When relocating to Brussels you will need to decide which neighborhood to live in. Factors like commuting time to your work, proximity to schools, safety, price and amenities can all play a role in determining whether a specific neighborhood is right for you.
In this post I will be examining the Brussels commune of Woluwe Saint Lambert to see what are the pros and cons of living in this popular suburb in Brussels.
- Overview
- Woluwe Saint Lambert Population and Demographics
- Woluwe Saint Lambert Location
- Commuting Times to Main Areas
- Woluwe Saint Lambert Public Transportation Links
- Parking in Woluwe Saint Lambert
- Woluwe Saint Lambert Schools
- Entertainment & Leisure in Woluwe Saint Lambert
- Cost of Living in Woluwe Saint Lambert
- Woluwe Saint Lambert Housing Prices
- Crime and Safety in Woluwe Saint Lambert
- Summary
- Official Neighbourhood Contact Details
- Other Neighbourhoods to Consider
Overview
| Category | Rating |
| Schools | 8/10 |
| Crime and Safety | 6/10 |
| Quality of Housing | 8/10 |
| Entertainment (Nightlife & Restaurants) | 4/10 |
| Family Friendly | 8/10 |
| Location | 7/10 |
| Cost of Living | 6/10 |
| Outdoor Activities/Green Spaces | 6/10 |
| Public Transportation Links | 8/10 |
| Parking Availability | 6/10 |
| Overall Score | 67/100 |
Woluwe Saint Lambert Population and Demographics
Woluwe Saint Lambert has a population of about 58,000 inhabitants with a population density of around 7,800 inhabitants per square km (20,000/sq mi).
To put that in perspective Woluwe Saint Lambert has a population density that is about 50% higher than the neighbouring municipality of Woluwe Saint Pierre however this is still far less than the Brussels Municipality of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode which has a population density of 24,000 inhabitants per square km (62,500/sq mi) making it one of the top 20 most densely populated urban areas in the world.
While not as green or calm as the neighboring municipality of Woluwe Saint Pierre, Woluwe Saint Lambert still offers residents a more quiet suburban setting than what is typically experienced in the neighboring municipality of Etterbeek.
The area has a reputation of being a popular neighborhood for Southern European Expats who work in the many European institutions and European lobbyist organizations that are based in Brussels. As a result, it has a sizable expat population.
According to data from the Brussels Institute of Statistics (IBSA), Woluwe Saint Lambert is home to 21,179 expats which means that expats makeup 37% of the neighborhoods total population. About 75% of expats in Woluwe Saint Lambert are from other EU countries with the remaining 25% coming from outside of the EU. The table below provides an overview of the top 15 biggest expat communities in Woluwe Saint Pierre.
| Nationality | Number of Residents |
| French | 3,412 |
| Italian | 2,078 |
| Spanish | 1,438 |
| Romanian | 1,279 |
| Portuguese | 1,114 |
| German | 825 |
| British | 482 |
| Bulgarian | 478 |
| Moroccan | 475 |
| Indian | 463 |
| Congolese | 381 |
| Dutch | 379 |
| Japanese | 371 |
| Hungarian | 349 |
| Finnish | 329 |
| Other Nationalities | 5,762 |
The “bruxellois” (local residents) who live in Woluwe Saint Lambert makeup 63% of the population and are generally Francophone.
Woluwe Saint Lambert Location
Woluwe Saint Lambert is a predominantly residential area located about 7km (4.3mi) from Brussels city center. The neighbourhood is conveniently situated between Evere to the North, Woluwe Saint Pierre to the East and Etterbeek to the West. There are several areas within Woluwe Saint Lambert which have their own distinct architectural style.
For example the area near the Woluwe Saint Lambert Mall is surrounded mainly by large rectangular housing apartment blocks while the Georges Henripark consists mainly of townhouses and small apartment blocks.
Some of the most popular areas in the neighbourhoods include the area immediately surrounding the Parc Georges Henri which connects to the areas main shopping street, the Avenue Georges Henri as well as the large apartment buildings which line the Avenue de Broqueville.
Commuting Times to Main Areas
| Location | Method of Transport (Car) |
| City Center (Grand Place) | 15-20 min |
| Airport | 15-20 min |
| European Quarter | 10-15 min |
| NATO Area | 10-15 min |
Woluwe Saint Lambert Public Transportation Links
The public transportation links in Woluwe Saint Lambert are pretty good with the area having several metro stations located throughout the neighborhood including Montgomery Station, Gribaumont Station, Tomberg Station, Roodebeek Station and Vandervelde Station which connect residents to the main office areas located in the city centre and European Quarter.
Parking in Woluwe Saint Lambert
Parking can be very good or quite poor depending on which specific street, building or townhouse you live in. Some of the more wider streets in Woluwe Saint Pierre will have plenty of dedicated street parking as well as driveway/garage parking for those living in apartment buildings and townhouses. However, other more narrow streets require the use of limited street parking and narrow sidewalks which means that those who are lucky enough to find parking will have to squeeze themselves into tight spaces.
