Ghent
Belgium · Europe · 265K people
Compact medieval university city, quieter and cheaper than Brussels.
Ranked #56 of 303 overall · 51.05, 3.72
Overview
Ghent sits in Belgium, on the European continent, home to roughly 265,000 people. Part of its draw is that it's genuinely affordable to live in. It carries a strong student-city energy, with a young, transient population. People who choose to settle in Ghent tend to point to a genuinely affordable cost of living, a strong sense of safety, and solid infrastructure for remote work as the deciding factors. Within the 103 cities we track in Europe, the regional average sits at 6.9/10, which puts Ghent's 7.1/10 comfortably ahead of the regional norm. On CityMatch, Ghent scores 7.1/10 overall across cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet, ranking #56 of 303 cities in our database. Its strongest single criterion is safety at 8/10, while climate is its softest spot at 5/10 — the full breakdown, honest trade-offs, and who this city actually suits are below.
Full scorecard
Reasonable day-to-day costs.
Low crime, easy to feel at ease.
Air quality is acceptable most of the year.
Public transport covers the basics well.
Expect a proper seasonal swing.
Reliable access to quality care.
Remote work is a non-issue here.
Is Ghent right for you?
Set your own priorities and see where it ranks against every city in the dataset.
Run the recommender →How are these scores calculated?
Every city on CityMatch is scored 1-10 on seven criteria — cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet — and those seven numbers are combined into the overall score shown throughout the site using a consistent, automated formula (an equal-weighted average by default, or your own weighting via the recommender tool). The same method is applied identically to every city, so scores are comparable across the full database.
Sources & data provenance
The current dataset is an internally curated starter dataset built for this version of the site, reflecting each city's general reputation on each criterion rather than a live feed from a single external provider. It is not yet sourced from a specific third-party API. If that changes, this section will be updated to name the exact sources in use.
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
A 8/10 safety score puts Ghent among the more reassuring cities to walk around, day or night.
Healthcare scores 8/10, a meaningful factor for families, retirees, or anyone planning to stay long-term.
Internet and connectivity score 8/10, making remote work a non-issue rather than a workaround.
Trade-offs
Climate is the hardest trade-off here at 5/10 — expect genuinely difficult weather for part of the year.
Cost of living is Ghent's comparatively softest spot at 7/10 — still a workable budget, just not its standout strength.
Is Ghent safe?
Safety is a genuine strength of Ghent, at 8/10. It's the kind of city where petty crime and serious crime alike are less of a daily concern than in most of the 303 cities we track.
At night
Walking at night is generally low-stress here, though sticking to lit, populated streets is always sensible advice anywhere.
For tourists
Tourists rarely report serious issues beyond the ordinary pickpocket risk that exists in any well-visited city — normal vigilance in crowded areas is enough.
For families
Combined with a healthcare score of 8/10 and environment score of 7/10, Ghent looks like a genuinely solid pick for raising a family.
For solo travelers
Cities scoring this well on safety (8/10) are generally considered comfortable for solo travelers, though — as anywhere — checking current, specific local advice before a trip is always worth the ten minutes it takes.
On public transport
Public transport feels safe here too — safety (8/10) and transport quality (7/10) are both strong, a combination that generally makes getting around without a car low-stress.
Practical tips
- →Standard city awareness is genuinely enough here — no need for unusual precautions.
- →Keep half an eye on belongings in busy tourist spots, the same as anywhere.
What's the climate like in Ghent?
Ghent scores 5/10 on climate, meaning a proper seasonal swing — expect at least one stretch of weather most people wouldn't pick as their favorite.
Seasonal character
Seasons here are more pronounced — at least one part of the year leans notably hot, cold, or wet compared with the rest.
Comfort level
Comfort varies meaningfully by season — some months are genuinely pleasant, others require real adjustment.
Best time to live here
Timing matters more here — researching the specific hottest, coldest or wettest months before committing is worth the effort.
Note: this reflects our single aggregate 1-10 climate score rather than month-by-month temperature, humidity or rainfall data, which we don't currently track — treat it as a general read rather than a forecast.
Quality of life in Ghent
Put together, quality of life in Ghent is shaped less by any single number and more by the combination: with a large student population, ghent has a younger, more transient energy than its size alone would suggest, paired with an outdoor/environment picture that's generally favorable and transport that's genuinely workable.
Pace & lifestyle
With a large student population, Ghent has a younger, more transient energy than its size alone would suggest.
Nature & outdoors
Outdoor time is reasonably pleasant, with environment (7/10) and climate (5/10) scores that don't get in the way, without being a specific draw either.
Getting around
Transport (7/10) covers most needs reasonably well, with occasional gaps a bike or rideshare fills in easily.
Culture & leisure
Ghent isn't specifically marketed on culture or nightlife in our data, which usually means a more everyday, less tourist-oriented pace of life — good for routine, less exciting for a short visit.
Based on its actual score profile, Ghent tends to suit people who prioritize safety and healthcare over climate — see "Who Ghent suits" above for the specific profiles that fit best.
How clean is Ghent?
Ghent scores 7/10 on environment — decent air quality most of the year, without being a specific standout.
Public spaces
Public space quality isn't separately measured in our data; the environment score above is the closest proxy we have, and it points to an unremarkable, workable baseline.
