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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,023 per month in Balti vs $651 in Dubasari, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,479 per month in Balti vs $988 in Dubasari, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,936 per month in Balti vs $1,325 in Dubasari, rent included.

Balti costs about 57% more than Dubasari, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Balti and Dubasari are more affordable than the global median – Balti 25% lower, Dubasari 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.73 MDL 152

$8.40 MDL 146

3.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.08 MDL 402

$30.67 MDL 534

-24.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 MDL 189

$10.59 MDL 184

2.74%

Cappuccino

$1.74 MDL 30.33

$1.81 MDL 31.46

-3.87%

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

$1.10 MDL 19.05

$1.13 MDL 19.74

-2.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 MDL 11.67

$0.67 MDL 11.68

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 MDL 20.56

$2.06 MDL 35.86

-42.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 MDL 24.64

$2.32 MDL 40.35

-38.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 MDL 22.63

$1.24 MDL 21.65

4.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 MDL 8.34

$0.51 MDL 8.95

-5.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MDL 27.37

$1.60 MDL 27.81

-1.88%

Eggs

$2.27 MDL 39.46

$2.29 MDL 39.93

-0.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.81 MDL 118

$6.78 MDL 118

0.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.70 MDL 81.7

$4.71 MDL 82.0

-0.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.52 MDL 113

$6.23 MDL 108

4.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 MDL 18.30

$1.07 MDL 18.63

-1.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 MDL 39.23

$2.32 MDL 40.31

-3.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 MDL 32.63

$1.86 MDL 32.28

1.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 MDL 40.35

$2.41 MDL 41.91

-3.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MDL 12.56

$0.78 MDL 13.62

-7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 MDL 9.30

$0.50 MDL 8.62

6.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 MDL 8.21

$0.47 MDL 8.25

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MDL 9.39

$0.60 MDL 10.43

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 MDL 59.1

$3.40 MDL 59.2

-0.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.48 MDL 78.0

$4.73 MDL 82.3

-5.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 MDL 24.76

$1.43 MDL 24.86

-0.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 MDL 34.85

$2.06 MDL 35.90

-2.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MDL 5.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.26 MDL 300

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 MDL 50.4

$2.84 MDL 49.47

2.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.70

$0.27 MDL 4.73

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 MDL 101

$5.79 MDL 101

0.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 MDL 27.14

$1.52 MDL 26.48

2.63%

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

$34.9K MDL 607.9K

$34.1K MDL 593.8K

2.38%

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

$25.1K MDL 437.4K

$25.4K MDL 441.5K

-0.93%

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

$232 MDL 4,042

$231 MDL 4,019

0.56%

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

$7.91 MDL 138

$8.25 MDL 144

-4.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.69 MDL 203

$11.45 MDL 199

2.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.77 MDL 640

$11.48 MDL 200

220.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.64 MDL 272

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 MDL 138

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

$114 MDL 1,981

$115 MDL 1,993

-0.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,449 MDL 94.8K

$5,283 MDL 91.9K

3.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.49 MDL 809

$45.29 MDL 788

2.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.15 MDL 612

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.4 MDL 998

$58.1 MDL 1,011

-1.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.4 MDL 894

$52.0 MDL 905

-1.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 MDL 6,980

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 MDL 5,027

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$688 MDL 12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 MDL 9,135

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,451 MDL 25.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,008 MDL 17.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$636 MDL 11.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Balti: September 15, 2026

Last update for Dubasari: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Balti versus $31.00 in Dubasari. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $166 vs $168 – 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 Dubasari: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,023 in Balti, $651 in Dubasari – roughly 57% apart. Balti costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,534 per month in Balti and $977 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 $23.00 in Balti and $31.00 in Dubasari. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% 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 $1,023 in Balti and $651 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.