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

Name: Moldova
Address: MD

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,509 per month in Australia vs $732 in Moldova, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,641 per month in Australia vs $1,131 in Moldova, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,772 per month in Australia vs $1,529 in Moldova, rent included.

The cost of living in Australia is about 243% higher than in Moldova on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Australia sits 83% above the global median, while Moldova is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,174–$3,292) than in Moldova ($363–$1,411), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.16 A$25.50

$9.50 MDL 166

91.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.9 A$121

$34.60 MDL 603

148.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 A$15.26

$8.68 MDL 151

25.23%

Cappuccino

$4.11 A$5.77

$1.91 MDL 33.32

115.18%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 A$4.27

$1.09 MDL 18.93

178.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 A$3.46

$0.70 MDL 12.25

252.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 A$11.05

$1.99 MDL 34.76

295.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.98 A$11.20

$2.04 MDL 35.63

291.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 A$2.43

$1.23 MDL 21.35

40.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 A$3.90

$0.68 MDL 11.94

308.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 A$3.34

$1.35 MDL 23.60

76.30%

Eggs

$5.08 A$7.14

$2.78 MDL 48.45

82.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 A$14.01

$9.40 MDL 164

6.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.24 A$12.97

$5.12 MDL 89.3

80.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.49 A$21.75

$8.44 MDL 147

83.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 A$5.24

$1.03 MDL 17.89

262.14%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 A$4.24

$1.89 MDL 33.02

59.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 A$4.54

$1.92 MDL 33.44

68.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.86

$2.08 MDL 36.34

134.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 A$4.04

$0.78 MDL 13.62

267.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.32

$0.55 MDL 9.66

329.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 A$3.49

$1.41 MDL 24.61

76.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 A$2.35

$0.91 MDL 15.88

84.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$38.51 A$54.1

$3.41 MDL 59.5

1029.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 A$20.01

$4.65 MDL 81.0

206.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.07 A$7.12

$1.25 MDL 21.73

305.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.19 A$7.29

$1.91 MDL 33.30

171.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.78 A$3.90

$0.39 MDL 6.78

612.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.8 A$133

$14.41 MDL 251

558.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 A$4.95

$2.25 MDL 39.15

56.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 A$2.24

$0.37 MDL 6.39

332.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.42 A$56.8

$5.11 MDL 89.0

691.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 A$1.79

$1.64 MDL 28.63

-22.56%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.3K A$39.8K

$30.5K MDL 532.3K

-7.17%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.6K A$40.2K

$29.3K MDL 510.8K

-2.26%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$202 A$283

$228 MDL 3,980

-11.62%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$29.08 A$40.84

$9.91 MDL 173

193.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.6 A$83.7

$11.25 MDL 196

429.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.3 A$83.2

$39.37 MDL 686

50.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.13 A$28.26

$18.03 MDL 314

11.65%

Cinema Ticket

$15.75 A$22.11

$8.54 MDL 149

84.43%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,197 A$3,086

$394 MDL 6,872

457.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K A$25.6K

$5,700 MDL 99.3K

220.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.3 A$111

$69.7 MDL 1,215

13.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 A$80.4

$43.10 MDL 751

32.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 A$160

$112 MDL 1,952

1.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 A$175

$111 MDL 1,930

12.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 A$2,220

$585 MDL 10.2K

170.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 A$1,812

$371 MDL 6,458

248.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 A$3,553

$1,092 MDL 19.0K

131.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,982 A$2,783

$749 MDL 13.1K

164.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,571 A$12.0K

$2,552 MDL 44.5K

235.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,120 A$8,593

$1,875 MDL 32.7K

226.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,979 A$5,588

$781 MDL 13.6K

409.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.93

8.93

-33.59%

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

Last update for Australia: September 12, 2026

Last update for Moldova: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,387 in Australia vs $227 in Moldova. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,829 in Canberra and $693 in Chisinau.

Average salary: $3,903 in Australia vs $564 in Moldova. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 511% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 211% more in Australia.

Public transport is 1217% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 592% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

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

Moldova is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 152% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Moldova, contributing to the overall 152% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$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.

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.