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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $977 per month in Balti vs $359 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,405 per month in Balti vs $582 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,832 per month in Balti vs $805 in Calarasi, rent included.

Balti costs about 172% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Balti and Calarasi are more affordable than the global median – Balti 27% lower, Calarasi 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.14 MDL 145

$11.24 MDL 200

-27.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.56 MDL 401

$22.36 MDL 397

0.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MDL 185

$7.01 MDL 124

48.36%

Cappuccino

$1.78 MDL 31.53

$1.37 MDL 24.33

29.93%

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

$1.10 MDL 19.59

$0.76 MDL 13.48

44.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 MDL 12.18

$0.46 MDL 8.22

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.11 MDL 19.71

$1.11 MDL 19.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MDL 25.44

$1.44 MDL 25.60

-0.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 MDL 22.46

$1.03 MDL 18.36

22.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 MDL 8.14

$0.32 MDL 5.75

43.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 MDL 28.41

Eggs

$2.19 MDL 38.86

$1.94 MDL 34.50

12.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.89 MDL 122

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 MDL 84.8

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.27 MDL 111

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MDL 18.12

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 MDL 38.79

$2.01 MDL 35.70

8.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MDL 33.14

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 MDL 40.80

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MDL 13.46

$0.67 MDL 11.81

13.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 MDL 9.22

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 MDL 8.25

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MDL 9.67

$0.56 MDL 9.98

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 MDL 58.6

Wine (Bottle)

$4.36 MDL 77.5

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 MDL 24.47

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 MDL 35.33

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MDL 5.82

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.05 MDL 303

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 MDL 50.2

$1.14 MDL 20.28

148.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 MDL 4.24

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.63 MDL 100

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 MDL 28.45

$1.61 MDL 28.56

-0.62%

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

$33.2K MDL 588.8K

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

$24.0K MDL 425.8K

$20.3K MDL 360.2K

18.20%

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

$228 MDL 4,045

$60.4 MDL 1,073

276.92%

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

$7.65 MDL 136

$6.94 MDL 123

10.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.35 MDL 202

$10.25 MDL 182

10.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.50 MDL 648

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.11 MDL 268

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 MDL 137

$3.31 MDL 58.8

133.53%

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

$111 MDL 1,979

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,202 MDL 92.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.48 MDL 790

$34.48 MDL 612

29.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.04 MDL 587

$34.02 MDL 604

-2.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 MDL 981

$109 MDL 1,944

-49.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.0 MDL 906

$34.27 MDL 609

48.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 MDL 6,929

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 MDL 4,943

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$674 MDL 12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$506 MDL 8,979

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,419 MDL 25.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$999 MDL 17.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 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: October 4, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Balti versus $22.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $164 vs $42.00 – making Calarasi 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: $977 in Balti, $359 in Calarasi – roughly 172% apart. Balti costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,466 per month in Balti and $538 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 $22.00 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 $977 in Balti and $359 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 $977 in Balti and $359 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.