Cost of Living Comparison Between Balti and Dubasari Cost of Living Comparison Between Balti and Dubasari

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,006 per month in Balti vs $672 in Dubasari, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,265 per month in Balti vs $1,068 in Dubasari, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,524 per month in Balti vs $1,464 in Dubasari, rent included.

Balti costs about 50% more than Dubasari, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Balti and Dubasari are more affordable than the global median – Balti 25% lower, Dubasari 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.35 MDL 144

$9.02 MDL 156

-7.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.00 MDL 638

$36.35 MDL 627

1.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 MDL 130

$7.44 MDL 128

1.34%

Cappuccino

$1.60 MDL 27.66

$1.80 MDL 31.06

-11.11%

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

$0.91 MDL 15.68

$0.92 MDL 15.84

-1.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 MDL 11.18

$0.66 MDL 11.31

-1.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 29.84

$1.77 MDL 30.54

-2.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 MDL 37.57

$2.29 MDL 39.57

-4.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 MDL 21.28

$1.29 MDL 22.19

-4.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.43 MDL 7.42

$0.51 MDL 8.85

-15.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MDL 26.05

$1.50 MDL 25.81

0.67%

Eggs

$1.58 MDL 27.23

$2.49 MDL 42.88

-36.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 MDL 166

$10.21 MDL 176

-5.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.44 MDL 76.5

$5.48 MDL 94.6

-18.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.75 MDL 151

$8.82 MDL 152

-0.79%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 MDL 15.71

$0.85 MDL 14.68

7.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MDL 31.44

$1.82 MDL 31.33

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 MDL 26.26

$1.73 MDL 29.83

-12.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 MDL 35.69

$2.06 MDL 35.51

0.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 MDL 11.90

$0.83 MDL 14.25

-16.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 MDL 10.28

$0.60 MDL 10.32

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MDL 22.50

$1.31 MDL 22.68

-0.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 MDL 15.36

$0.89 MDL 15.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 MDL 57.2

$3.14 MDL 54.2

5.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 MDL 81.9

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 MDL 21.81

$1.27 MDL 21.94

-0.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 MDL 32.76

$1.94 MDL 33.41

-2.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MDL 6.34

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 MDL 34.60

$2.09 MDL 36.13

-3.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.69

$0.25 MDL 4.27

8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 MDL 89.7

$5.32 MDL 91.8

-2.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MDL 23.45

$1.36 MDL 23.54

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

$32.1K MDL 554.4K

$32.2K MDL 555.1K

-0.13%

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

$30.8K MDL 531.3K

$30.6K MDL 527.6K

0.69%

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

$172 MDL 2,973

$174 MDL 2,993

-0.68%

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

$4.60 MDL 79.3

$7.63 MDL 132

-39.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.70 MDL 185

$10.76 MDL 186

-0.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.27 MDL 695

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 MDL 81.2

$7.58 MDL 131

-37.86%

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

$117 MDL 2,026

$389 MDL 6,708

-69.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,367 MDL 92.6K

$7,473 MDL 128.9K

-28.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 MDL 1,155

$66.1 MDL 1,141

1.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MDL 934

$54.5 MDL 939

-0.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MDL 1,962

$113 MDL 1,955

0.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 MDL 2,143

$122 MDL 2,110

1.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 MDL 7,096

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 MDL 5,054

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,458 MDL 25.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,025 MDL 17.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$432 MDL 7,452

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Dubasari: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Balti versus $36.00 in Dubasari. Groceries tell a different story – $177 in Balti vs $181 in Dubasari – 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 Dubasari: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,006 in Balti, $672 in Dubasari – roughly 50% apart. Balti costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,509 per month in Balti and $1,008 in Dubasari. 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 Dubasari. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Balti – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,006 in Balti and $672 in Dubasari, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Dubasari – 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 Dubasari. 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.