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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $998 per month in Balti vs $685 in Cahul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,261 per month in Balti vs $1,084 in Cahul, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,523 per month in Balti vs $1,482 in Cahul, rent included.

Balti costs about 46% more than Cahul, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Balti and Cahul are more affordable than the global median – Balti 25% lower, Cahul 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.23 MDL 143

$8.86 MDL 154

-7.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.65 MDL 637

$36.06 MDL 627

1.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 MDL 134

Cappuccino

$1.58 MDL 27.44

$1.87 MDL 32.46

-15.51%

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

$0.91 MDL 15.81

$0.98 MDL 16.95

-7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 MDL 11.38

$0.65 MDL 11.34

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 MDL 30.65

$1.73 MDL 30.10

1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 MDL 38.97

$2.33 MDL 40.42

-3.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.23

$1.24 MDL 21.52

3.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 MDL 7.32

$0.52 MDL 9.03

-19.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MDL 25.47

$1.47 MDL 25.51

Eggs

$1.56 MDL 27.15

$2.59 MDL 44.96

-39.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 MDL 160

$10.46 MDL 182

-11.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 MDL 79.0

$5.53 MDL 96.1

-17.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.88 MDL 154

$8.67 MDL 151

2.42%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 MDL 15.69

$0.84 MDL 14.57

7.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MDL 30.48

$1.82 MDL 31.70

-3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 MDL 25.96

$1.71 MDL 29.71

-12.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 MDL 36.00

$2.16 MDL 37.49

-4.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 MDL 13.07

$0.82 MDL 14.33

-8.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.29

$0.59 MDL 10.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 MDL 22.45

$1.29 MDL 22.50

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MDL 15.64

$0.84 MDL 14.67

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 MDL 56.4

$3.30 MDL 57.4

-1.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.45 MDL 77.4

$4.57 MDL 79.4

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MDL 20.91

$1.27 MDL 22.07

-5.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 MDL 34.69

$2.00 MDL 34.77

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MDL 6.33

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 MDL 35.19

$2.01 MDL 35.00

0.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.33

$0.25 MDL 4.34

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 MDL 89.5

$5.31 MDL 92.2

-3.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MDL 23.01

$1.44 MDL 25.02

-8.33%

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

$32.6K MDL 567.2K

$32.5K MDL 565.0K

0.39%

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

$31.4K MDL 545.8K

$31.6K MDL 549.3K

-0.64%

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

$176 MDL 3,051

$174 MDL 3,027

0.81%

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

$4.76 MDL 82.8

$7.66 MDL 133

-37.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.59 MDL 184

$10.73 MDL 186

-1.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 MDL 718

Cinema Ticket

$4.78 MDL 83.1

$7.79 MDL 135

-38.64%

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

$119 MDL 2,070

$395 MDL 6,868

-69.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,474 MDL 95.1K

$7,490 MDL 130.2K

-26.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.9 MDL 1,145

$66.6 MDL 1,158

-1.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.4 MDL 928

$54.1 MDL 940

-1.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MDL 1,981

$112 MDL 1,939

2.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MDL 2,094

$123 MDL 2,146

-2.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 MDL 7,036

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 MDL 5,164

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,431 MDL 24.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$992 MDL 17.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$618 MDL 10.7K

$507 MDL 8,819

21.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

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

Last update for Balti: July 28, 2026

Last update for Cahul: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 22% 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 $37.00 in Balti versus $36.00 in Cahul. Groceries tell a different story – $176 in Balti vs $190 in Cahul – so Balti wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $998 in Balti, $685 in Cahul – roughly 46% apart. Balti costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,497 per month in Balti and $1,028 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 $37.00 in Balti and $36.00 in Cahul. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% 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 $998 in Balti and $685 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.