Cost of Living Comparison Between Balti and Cricova Cost of Living Comparison Between Balti and Cricova

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $977 per month in Balti vs $1,054 in Cricova, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,405 per month in Balti vs $1,880 in Cricova, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,832 per month in Balti vs $2,706 in Cricova, rent included.

Balti is about 7% cheaper than Cricova, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Balti and Cricova are more affordable than the global median – Balti 27% lower, Cricova 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.14 MDL 145

$8.51 MDL 151

-4.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.56 MDL 401

$28.14 MDL 500

-19.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MDL 185

$10.52 MDL 187

-1.14%

Cappuccino

$1.78 MDL 31.53

$1.04 MDL 18.48

71.15%

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

$1.10 MDL 19.59

$1.09 MDL 19.34

0.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 MDL 12.18

$0.67 MDL 11.82

2.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.11 MDL 19.71

$2.03 MDL 36.14

-45.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MDL 25.44

$2.24 MDL 39.75

-36.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 MDL 22.46

$2.34 MDL 41.59

-46.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 MDL 8.14

$0.50 MDL 8.84

-8.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 MDL 28.41

$1.10 MDL 19.55

45.45%

Eggs

$2.19 MDL 38.86

$1.25 MDL 22.27

75.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.89 MDL 122

$6.62 MDL 118

4.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 MDL 84.8

$4.66 MDL 82.7

2.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.27 MDL 111

$12.19 MDL 216

-48.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MDL 18.12

$1.08 MDL 19.26

-5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 MDL 38.79

$0.81 MDL 14.43

169.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MDL 33.14

$1.05 MDL 18.59

78.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 MDL 40.80

$1.10 MDL 19.46

109.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MDL 13.46

$0.73 MDL 12.93

4.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 MDL 9.22

$1.05 MDL 18.62

-50.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 MDL 8.25

$1.05 MDL 18.61

-56.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MDL 9.67

$1.08 MDL 19.27

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 MDL 58.6

$3.40 MDL 60.4

-2.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.36 MDL 77.5

$4.46 MDL 79.2

-2.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 MDL 24.47

$2.55 MDL 45.26

-45.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 MDL 35.33

$4.30 MDL 76.5

-53.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MDL 5.82

$0.56 MDL 9.92

-41.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.05 MDL 303

$22.18 MDL 394

-23.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 MDL 50.2

$1.10 MDL 19.49

157.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 MDL 4.24

$0.24 MDL 4.22

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.63 MDL 100

$6.94 MDL 123

-18.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 MDL 28.45

$1.37 MDL 24.41

16.79%

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

$33.2K MDL 588.8K

$29.8K MDL 528.9K

11.32%

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

$24.0K MDL 425.8K

$24.0K MDL 426.5K

-0.17%

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

$228 MDL 4,045

$239 MDL 4,239

-4.57%

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

$7.65 MDL 136

$7.95 MDL 141

-3.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.35 MDL 202

$11.17 MDL 198

1.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.50 MDL 648

$56.7 MDL 1,007

-35.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.11 MDL 268

$11.26 MDL 200

34.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 MDL 137

$7.79 MDL 138

-0.77%

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

$111 MDL 1,979

$112 MDL 1,997

-0.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,202 MDL 92.4K

$5,258 MDL 93.4K

-1.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.48 MDL 790

$56.6 MDL 1,006

-21.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.04 MDL 587

$28.69 MDL 510

15.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 MDL 981

$83.2 MDL 1,477

-33.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.0 MDL 906

$113 MDL 2,014

-55.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 MDL 6,929

$918 MDL 16.3K

-57.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 MDL 4,943

$223 MDL 3,957

24.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$674 MDL 12.0K

$1,407 MDL 25.0K

-52.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$506 MDL 8,979

$1,117 MDL 19.8K

-54.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,419 MDL 25.2K

$2,798 MDL 49.7K

-49.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$999 MDL 17.7K

$1,976 MDL 35.1K

-49.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 MDL 10.8K

$581 MDL 10.3K

4.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.29%

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

Last update for Balti: October 4, 2026

Last update for Cricova: October 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $390 in Balti versus $918 in Cricova. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 4% higher in Balti, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Balti versus $28.00 in Cricova. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $164 vs $189 – 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 Cricova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $977 in Balti, $1,054 in Cricova – roughly 8% apart. Cricova costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,466 per month in Balti and $1,580 in Cricova. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Balti, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $111 per month in Balti and $112 in Cricova. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Cricova, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Balti, where all-in costs run around $977, than in Cricova at $1,054. In Balti it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cricova it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Balti – 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 Balti. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cricova makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.