Cost of Living Comparison Between Balti and Soroca Cost of Living Comparison Between Balti and Soroca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $986 per month in Balti vs $680 in Soroca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,259 per month in Balti vs $1,068 in Soroca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,532 per month in Balti vs $1,457 in Soroca, rent included.

Balti costs about 45% more than Soroca, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Balti and Soroca are more affordable than the global median – Balti 26% lower, Soroca 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.29 MDL 144

$8.67 MDL 151

-4.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.13 MDL 629

$36.31 MDL 632

-0.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.67 MDL 133

$7.52 MDL 131

1.99%

Cappuccino

$1.61 MDL 28.01

$1.89 MDL 32.88

-14.81%

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

$0.99 MDL 17.30

$0.92 MDL 16.03

7.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 MDL 12.01

$0.65 MDL 11.32

6.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 30.13

$1.71 MDL 29.81

1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 MDL 38.05

$2.27 MDL 39.57

-3.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 MDL 21.34

$1.29 MDL 22.51

-4.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 MDL 6.85

$0.55 MDL 9.66

-29.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MDL 26.22

$1.50 MDL 26.09

0.67%

Eggs

$1.60 MDL 27.82

$2.63 MDL 45.83

-39.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 MDL 161

$10.20 MDL 178

-9.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.49 MDL 78.2

$5.32 MDL 92.7

-15.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.60 MDL 150

$9.07 MDL 158

-5.18%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 MDL 15.44

$0.86 MDL 14.95

3.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MDL 31.39

$1.84 MDL 32.06

-2.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 MDL 26.86

$1.69 MDL 29.50

-8.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 MDL 36.08

$2.07 MDL 36.03

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 MDL 11.97

$0.76 MDL 13.29

-9.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 MDL 9.68

$0.60 MDL 10.36

-6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 MDL 23.37

$1.36 MDL 23.61

-1.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 MDL 14.78

$0.90 MDL 15.62

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 MDL 57.4

$3.30 MDL 57.5

-0.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.43 MDL 77.2

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MDL 21.32

$1.21 MDL 21.10

0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 MDL 34.30

$1.99 MDL 34.65

-1.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MDL 6.35

$0.28 MDL 4.82

28.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 MDL 35.38

$2.09 MDL 36.34

-2.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.31

$0.27 MDL 4.75

-7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 MDL 89.1

$5.16 MDL 89.8

-0.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 MDL 23.97

$1.44 MDL 25.00

-4.17%

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

$32.2K MDL 559.9K

$31.9K MDL 555.1K

0.86%

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

$31.1K MDL 541.6K

$31.6K MDL 550.8K

-1.66%

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

$175 MDL 3,054

$169 MDL 2,951

3.50%

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

$4.75 MDL 82.7

$7.66 MDL 133

-37.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.62 MDL 185

$10.94 MDL 191

-2.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.57 MDL 706

Cinema Ticket

$4.65 MDL 80.9

$7.62 MDL 133

-38.98%

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

$116 MDL 2,013

$388 MDL 6,758

-70.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,455 MDL 95.0K

$7,634 MDL 132.9K

-28.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.8 MDL 1,129

$66.0 MDL 1,149

-1.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 MDL 933

$53.4 MDL 930

0.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MDL 1,991

$112 MDL 1,958

1.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 MDL 2,159

$125 MDL 2,168

-0.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 MDL 6,994

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 MDL 5,102

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,406 MDL 24.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$997 MDL 17.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 MDL 11.0K

$507 MDL 8,820

24.99%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Soroca: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 25% 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 $36.00 in Balti versus $36.00 in Soroca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $174 vs $182 – 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 Soroca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $986 in Balti, $680 in Soroca – roughly 45% apart. Balti costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,479 per month in Balti and $1,019 in Soroca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Balti and $36.00 in Soroca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Balti – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $986 in Balti and $680 in Soroca, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Soroca – 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 Soroca. 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.