Nature and Outdoor Activities
- Bonfire-Friendly Spots
- Not permitted in city limits; check designated areas in De Schorre, Boom
- Nearby Nature Escapes
- Park Spoor Noord (urban park) and Middelheim Sculpture Park
- National Parks Nearby
- Kalmthoutse Heide (30 mins by train); huge heathland and dunes
- Cycling/Walking Paths
- Scheldekaaien (Scheldt Quays) path; 10km+ riverfront trail
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Roof of the MAS Museum (Floor 10); free access for panoramic views
- Birdwatching Locations
- Blokkersdijk (Left Bank) nature reserve
Other Services and Amenities
- Parcel Delivery Service
- Bpost points, PostNL, and DHL ServicePoints widely available
- Tech Repair Services
- Lab9 (Apple Premium Partner) on De Keyserlei
- Table Tennis Spots
- Park Spoor Noord (outdoor tables available for public use)
- Language Classes
- Linguapolis (University of Antwerp) or CVO Vitant
- Libraries & Study Spots
- Permeke Library (De Coninckplein 26); excellent workspace
- Community Centers
- De Studio (Maarschalk Gerardstraat 4) for youth and art
- Gaming Lounges
- The Playground (Vestingstraat 21) for board games and social play
- Casino & Gaming Halls
- Grand Casino Antwerp (Vierwindenstraat 14)
Business
- Studio Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. €4,100 per m² (e.g., 40 m² = €164,000)
- Studio Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. €3,100 per m² (e.g., 40 m² = €124,000)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. €3,800 per m² (e.g., 60 m² = €228,000)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. €2,900 per m² (e.g., 60 m² = €174,000)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. €3,600 per m² (e.g., 80 m² = €288,000)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. €2,750 per m² (e.g., 80 m² = €220,000)
- Corporate Tax
- 25% standard rate
- Dividend Withholding Tax
- 30% (can be reduced to 15% under VVPRbis scheme)
- Tax System
- Resident worldwide income basis; high social security contributions
- Highest Income Tax Bracket
- 50% for income over €46,440
- VAT
- 21% standard; 6% or 12% for specific goods/services
- Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules
- Yes, EU-compliant Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive (ATAD) rules apply
- Property Tax
- Annual 'Onroerende Voorheffing' based on indexed Cadastral Income
- Property Transaction Tax
- 12% standard Registration Duty; 3% for sole own residence in Flanders
- Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads
- No specific nomad visa; high tax burden unless using the 'Expat Tax Regime'
Essentials
- City
- Antwerp, Province of Antwerp, Flanders, Belgium
- Population
- Approximately 530,000
- Internet Speed
- Avg. 95 Mbps (Fiber widely available via Telenet or Proximus)
- Currency & Banking
- 1 EUR ≈ 1.09 USD. Major banks: KBC (Groenplaats 10), BNP Paribas Fortis
- Tap Water
- Safe and high quality; drinkable everywhere
- Power
- 230V, 50Hz, 🔌 Type C/E sockets
- SIM Card
- Proximus (Meir 20), Orange (Meir 16), Base. Expect €15-€30 for 10-20GB
- Banking for Expats
- KBC Brussels/Antwerp is expat-friendly; Revolut and Wise widely used
- Accommodation
- Mix of historic lofts, modern studios, and coliving spaces like Cohabs
- Cashless Friendly
- Extremely; most places prefer contactless (Bancontact, Visa, Mastercard)
- Short Term Rentals
- Airbnb, Spotahome, and HousingAnywhere; monthly rates €1,200 - €1,800
- Budget Accommodation
- Antwerp City Hostel (Grote Markt 40), approx. €35/night
- Best Area to Stay for Tourists
- Historic Center (Grote Markt) and Het Eilandje (Port area)
- Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads
