Cost of Living Comparison Between Balti and Cahul Cost of Living Comparison Between Balti and Cahul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,023 per month in Balti vs $646 in Cahul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,479 per month in Balti vs $938 in Cahul, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,936 per month in Balti vs $1,230 in Cahul, rent included.

Balti costs about 58% more than Cahul, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Balti and Cahul are more affordable than the global median – Balti 25% lower, Cahul 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.73 MDL 151

$8.56 MDL 148

1.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.08 MDL 400

$23.96 MDL 415

-3.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 MDL 189

$10.90 MDL 189

-0.18%

Cappuccino

$1.74 MDL 30.21

$1.76 MDL 30.52

-1.14%

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

$1.10 MDL 18.98

$1.13 MDL 19.52

-2.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 MDL 11.63

$0.60 MDL 10.39

11.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 MDL 20.47

$1.98 MDL 34.30

-40.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 MDL 24.54

$1.80 MDL 31.23

-21.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 MDL 22.54

$1.29 MDL 22.33

0.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 MDL 8.31

$0.51 MDL 8.76

-5.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MDL 27.26

$1.59 MDL 27.52

-1.26%

Eggs

$2.27 MDL 39.30

$2.34 MDL 40.49

-2.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.81 MDL 118

$7.11 MDL 123

-4.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.70 MDL 81.4

$4.83 MDL 83.6

-2.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.52 MDL 113

$6.26 MDL 109

4.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 MDL 18.23

$1.02 MDL 17.74

2.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 MDL 39.07

$2.26 MDL 39.22

-0.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 MDL 32.50

$1.88 MDL 32.58

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 MDL 40.19

$2.41 MDL 41.83

-3.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MDL 12.51

$0.72 MDL 12.55

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 MDL 9.26

$0.50 MDL 8.59

6.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 MDL 8.18

$0.47 MDL 8.23

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MDL 9.36

$0.57 MDL 9.84

-5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 MDL 58.8

$3.55 MDL 61.6

-4.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.48 MDL 77.7

$4.72 MDL 81.7

-5.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 MDL 24.66

$1.47 MDL 25.45

-3.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 MDL 34.71

$2.07 MDL 35.84

-3.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MDL 5.77

$0.28 MDL 4.82

17.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.26 MDL 299

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 MDL 50.2

$2.95 MDL 51.2

-1.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.68

$0.25 MDL 4.31

8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 MDL 101

$5.91 MDL 102

-1.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 MDL 27.03

$1.50 MDL 25.95

4.00%

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

$34.9K MDL 605.5K

$35.1K MDL 608.1K

-0.43%

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

$25.1K MDL 435.6K

$24.8K MDL 429.6K

1.39%

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

$232 MDL 4,025

$234 MDL 4,048

-0.57%

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

$7.91 MDL 137

$7.85 MDL 136

0.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.69 MDL 203

$11.46 MDL 199

2.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.77 MDL 637

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.64 MDL 271

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 MDL 137

$7.95 MDL 138

-0.25%

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

$114 MDL 1,973

$117 MDL 2,021

-2.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,449 MDL 94.4K

$5,445 MDL 94.4K

0.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.49 MDL 806

$46.87 MDL 812

-0.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.15 MDL 609

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.4 MDL 994

$56.9 MDL 987

0.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.4 MDL 890

$51.8 MDL 897

-0.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 MDL 6,952

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 MDL 5,007

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$688 MDL 11.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 MDL 9,098

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,451 MDL 25.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,008 MDL 17.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$636 MDL 11.0K

$527 MDL 9,129

20.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Balti: September 15, 2026

Last update for Cahul: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 21% higher in Balti, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Balti versus $24.00 in Cahul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $166 vs $169 – making Balti the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Balti vs Cahul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,023 in Balti, $646 in Cahul – roughly 58% apart. Balti costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,534 per month in Balti and $969 in Cahul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Balti and $24.00 in Cahul. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Balti – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,023 in Balti and $646 in Cahul, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Cahul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cahul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Balti makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.