πMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,025 in Aguascalientes versus $1,231 in Chisinau.
πEstimated couple costs with rent: $1,543 in Aguascalientes versus $1,813 in Chisinau.
πMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,061 in Aguascalientes versus $2,394 in Chisinau.
πLiving in Aguascalientes costs roughly 17% less than in Chisinau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
πBoth cities sit below the global median: Aguascalientes23% lower, Chisinau8% lower.
Currency
π½ Eating Out
Aguascalientes
Chisinau
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.12MX$140
$8.53MDLΒ 147
-4.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.46MX$596
$37.11MDLΒ 638
-7.14%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.07MX$122
$7.53MDLΒ 130
-6.11%
Cappuccino
$3.20MX$55.4
$1.87MDLΒ 32.22
71.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08MX$18.72
$0.99MDLΒ 17.03
9.09%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80MX$13.84
$0.70MDLΒ 12.01
14.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.80MX$31.19
$1.74MDLΒ 29.89
3.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15MX$54.5
$2.29MDLΒ 39.41
37.55%
π Groceries & Markets
Aguascalientes
Chisinau
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.35MX$23.28
$1.29MDLΒ 22.16
4.65%
White Bread(500g)
$2.25MX$38.86
$0.52MDLΒ 8.98
332.69%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.58MX$27.28
$1.46MDLΒ 25.03
8.22%
Eggs
$1.96MX$33.85
$2.62MDLΒ 44.99
-25.19%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.97MX$138
$10.22MDLΒ 176
-22.02%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.16MX$124
$5.35MDLΒ 92.0
33.83%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.66MX$167
$8.69MDLΒ 149
11.16%
Apples(1kg)
$2.26MX$39.02
$0.84MDLΒ 14.40
169.05%
Banana(1kg)
$0.97MX$16.72
$1.82MDLΒ 31.29
-46.70%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.83MX$14.36
$1.78MDLΒ 30.52
-53.37%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.42MX$24.53
$2.17MDLΒ 37.27
-34.56%
Potato(1kg)
$1.40MX$24.27
$0.81MDLΒ 13.93
72.84%
Onion(1kg)
$0.97MX$16.73
$0.54MDLΒ 9.31
79.63%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.90MX$15.50
$1.30MDLΒ 22.40
-30.77%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83MX$14.39
$0.90MDLΒ 15.47
-7.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14MX$71.6
$3.28MDLΒ 56.4
26.22%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.98MX$155
$4.73MDLΒ 81.4
89.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.50MX$25.98
$1.21MDLΒ 20.84
23.97%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66MX$46.08
$1.91MDLΒ 32.83
39.27%
π Getting Around
Aguascalientes
Chisinau
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.55MX$9.59
$0.33MDLΒ 5.75
66.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.01MX$381
$13.47MDLΒ 232
63.40%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.07MX$18.57
$2.07MDLΒ 35.61
-48.31%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.93MX$16.15
$0.25MDLΒ 4.29
272.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.24MX$56.0
$5.33MDLΒ 91.7
-39.21%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.24MX$21.51
$1.44MDLΒ 24.76
-13.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.2KMX$383.5K
$32.7KMDLΒ 561.9K
-32.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4KMX$405.2K
$31.5KMDLΒ 540.7K
-25.52%
π§Ύ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aguascalientes
Chisinau
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$44.40MX$768
$174MDLΒ 2,991
-74.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.16MX$349
$7.38MDLΒ 127
173.17%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.39MX$405
$10.98MDLΒ 189
113.02%
π Sport & Entertainment
Aguascalientes
Chisinau
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.83MX$447
$43.14MDLΒ 742
-40.13%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.83MX$378
$22.18MDLΒ 381
-1.58%
Cinema Ticket
$4.15MX$71.8
$7.63MDLΒ 131
-45.61%
π§Έ Childcare & Education
Aguascalientes
Chisinau
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$178MX$3,075
$388MDLΒ 6,663
-54.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,589MX$44.8K
$7,708MDLΒ 132.5K
-66.41%
ππ Clothing & Footwear
Aguascalientes
Chisinau
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.1MX$884
$65.4MDLΒ 1,123
-21.82%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.96MX$605
$54.3MDLΒ 934
-35.64%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.2MX$1,474
$111MDLΒ 1,911
-23.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$53.7MX$930
$120MDLΒ 2,071
-55.40%
π Accommodation & Living
Aguascalientes
Chisinau
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$385MX$6,663
$668MDLΒ 11.5K
-42.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$384MX$6,645
$468MDLΒ 8,048
-17.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$571MX$9,868
$1,243MDLΒ 21.4K
-54.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$595MX$10.3K
$798MDLΒ 13.7K
-25.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,228MX$21.2K
$2,649MDLΒ 45.5K
-53.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,241MX$21.5K
$1,901MDLΒ 32.7K
-34.72%
π΅ Salaries & Financials
Aguascalientes
Chisinau
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$920MX$15.9K
$864MDLΒ 14.9K
6.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.24
9.24
21.65%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input β minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Aguascalientes: June 2, 2026
Last update for Chisinau: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
π A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $385 in Aguascalientes and $668 in Chisinau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
π°Aguascalientes pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
πDining out: $34.00 in Aguascalientes vs $37.00 in Chisinau. Groceries flip the comparison at $217 vs $190, with Chisinau cheaper for home cooking.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Aguascalientes vs Chisinau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chisinau cheaper than Aguascalientes?
Aguascalientes is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Aguascalientes or Chisinau?
Aguascalientes pays 6% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Aguascalientes and Chisinau?
Rent for a central apartment: $385 in Aguascalientes versus $668 in Chisinau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Aguascalientes runs roughly 63% less than in Chisinau. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $178 in Aguascalientes versus $388 in Chisinau. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Aguascalientes or Chisinau?
At $1,025 in Aguascalientes versus $1,231 in Chisinau, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Aguascalientes but tight or insufficient in Chisinau. The gap between the two cities makes Aguascalientes the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Aguascalientes or Chisinau more family-friendly?
For families, Aguascalientes is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chisinau, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Aguascalientes or Chisinau?
Safety-wise, Aguascalientes and Chisinau are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Aguascalientes gentler on the wallet β expenses run 20% less than in Chisinau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Aguascalientes vs other spots: cost of living compared