Infrastructure maintenance
General infrastructure maintenance isn't a criterion we score independently, so treat any specific claims about road quality, public bins, or graffiti with caution unless they come from a recent, first-hand source.
The "environment" score behind all of this is CityMatch's single combined measure of air quality and general environmental conditions — 10 meaning consistently clean air, 1 meaning significant pollution. It doesn't separately break out waste management, noise, or visual upkeep, which aren't part of our current dataset.
Who Ghent suits
Young professional
Young professionals — early-career movers who want nightlife and transit within budget, without yet prioritizing healthcare or climate (fit score 7.2/10 here).
Student
Students — students who need affordability, transit and a lively social scene (fit score 7.2/10 here).
Freelancer
Freelancers — independent workers balancing cost of living against healthcare access (fit score 7.2/10 here).
Budget-conscious mover
Budget-conscious movers — movers for whom affordability outweighs every other factor (fit score 7.1/10 here).
In depth
Cost of living
Ghent scores 7/10 on affordability — not cheap, but reasonable: expect a moderate budget to cover a comfortable, unremarkable lifestyle.
Safety
Safety is one of Ghent's clearest strengths, scoring 8/10 — the kind of place where walking home at night or letting kids out alone doesn't require much second-guessing.
Climate
Climate is a middling factor in Ghent, scoring 5/10 — expect a proper seasonal swing, including a stretch of weather most people wouldn't call ideal.
Quality of life
Ghent's overall quality of life (7.1/10) comes from consistency rather than any single standout: every criterion sits within a few points of the others, with safety edging out as the strongest and climate the softest spot. The average across all seven criteria is 7.1/10.
Transport
Transport in Ghent scores 7/10 — workable public options exist, though a bike or occasional car still helps for some routes.
Internet & remote work
Remote work is well supported here: Ghent scores 8/10 on internet and connectivity, with fast, reliable connections in most neighborhoods.
Why choose Ghent?
The short version: choose Ghent for its safety, and go in with clear eyes about climate. Its 7.1/10 overall score reflects that balance rather than an unqualified recommendation.
You may also like
Prague
Czechia · Europe
Fairy-tale skyline city with strong transit and low costs for Western Europe.
Gdansk
Poland · Europe
Baltic port city with a rebuilt medieval old town.
Leipzig
Germany · Europe
Formerly overlooked, now one of Germany's fastest-growing creative and student cities.
Lille
France · Europe
Northern French hub close to Brussels, London and Paris by rail.
Wroclaw
Poland · Europe
Riverside Polish city with a fast-growing tech and startup scene.
Continue exploring
Best cities in Belgium
Cities with a similar climate
Safer alternatives
Cheaper alternatives
Comparable quality of life
If you're interested in Ghent, you may also compare:
Frequently asked questions
Is Ghent safe?
Yes — Ghent scores 8/10 on safety, among the higher end of the 303 cities we track. Normal city awareness is enough for most visitors and residents.
What budget do I need to live in Ghent?
Ghent scores 7/10 on cost of living — a moderate budget is enough for a comfortable lifestyle, without it being a bargain destination.
Is Ghent good for families?
Ghent works well for families: safety (8/10), healthcare (8/10) and environment (7/10) average out to a strong combination for raising kids.
Is Ghent a good city for students?
Yes, Ghent is tagged as a student city in our database — affordability (7/10) and transport (7/10) both matter for that, and both are workable here.
Is Ghent suitable for digital nomads?
Ghent isn't specifically marketed to remote workers, but the fundamentals are there: internet scores 8/10 and cost of living 7/10.
What's the climate like in Ghent?
Ghent scores 5/10 on climate, meaning a proper seasonal swing including a stretch of weather most people wouldn't call ideal.
Is Ghent pleasant to live in year-round?
Reasonably — Ghent scores 5/10 on climate and 7/10 on environment, a fair rather than exceptional combination across the year.
Is Ghent a good choice for a first move abroad?
It's a reasonable choice for a first move: safety, healthcare, transport and environment average out to 7.5/10 here, a fairly forgiving combination for someone settling in for the first time.
Is the internet good enough for remote work in Ghent?
Yes — Ghent scores 8/10 on internet and connectivity, comfortably enough for video calls and day-to-day remote work.
Is Ghent a good place to retire?
It has real appeal for retirees: healthcare, climate and safety average out to 7.0/10 here — the three criteria that tend to matter most for that stage of life.
What are good alternatives to Ghent?
Based on continent, tags and overall score, Prague and Gdansk are the closest matches to Ghent in our database — worth comparing directly if you're still deciding.
Is Ghent worth living in?
Reasonably — Ghent scores 7.1/10 overall, a solid if unremarkable all-round profile. Whether it's "worth it" depends more on which specific criteria matter most to you than on the average alone.
Who should move to Ghent?
Based on its score profile, Ghent suits people who value safety and healthcare more than the average mover — see the "Who Ghent suits" section above for the specific profiles (families, digital nomads, students, etc.) that fit best.
Is Ghent walkable, and is public transport good?
Reasonably — Ghent scores 7/10 on transport, covering most day-to-day needs without being a standout transit city.
What's the biggest advantage of living in Ghent?
Safety is Ghent's standout strength, scoring 8/10 — the highest of its seven criteria on CityMatch.
What's the biggest downside of living in Ghent?
Climate is the clearest trade-off, scoring just 5/10 — the lowest of Ghent's seven criteria, and worth weighing against its strengths.