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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $995 per month in Balti vs $687 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,243 per month in Balti vs $1,079 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,490 per month in Balti vs $1,470 in Calarasi, rent included.

Balti costs about 45% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Balti and Calarasi are more affordable than the global median – Balti 26% lower, Calarasi 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.35 MDL 144

$8.69 MDL 150

-3.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.34 MDL 628

$36.05 MDL 623

0.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 MDL 129

$7.53 MDL 130

-0.66%

Cappuccino

$1.64 MDL 28.27

$1.89 MDL 32.65

-13.23%

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

$0.91 MDL 15.77

$0.90 MDL 15.59

1.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 MDL 11.96

$0.65 MDL 11.15

6.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 MDL 31.05

$1.77 MDL 30.56

1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 MDL 38.16

$2.40 MDL 41.52

-7.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 MDL 21.50

$1.24 MDL 21.44

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 MDL 6.75

$0.56 MDL 9.62

-30.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 25.96

$1.51 MDL 26.01

-0.66%

Eggs

$1.56 MDL 27.02

$2.48 MDL 42.89

-37.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.11 MDL 157

$10.48 MDL 181

-13.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 MDL 80.1

$5.54 MDL 95.7

-16.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.74 MDL 151

$8.82 MDL 152

-0.91%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 MDL 15.42

$0.91 MDL 15.69

-2.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MDL 31.57

$1.83 MDL 31.63

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 MDL 25.37

$1.70 MDL 29.35

-13.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 MDL 36.85

$2.15 MDL 37.19

-0.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 MDL 12.05

$0.81 MDL 14.07

-13.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 MDL 10.29

$0.58 MDL 10.06

3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 MDL 22.34

$1.30 MDL 22.44

-0.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MDL 14.58

$0.87 MDL 15.09

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 MDL 55.9

$3.31 MDL 57.1

-2.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.71 MDL 81.4

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MDL 21.13

$1.28 MDL 22.04

-4.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 MDL 33.22

$2.01 MDL 34.65

-4.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MDL 5.77

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 MDL 34.97

$1.99 MDL 34.43

1.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.69

$0.27 MDL 4.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.29 MDL 91.3

$5.11 MDL 88.3

3.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MDL 23.47

$1.36 MDL 23.56

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

$31.9K MDL 550.9K

$32.3K MDL 558.2K

-1.31%

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

$30.6K MDL 528.8K

$31.4K MDL 542.2K

-2.47%

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

$170 MDL 2,931

$169 MDL 2,919

0.40%

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

$4.59 MDL 79.2

$7.73 MDL 134

-40.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.74 MDL 185

$10.87 MDL 188

-1.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.88 MDL 706

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 MDL 80.1

$7.52 MDL 130

-38.30%

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

$118 MDL 2,039

$392 MDL 6,771

-69.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,548 MDL 95.8K

$7,618 MDL 131.6K

-27.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 MDL 1,129

$66.5 MDL 1,149

-1.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 MDL 924

$54.6 MDL 942

-1.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,914

$111 MDL 1,910

0.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MDL 2,093

$124 MDL 2,149

-2.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 MDL 6,987

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 MDL 4,978

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,442 MDL 24.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$989 MDL 17.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$435 MDL 7,517

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Balti versus $36.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $182 – 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 Calarasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $995 in Balti, $687 in Calarasi – roughly 45% apart. Balti costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,492 per month in Balti and $1,031 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 $36.00 in Balti and $36.00 in Calarasi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Balti – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $687, than in Balti at $995. In Calarasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Balti it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.