Go with a plan.
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Brussels at 44/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than Belgium's national picture overall (68/100 vs 72/100).
City page · part of Belgium
The one number a country page can't give you
What people who actually live in Brussels report
Numbeo aggregates thousands of resident-submitted perception surveys into a per-city Crime Index (higher = worse) and its inverse, a Safety Index — the only real city-granularity crime signal feeding this page, alongside Belgium's national advisory, political, health, and police-trust data.
Crime Index
55.9
Safety Index
44.1
The breakdown behind the number
What residents specifically worry about
Numbeo's own category breakdown — note some rows are framed as a worry/problem (higher = worse) and some as a safety rating (higher = better); read the label, not just the number.
Sub-scores
Same real inputs as Belgium's national page, with crime swapped for Brussels's own Numbeo number above.
Local know-how
Staying safe in Brussels, specifically
- • This might come as a shock to the uninitiated, but Brussels is increasingly dealing with the reputation of being a rather unsafe or uneasy city, at least by Western European standards.
- • Areas to watch out for: Generally speaking, tourists are unlikely to encounter many safety issues in Brussels' East (Etterbeek, Evere, most of Ixelles), South (Watermael-Boisfort, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert), and Northwest (Jette).
- • On the other hand, many neighbourhoods have a reputation for crime and decay, especially at night; this is especially relevant for areas such as Saint-Gilles (especially near the Brussel-Zui…
- • Do keep in mind that the topic of crime in Brussels might bear racial undertones, and some locals will get feisty if you mention anything regarding the origins of people in these neighbourhoods.
Legal status (national law)
Legal nationwide since 1795; equal age of consent since 1985 + UN decl. sign.
Source: Wikipedia — LGBTQ rights by country →Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
C / E · 230V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 101 or 112 / ambulance: 112 / fire: 112
Tipping
Tipping in Belgium is not usually done as service charge is always included. However, you may tip as a sign of appreciation. Usually, this is done by paying in bank notes with a total value slightly higher than the price of the meal and telling the waiter/waitress that they can keep the change.
SIM / Data
Belgium uses the GSM standard of cellular phones (900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands) used in much of the world except parts of the Americas. There are three main companies (Proximus, Orange and Base, and a large number of MVNOs) offering wireless service. The country is almost totally covered.
How this compares to Belgium
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Brussels at 44/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than Belgium's national picture overall (68/100 vs 72/100).
See the full Belgium page and all receipts →