- Zurenborg (Art Nouveau architecture) or Sint-Andries (Fashion district)
Working and Networking
- Best Coworking Space
- Friday Cowork (Houwerstraat 1); Day pass €25, Monthly €220
- Best Cafe for Work
- Caffènation (Mechelsesteenweg 16); reliable WiFi and high-end coffee
- Networking Events
- Silicon Antwerp meetups for tech; Creative Mornings Antwerp
- Social Events for Expats
- Antwerp Expats Facebook Group; Internations Antwerp events
Transportation
- Best Taxi/Ride App
- Uber (Active) or Antwerp Tax (+32 3 238 38 38)
- Bike/Scooter Rental
- Velo Antwerpen (City bikes); €5/day or €55/year. Lime/Dott scooters available
- Best Beach Nearby
- Sint-Anneke (left bank) for city beach vibes; Knokke-Heist (1 hour by train)
- Top Regional Airline
- Brussels Airlines (operating from Brussels Zaventem/BRU)
- Top International Airline
- Lufthansa, KLM (via Schiphol train link), Qatar Airways
- Highway Access
- The R1 Antwerp Ring connects to E19 (Brussels/NL) and E313
- Main Train/Transit Hub
- Antwerpen-Centraal (considered one of the world's most beautiful stations)
- Public Transport Passes
- De Lijn; €17.00 for a 10-ride card via Lijn-app
- Regional Travel
- NMBS Trains to Ghent (50m), Bruges (1h20m), and Brussels (45m)
Health and Wellness
- Best Hospital
- UZA - Antwerp University Hospital (Wilrijkstraat 10, Edegem)
- Yoga & Wellness Centers
- Yoga Zuid (Volksstraat 65); drop-in classes €18
- Gyms & Fitness Centers
- The Brick (Waalsekaai 57); premium gym. Basic-Fit (multiple locations) for budget
- Laundry Services
- Wasbar (Graaf van Egmontstraat 5); eat and wash at the same time
Food and Drink
- Best Food Delivery App
- Deliveroo, UberEats, and Takeaway.com
- Best Local Dish to Try
- Antwerpse Handjes (biscuits) or Stoofvlees (Beef stew) with fries
- Vegan/Vegetarian Options
- Spray (Grote Markt 32) and Rosenobel (Paardenmarkt 116)
- Best Dessert Spots
- Dominique Persoone's The Chocolate Line (Meir 50)
- Affordable Shopping Spots
- Exotic Market (Theaterplein) on Saturdays; Aldi/Lidl for groceries
- E-commerce/Online Store
- Bol.com, Amazon.com.be, Coolblue.be
- Grocery Delivery
- Albert Heijn (ah.be), Delhaize, or Crisp
- Bar/Nightlife Area
- Dageraadplaats (Zurenborg) for local vibes; Mechelseplein for students
- Local Brewery
- De Koninck Antwerp City Brewery (Mechelsesteenweg 291)
- Wine Bars
- Titulus Antwerpen (Oever 15) for natural wines
- Street Food Stalls
- Fritkot Max (Groenplaats 12) for traditional Belgian fries
- Popular International Cuisine
- Mission Masala (Indonesian fusion) at Dendermondestraat 68
Culture and Attractions
- Must-See Landmarks
- Cathedral of Our Lady, Grote Markt Town Hall, port of Antwerp
- Museums & Art Venues
- MAS (Museum aan de Stroom) and KMSKA (Fine Arts Museum)
- Historical Sites
- Plantin-Moretus Museum (UNESCO World Heritage printing press)
- Religious Sites
- St. Paul’s Church (Sint-Pauluskerk) with Baroque interior
- Annual Events
- Tomorrowland (nearby in Boom in July), Antwerp Pride (August)
- Cultural Districts
- Het Eilandje (rebuilt docklands with museums and bars)
- Theater Venues
- Stadsschouwburg Antwerpen (Theaterplein 1)
- Local Markets
- Vogelenmarkt (Sunday bird market at Theaterplein)
- Music Scene
- Trix (Noordersingel 28) for indie/rock; De Roma for historic acoustics
- Street Art
- Kopstraatje and the 'Comic Book Route' walls across the city
- Cooking Classes
- Les Secrets du Chef (Grand Bazaar Antwerpen)
- Art Galleries
- Tim Van Laere Gallery (Jos Smolderenstraat 50)
- Historic Buildings
- Het Steen (11th-century castle on the river Scheldt)
- Local Heritage
- Diamond District near Central Station; world capital of diamond trading