euros can be made without having to enter your pin number.

When making payment you may be asked to pay by “Coniq” which is a QR code payment request, where you scan this with your personal banking app to make the payment. This is often used Small shops and professionals (dr’s etc.) who don’t have a payment machine often take “coniq” or QR code payments

Using an international card for payment is likely to occur fees, so we recommend using an online banking system such as Wise or Revolut.

If you would like to open a local bank account you will need to be registered at a local commune with a local ID. Once you can then can register with a local bank.

Although residents coming from other European countries might be happy with their home banking services – others might find they are charged fees or have difficulty using digital services such as ApplePay or “Coniq” (the QR payment system).  ING expat services specialise in helping expats open local accounts sometimes even from abroad. If  foreign exchange fees are an issue, many of our residents are happy with services such as WISE or Revolut.

 

Public Transportation in Brussels: Get Around Town

The public transport network in Brussels offers swift and reliable options for getting around town. Take your pick of trams, buses, and the metro depending  on where you are and where you want to go. You can even check your commute time at the interactive transport site STIB-MIVB and also find the fastest way to get from point A to B in this bustling city. 

Our Morton Place properties are very close to public transport stations, so we highly recommend using them for easy and reliable service. 

You can pay for public transport contactless with your bank card, and although you don’t need to tap out from the tram or bus, you will need to do so with the metro and pre-metro.

…Or Ride Alone in Private!

Brussels has seriously embraced alternative personal mobility. We’ve highlighted some of the more popular options below, but check out this complete list of mobility options ranging from electric kick scooters to private car shares. 

Electric (kick) scooter and ebike sharing services have taken over almost every corner of this city! While there is some controversy regarding safety and parking, these personal transport options, accessible via app, are extremely popular and very useful for zipping around. Brands like DOTT and Bolt offer both ebikes and scooters, while Lime, Voi, Bird and Tier have hundreds of scooters available.

Swapfiets with their signature blue front tire lets you pay a monthly fee for your own personal bike — a great choice for shorter commutes and freedom on the weekends. 

Traditional bicycle shares like Villo! make it easy to ride from one fixed point to another with flexible payment options. 

Want to feel the wind in your hair? Well, under your helmet at least. Sign up for Felyx, the electric moped service that’s as fun as it is useful. 

Car sharing providers like Cambio and Poppy allow you to pick up a car at a station or within a zone and deliver it back when you’re done. 

Uber has experienced an ongoing legal battle here in Brussels, but currently the cars are running and it’s easy to order (and even pre-book) a pickup.  

If you have a private car, your lease at Morton Place qualifies you for a resident’s parking permit which you can obtain from the commune.

 

Settling In

 

Shopping for Home Goods: Decorate Your Space to make it your own

You will find plenty of shops in Brussels with the essentials for making your new space a home. If you just need to pick up a few toiletries, you’ll find mini markets like Proxy and Carrefour Express dotted around the city.

If home decor, bedding, towels, novelty items and household appliances are on your list, add HEMA, Zara Home, H&M Home and Casa to the mix. All of these shops are within walking distance of Morton Place for you to explore. There are also two IKEAs around Brussels, for added retail therapy. (And meatballs). 

Shop from the comfort of your own home with bol.com or amazon.com.be to have almost anything delivered to your front door! 

 

Can You See Yourself at Morton Place? 

We hope that you’ll join our Morton Place community! As a resident in one of our homes it is our mission to help you settle into Brussels while delivering you the unique benefits of a chic, all-inclusive, coliving environment. Feel free to reach out anytime!

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