Cost of Living Comparison Between Balti and Calarasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Balti and Calarasi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,022 per month in Balti vs $371 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Balti vs $612 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,911 per month in Balti vs $852 in Calarasi, rent included.

Balti costs about 176% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Balti and Calarasi are more affordable than the global median – Balti 25% lower, Calarasi 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.41 MDL 143

$11.83 MDL 201

-28.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.95 MDL 390

$22.90 MDL 389

0.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.79 MDL 183

$7.11 MDL 121

51.76%

Cappuccino

$1.78 MDL 30.17

$1.44 MDL 24.40

23.61%

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

$1.15 MDL 19.50

$0.78 MDL 13.25

47.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 MDL 11.67

$0.45 MDL 7.72

53.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 MDL 19.52

$1.18 MDL 20.03

-2.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 MDL 25.45

$1.50 MDL 25.42

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 MDL 22.36

$1.04 MDL 17.65

26.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 MDL 8.73

$0.34 MDL 5.71

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 MDL 28.21

Eggs

$2.28 MDL 38.72

$2.05 MDL 34.80

11.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.01 MDL 119

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.90 MDL 83.2

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.29 MDL 107

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 MDL 17.44

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 MDL 38.39

$2.01 MDL 34.17

12.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MDL 32.29

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 MDL 40.21

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 MDL 12.50

$0.70 MDL 11.87

5.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 MDL 9.05

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 MDL 7.80

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MDL 9.59

$0.57 MDL 9.68

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 MDL 56.0

Wine (Bottle)

$4.79 MDL 81.3

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 MDL 24.26

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 MDL 34.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MDL 5.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.25 MDL 293

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 MDL 48.99

$1.18 MDL 20.06

144.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.73 MDL 97.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MDL 26.78

$1.64 MDL 27.91

-3.66%

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

$35.0K MDL 593.9K

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

$24.9K MDL 422.6K

$21.4K MDL 363.6K

16.22%

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

$236 MDL 4,007

$62.1 MDL 1,054

280.26%

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

$8.27 MDL 140

$6.93 MDL 118

19.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.74 MDL 199

$10.65 MDL 181

10.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.38 MDL 635

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.74 MDL 267

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 MDL 130

$3.44 MDL 58.5

123.26%

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

$116 MDL 1,975

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,484 MDL 93.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.21 MDL 802

$35.28 MDL 599

33.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.35 MDL 583

$35.08 MDL 596

-2.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.3 MDL 1,006

$109 MDL 1,847

-45.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.6 MDL 876

$35.47 MDL 602

45.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 MDL 6,942

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 MDL 4,847

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 MDL 11.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 MDL 8,840

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,428 MDL 24.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,024 MDL 17.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 MDL 10.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Balti: August 17, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Balti versus $23.00 in Calarasi. Groceries tell a different story – $169 in Balti vs $43.00 in Calarasi – so Calarasi 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 Calarasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,022 in Balti, $371 in Calarasi – roughly 176% apart. Balti costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,534 per month in Balti and $557 in Calarasi. 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 $23.00 in Calarasi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,022 in Balti and $371 in Calarasi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,022 in Balti and $371 in Calarasi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Calarasi – 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 Calarasi. 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.