Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Balti and Ialoveni

For one person, living is cheaper in Ialoveni: $804 a month against $971 in Balti, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Balti outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

46

Cost of Living Index in Balti
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Balti Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Ialoveni
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Ialoveni Living Index

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Balti

🇲🇩 Moldova

$971

/mo nomad

Ialoveni

🇲🇩 Moldova

$804

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Balti and in Ialoveni

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Balti and in Ialoveni actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $971 per month in Balti vs $804 in Ialoveni, rent included.

Balti $971
Ialoveni $804

A couple spends around $1,407 per month in Balti vs $1,296 in Ialoveni, rent included.

Balti $1,407
Ialoveni $1,296

A family of three spends $1,844 per month in Balti vs $1,789 in Ialoveni, rent included.

Balti $1,844
Ialoveni $1,789

Balti costs about 21% more than Ialoveni, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Balti and Ialoveni are more affordable than the global median – Balti 28% lower, Ialoveni 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.54 MDL 152

$8.46 MDL 151

0.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.05 MDL 392

$29.37 MDL 522

-24.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.49 MDL 186

$10.47 MDL 186

0.19%

Cappuccino

$1.71 MDL 30.35

$2.24 MDL 39.81

-23.66%

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

$1.05 MDL 18.76

$1.25 MDL 22.25

-16.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 MDL 12.15

$0.80 MDL 14.26

-15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 MDL 20.10

$2.17 MDL 38.57

-47.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 MDL 24.06

$2.26 MDL 40.23

-40.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 MDL 21.89

$1.26 MDL 22.46

-2.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 MDL 8.69

$0.69 MDL 12.21

-28.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 MDL 26.97

$0.69 MDL 12.23

120.29%

Eggs

$2.25 MDL 39.97

$2.74 MDL 48.75

-17.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.63 MDL 118

$6.75 MDL 120

-1.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 MDL 81.7

$4.97 MDL 88.4

-7.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.96 MDL 106

$4.72 MDL 83.8

26.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 MDL 18.01

$0.97 MDL 17.31

4.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 MDL 38.59

$1.93 MDL 34.32

12.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 MDL 32.30

$2.04 MDL 36.33

-10.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 MDL 41.40

$2.38 MDL 42.27

-2.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 MDL 12.62

$0.77 MDL 13.67

-7.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 MDL 8.69

$0.53 MDL 9.34

-7.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 MDL 7.50

$1.36 MDL 24.11

-69.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MDL 9.05

$0.83 MDL 14.67

-38.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 MDL 60.3

$3.44 MDL 61.2

-1.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.51 MDL 80.2

$4.94 MDL 87.8

-8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MDL 24.10

$1.28 MDL 22.68

6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 MDL 34.20

$1.94 MDL 34.57

-1.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 MDL 5.64

$0.32 MDL 5.65

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.71 MDL 297

$6.61 MDL 118

152.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 MDL 50.3

$2.26 MDL 40.25

25.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 MDL 4.25

$0.26 MDL 4.63

-7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.52 MDL 98.2

$5.00 MDL 89.0

10.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MDL 27.22

$1.62 MDL 28.75

-5.56%

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

$33.1K MDL 588.2K

$29.1K MDL 516.6K

13.85%

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

$24.4K MDL 434.4K

$24.3K MDL 431.9K

0.57%

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

$223 MDL 3,964

$188 MDL 3,341

18.64%

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

$7.68 MDL 137

$9.34 MDL 166

-17.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.00 MDL 196

$11.10 MDL 197

-0.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.54 MDL 632

$28.30 MDL 503

25.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.99 MDL 267

$11.21 MDL 199

33.72%

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 MDL 130

$7.32 MDL 130

0.27%

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

$111 MDL 1,980

$112 MDL 1,996

-0.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,153 MDL 91.6K

$5,209 MDL 92.6K

-1.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.51 MDL 791

$43.96 MDL 782

1.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.72 MDL 582

$28.03 MDL 498

16.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.6 MDL 971

$84.9 MDL 1,509

-35.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.0 MDL 906

$93.6 MDL 1,664

-45.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 MDL 6,920

$168 MDL 2,982

132.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 MDL 4,955

$111 MDL 1,981

150.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$655 MDL 11.7K

$362 MDL 6,428

81.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 MDL 8,802

$367 MDL 6,532

34.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,407 MDL 25.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$997 MDL 17.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$620 MDL 11.0K

$585 MDL 10.4K

6.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Balti: November 1, 2026

Last update for Ialoveni: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Balti

$279 28.7%

Ialoveni

$111 13.9% 60% $167

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Balti

$242 24.9%

Ialoveni

$208 25.9% 13.8% $33

Groceries & Markets

Balti

$161 16.5%

Ialoveni

$168 20.9% 4.5% $7.2

Eating Out

Balti

$136 14%

Ialoveni

$150 18.6% 10.3% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Balti

$82 8.5%

Ialoveni

$113 14% 37% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Balti

$50 5.2%

Ialoveni

$43 5.3% 14.5% $7.3

Getting Around

Balti

$22 2.3%

Ialoveni

$11 1.4% 48% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $389 in Balti versus $168 in Ialoveni. 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 6% higher in Balti, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22 in Balti versus $29 in Ialoveni. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $161 vs $168 – making Balti the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇩 Balti

🇲🇩 Ialoveni

🕒 Local time

01:49 1:49 AM

Same time as Balti

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

144,800

15,300

💱 Currency

Moldovan Leu MDL L

📈 Exchange rate

100 MDL = 5.62 USD

100 MDL = 5 EUR

100 MDL = 5.62 USD

100 MDL = 5 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Balti Ialoveni 110 km

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ialoveni: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $971 in Balti, $804 in Ialoveni – Ialoveni comes out roughly 17% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,456 per month in Balti and $1,206 in Ialoveni. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ialoveni, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $168 there versus $389 in Balti.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Balti – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $971 in Balti and $804 in Ialoveni. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Balti has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $804 in Ialoveni to $971 in Balti. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Ialoveni. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Balti makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.