Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Moldova Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Moldova

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,184 per month in Australia vs $714 in Moldova, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,217 per month in Australia vs $1,114 in Moldova, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,249 per month in Australia vs $1,514 in Moldova, rent included.

Australia costs about 206% more than Moldova on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Australia sits 63% above the global median, while Moldova is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Both countries show comparable internal variation: Australia spans $1,584$2,827, Moldova spans $6.00$1,225. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Australia
Moldova
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.24 A$22.73
$9.00 MDL 155
80.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.1 A$108
$34.46 MDL 594
123.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.81 A$13.74
$7.41 MDL 128
32.39%
Cappuccino
$3.58 A$5.01
$1.78 MDL 30.67
101.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57 A$3.60
$0.98 MDL 16.84
162.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 A$3.05
$0.60 MDL 10.29
263.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.63 A$9.28
$1.73 MDL 29.76
283.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.12 A$9.97
$2.33 MDL 40.17
205.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Australia
Moldova
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 A$2.10
$1.29 MDL 22.28
16.28%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 A$3.54
$0.52 MDL 8.93
386.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.07 A$2.90
$1.48 MDL 25.57
39.86%
Eggs
$4.29 A$6.01
$2.42 MDL 41.75
77.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.65 A$12.11
$9.78 MDL 169
-11.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.34 A$11.68
$5.25 MDL 90.6
58.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 A$19.47
$8.55 MDL 147
62.57%
Apples (1kg)
$3.30 A$4.61
$0.83 MDL 14.33
297.59%
Banana (1kg)
$2.77 A$3.88
$1.85 MDL 31.89
49.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.95 A$4.13
$1.72 MDL 29.71
71.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.19 A$5.87
$2.08 MDL 35.91
101.44%
Potato (1kg)
$2.42 A$3.39
$0.81 MDL 14.05
198.77%
Onion (1kg)
$2.10 A$2.94
$0.55 MDL 9.52
281.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.26 A$3.16
$1.32 MDL 22.82
71.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 A$2.10
$0.89 MDL 15.35
68.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$31.58 A$44.22
$3.29 MDL 56.8
859.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.29 A$20.00
$4.50 MDL 77.7
217.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.59 A$6.42
$1.21 MDL 20.81
279.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.82 A$6.75
$2.03 MDL 34.98
137.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Australia
Moldova
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.02 A$4.22
$0.33 MDL 5.77
815.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$98.3 A$138
$13.87 MDL 239
608.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.48 A$4.88
$2.01 MDL 34.67
73.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.75 A$2.45
$0.26 MDL 4.47
573.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.97 A$53.2
$5.42 MDL 93.4
600.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 A$1.69
$1.44 MDL 24.87
-15.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.0K A$40.6K
$32.8K MDL 565.6K
-11.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.6K A$31.6K
$32.1K MDL 554.2K
-29.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
Moldova
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$177 A$248
$175 MDL 3,021
1.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.85 A$37.59
$8.23 MDL 142
226.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.4 A$73.4
$11.07 MDL 191
373.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Australia
Moldova
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.57 A$66.6
$42.00 MDL 725
13.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.46 A$23.04
$19.56 MDL 337
-15.85%
Cinema Ticket
$13.73 A$19.23
$6.99 MDL 121
96.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Australia
Moldova
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,593 A$2,231
$382 MDL 6,590
317.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.7K A$17.8K
$7,334 MDL 126.5K
73.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Australia
Moldova
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.0 A$101
$62.0 MDL 1,070
16.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.3 A$71.8
$47.70 MDL 823
7.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 A$144
$107 MDL 1,849
-3.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 A$152
$121 MDL 2,085
-10.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Australia
Moldova
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,401 A$1,961
$616 MDL 10.6K
127.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,080 A$1,512
$441 MDL 7,614
144.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,340 A$3,276
$1,177 MDL 20.3K
98.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,756 A$2,459
$789 MDL 13.6K
122.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,733 A$10.8K
$2,466 MDL 42.5K
213.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,563 A$7,788
$1,740 MDL 30.0K
219.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Australia
Moldova
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,000 A$5,600
$739 MDL 12.8K
441.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.35
9.18
-30.83%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Australia: April 27, 2026

Last update for Moldova: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,232 in Australia vs $207 in Moldova. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,529 in Canberra and $677 in Chisinau.

Average salary: $3,878 in Australia vs $537 in Moldova. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 495% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 166% more in Australia.

Public transport is 2133% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 622% higher in Australia, giving Australia stronger purchasing power.

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
Australia vs Moldova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Moldova?
Moldova is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 258% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Moldova, contributing to the overall 258% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget in Australia or Moldova?
$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Moldova, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or Moldova?
Moldova is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Australia vs other spots: cost of living compared

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