Renting a garage box in an apartment will normally set you back between 100-200 Euros per month.
The Commune also provides up to three street parking permits per household which can be purchased at the following rates:
- 1st card € 10,00 (per year)
- 2nd card € 50,00 (per year)
- 3rd card € 250,00 (per year)
Residents can also purchase daily parking passes for visitors at a cost of €5 per day from the commune.
Woluwe Saint Lambert Schools
One of the most important factors for families looking to relocate to Brussels is the quality and access to schools for their children. Woluwe Saint Lambert offers a number of different education opportunities for families.
For parents wishing to send their children to international schools the nearest international school is the Ecole International Montgomery which has both a primary and secondary school offering education in either entirely in English as well as a bilingual English-French programme. Parents working at the European Institutions also have the option to send their children to the European School of Brussels II which is located in Woluwe Saint Lambert.
Younger children between the ages of two and a half to six can attend Montessori House Brussels which is an independent international school offering bilingual (English and French) education. Another good option for parents looking for English language instruction for children between the ages of two and a half and six is the small private preschool called Victoria Cerise.
For a complete overview of all international schools in Brussels check out are article on International Schools in Brussels.
Parents also have the option of sending their children to local public schools which offer education in either French or Dutch. The Ecole Van Meyel is another good option which provides a bilingual programme which is mainly taught in French but also includes 20 hours a week of Dutch language instruction at an early age which helps students become proficient in both languages before most other students attending public schools which follow a more traditional curriculum.
Entertainment & Leisure in Woluwe Saint Lambert
While not as lively as neighboring Etterbeek, Woluwe Saint Lambert does have more entertainment and leisure options than the surrounding communes of Evere and Woluwe Saint Pierre.
The heart of the neighbourhood is probably the Parc Georges Henri area as well as the Avenue de Georges Henri which houses most of the shops and restaurants in the area. Another popular area is the Woluwe Saint Lambert Mall which is one of the few indoor shopping malls in Brussels.
While the mall is a bit outdated having been built in the late 60s it does contain a good selection of shops and can get quite busy on the weekend.
Cost of Living in Woluwe Saint Lambert
The vast majority of living expenses such as groceries, restaurants and utilities are the same no matter which area of Brussels you decide to live. Nevertheless due to the semi-affluent nature of the commune it tends to have more upmarket options for things like groceries having several boutique organic grocery stores and artisanal food and drink shops located in the area.
Woluwe Saint Lambert Housing Prices
When looking at the price of housing for both the rental and buying market you will see that Woluwe Saint Lambert is usually more expensive than neighbouring Etterbeek while being cheaper than neighbouring Woluwe Saint Pierre . I have compiled a table containing the average price of accommodation in the area based off of https://www.immoweb.be listings from February 2021.
| Type of Accomodation | Rent | Purchase Price |
| Studio | €920 per month (€21 per m2) | €158,750 (€4,049 per m2) |
| 1 bedroom apartment | €1,007 per month (€15 per m2) | €263,700 (€3,744 per m2) |
| 2 bedroom apartment | €1,270 per month (€14 per m2) | €331,050 (€3,564 per m2) |
| 3 bedroom apartment | €1,860 per month (€14 per m2) | €458,400 (€4,470 per m2) |
| 3 bedroom townhouse | €2,060 per month (€14 per m2) | €577,800 (€3,094 per m2) |
Crime and Safety in Woluwe Saint Lambert
While Brussels has comparatively high crime levels compared to other European capitals as well as other cities in Belgium, the area of Woluwe Saint Lambert ranks 12th out of 19 municipalities with a crime rate of 7,645 crimes per 100,000 people. That puts it slightly ahead of neighboring areas of Etterbeek and Evere in terms of crime rates however it is still quite a bit higher than the neighboring area of Woluwe Saint Pierre which has the lowest crime rate in the Brussels Capital Region.
According to recent statistics from the Belgian Federal Police nearly 40% of the crime is linked to “theft and extortion” while more serious crimes like violent crime only make up about 6% of reported crimes in the area.
For a complete overview of crime rates in Brussels check out our article on Brussels Crime Rates.
Summary
Pros
- One of the more family friendly and residential neighbourhoods in Brussels
- Well connected by having several metro stations in the area.
Cons
- Parking can be an issue depending on which street you live on.
- Could be too quiet for those seeking a more dynamic lifestyle.
Best for
- Young professionals and families seeking a more quiet suburban setting.
Official Neighbourhood Contact Details
Commune website: https://fr.woluwe1200.be
Address: 2, avenue Paul Hymans, 1200, Brussels
Telephone: 02 /.761.27.11
Opening Hours: Monday and Friday 08:00 – 13:00; Wednesday 08:00 – 15:00; Tuesday and Thursday 08:00 – 19:00
Other Neighbourhoods to Consider
Woluwe Saint-Pierre
Auderghem
Etterbeek
Uccle
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