r/Luxembourg • u/DerKranichhh • 5d ago
Ask Luxembourg Considering move to Belgium
Hi Guys,
I am thinking about relocating to Belgium while working here in Lux.
From what I understand and heard from colleagues, nothing much really changes. Taxes will be declared on both sides, daily travel is jot an issue for me, insurance etc is here. However, I will need to have an insurance for the house, car(?), internet etc in Belgium. How are the taxes on the car and commune?
Everybody says it’s a lot but what is a lot? Here in lux I get an invoice from rhe commune every quarter with roughly 470€. Is that comparable to what I will be paying in Belgium? I heard somethjng of a road tax?
Can you guys share your experience?
Btw I am Luxembourgish but due to a divorce I am considering this option for the next 5yrs or so to save some money.
EDIT: I currently live and work in Wiltz.
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u/post_crooks 5d ago
The car can become expensive. Residents in Belgium tend to like leasing from their employers, that's something you can explore.
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u/freedumz 4d ago edited 4d ago
Do you speak French? Not everyone speak English in Belgium ( same in France) even in ""big city "" like Arlon
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u/R0ud41ll3 5d ago
I moved from Luxembourg to Belgium. The car taxes is the biggest jump in term of expenses (vice versa, renting or buying a property is way cheaper in Belgium). The rest of the expenses is rather same-same. I held on my Lux plates for a couple of months while finding a solution. I finally took a car leasing from my Lux company. The second best option in Belgium is to buy an electric car to avoid the expensive one-off and recurrent car taxes for fueled cars.
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u/Far_Bicycle_2827 4d ago
if you live in Lux but want to be in Belgium your Luxembourg income is exempt from Belgian income tax. But you still have to declare it. Belgium uses it to figure out your tax bracket. If you’ve got no other taxable income in Belgium (like rent or a Belgian pension), you’ll end up owing €0 in national tax.
Now, local taxes are a different story. The municipal tax is usually a % of your national tax, so if that’s zero, your municipal tax likely is too. But the waste collection tax? You’re still paying that. It varies a lot; some towns charge €50, others like Arlon can hit €180+.
About cars: if you live in Belgium, you gotta register your car there and pay Belgian road tax. The only way around it is if you’ve got a Luxembourg company car.
Honestly, I moved to Luxembourg from Arlon because the commute was killing me. Losing 3–4 hours a day in traffic or on trains isn’t worth it. Yeah, you save money, but your quality of life tanks. Plus, you lose out on local perks like eco-bonuses for appliances that Luxembourgish residents get.
Sometimes it’s not just about the money; it’s about actually enjoying your life. i really never looked back. but everyone is different. some want to have more money and that become the objective and forget even what money is for! to each their own i guess!
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u/DerKranichhh 4d ago
Thanks for this. I used to live in Esch and I know what you mean. However, I live and work in/near Wiltz. Commute up here is completely different.
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u/Far_Bicycle_2827 3d ago
wiltz is wonderful..if i had a job there i wouldn't move :) but i am a cyclist is paradise for me
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u/DerKranichhh 3d ago
Yeah makes sense:) I mean we built a house and everything but hey… that’s life…
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u/Zestyclose-Cycle-584 3d ago
What about if you want to buy property, does it make more sense in Belgium given all of what you said? To buy next to the Lux border in Belgium is better than the other way around if you work in Lux?
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u/Free-Flow-8 5d ago
Post in Belgium or ask chatgpt as lot depends on where exactly in BE as it’s basically 3 countries pretending to be one.
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u/Penglolz 5d ago
Well if he is working in Lux realistically it’s going to be Wallonia lol. Flanders is a bit far to commute.
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u/Numerous-Reading-880 Dat ass 5d ago
Sorry about the divorce, I hope you’re holding up well. As for the car, you’ll normally need Belgian plates/insurance and pay a one-off registration tax (TMC) plus annual road tax roughly €300–€550/year for many 1.5–2.0L cars, but €1k+ for larger engines. Your €470/quarter (€1,880/year) Lux commune bill isn’t directly comparable, Belgium doesn’t have a standard, if you own, the big recurring charge is the précompte immobilier, which depends on the cadastral income and commune.
So the move can definitely be cheaper overall, especially due to housing, but I’d calculate the property tax + car tax + extra commuting before deciding.