Meal vouchers, group insurance, company car: what are fringe benefits really worth?
ikzoek editorial team · 4 min read · 4 October 2026
Two jobs, both offering 3,400 euros gross. One comes with meal vouchers, group insurance and a company car, the other with a higher year-end bonus and a home-working allowance. Which pays better? To find out, you need to translate each benefit into what it would cost you in gross salary to pay for it yourself. That's what we do below.
Why benefits are so popular in Belgium
For every euro of gross salary above around 3,500 euros per month, you keep about 45 cents net; for the employer, that euro costs 1.25 euros. A benefit that is exempt from social security contributions and tax therefore gives the employee almost its full value, for a fraction of the cost. That's why meal vouchers, eco vouchers and a whole catalogue of tax-friendly benefits exist. They are legal, widespread, and attractive for both parties, as long as you value them correctly.
The benefits at a glance
| Benefit | Typical value | Net value per year | Gross equivalent per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal vouchers (8 euros × 220 days, own contribution 1.09 euros) | 6.91 euros per day net | approximately 1,520 euros | approximately 3,000 euros |
| Eco vouchers | 250 euros per year | 250 euros | approximately 500 euros |
| Hospitalisation insurance (family) | premium 400 to 800 euros | 400 to 800 euros | 800 to 1,600 euros |
| Group insurance (employer contribution 3% of gross salary) | approximately 1,400 euros paid in | approximately 1,100 euros (after final tax) | approximately 2,400 euros |
| Home-working allowance (structural) | up to approximately 160 euros per month | up to approximately 1,900 euros | approximately 3,800 euros |
| Mid-range electric company car, with charging card | costs employer 700 to 900 euros per month | approximately 6,000 euros (after benefit in kind), depending on private use | 9,000 to 12,000 euros |
| Smartphone and subscription | 40 euros per month | approximately 400 euros | approximately 800 euros |
| Bike leasing | 3,000 euro bike over 3 years | approximately 1,000 euros per year | approximately 2,000 euros |
The gross equivalents are approximate, for an employee in the 45% tax bracket. Compare them with the salary ranges in the jobs with stated salary on ikzoek.jobs.
A closer look at the big three
Meal vouchers
Mandatory electronic, maximum 8 euros per day worked, usable only for food. Since you would spend that money on groceries anyway, they're almost cash. An employer who gives 8 euros instead of 6 euros gives you an extra 440 euros net per year.
Group insurance
A supplementary pension built up by your employer. The value lies in the size of the employer contribution (1% is modest, 3 to 5% is good) and the guaranteed return. You only see the benefit at retirement, but it is genuine pay: 3% on 42,000 euros gross is 1,260 euros per year, every year, with interest. Always ask about the percentage and whether it includes death cover and disability cover.
Company car
The biggest and most misunderstood benefit. You pay tax on a benefit in kind (for an electric car worth 40,000 euros, around 1,600 to 2,000 euros a year in extra tax), but you save the full cost of owning a car yourself: depreciation, insurance, maintenance, tyres, and with a charging card, the energy too. If you don't need a car, the benefit is worth much less and the mobility budget (the cost of the car converted into a bike, public transport, rent or cash) is more attractive. Read our article on the company car in 2026.
The cafeteria plan
More and more employers offer a cafeteria plan: a budget (often the year-end bonus or part of your salary) that you divide yourself among benefits such as extra holiday days, a bike, a multimedia device, pension savings or higher group insurance. This is attractive if the choices suit your life, and disadvantageous if your gross salary (and therefore your holiday pay, pension and any severance pay) falls as a result. Always read the simulation to the end, including the impact on your pension build-up.
What benefits are not
- Not a basis for your pension or unemployment benefit. These are calculated on your gross salary. Anyone who trades 400 euros gross for benefits for 20 years will feel it at retirement.
- Not always transferable. A company car disappears when you're dismissed; a higher gross salary counts towards your severance pay.
- Not equal for everyone. A car is worth its weight in gold for a commuter and a burden for a city dweller.
How to compare packages
- Convert both offers into an annual gross amount, including the thirteenth month and double holiday pay.
- Add up each benefit at its gross equivalent from the table, and only if you would actually use it.
- Subtract what you contribute yourself (own contribution for the car, meal vouchers).
- Compare the totals, then look at what can't be expressed in money: home working, training, growth opportunities, commuting time.
On ikzoek.jobs you can filter jobs by fringe benefits such as company car, meal vouchers or group insurance. Combine that with the salary range and you'll know what a job really pays before the first interview.