Brussels families spend less on average than families in Flanders and Wallonia when it comes to transportation, according to a transport expenditure study by the Federal Planning Bureau.
The totals come out to an average annual cost of €2,494 for those living in the capital, compared to €4,094 in Flanders and €4,362 in Wallonia.
Costs were broken down into a few categories, like public transport and taxis, and car ownership. When it comes to the former, Brussels residents pay twice as much for those transport services but save money in car ownership.
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Only 53% of Brussels families own a car, compared to over 85% of Flemish and Walloon families. Owning a vehicle accounts for more than half of transport expenditures, between fuel and maintenance.
Compared to neighbouring countries, Belgian spending in this area is low. Transportation accounted for 1.1% of total expenditures in Belgium in 2019, compared to 2.5% for Germany and France and 2.3% in the Netherlands.
Prior to coronavirus, spending on transportation accounted for 11% of a Belgian household’s budget. This is expected to change, considering the amount of teleworking and quarantining at home that took place as a result of the pandemic.
Helen Lyons
The Brussels Times
