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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $983 per month in Balti vs $699 in Soroca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,240 per month in Balti vs $1,077 in Soroca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,497 per month in Balti vs $1,455 in Soroca, rent included.

Balti costs about 41% more than Soroca, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Balti and Soroca are more affordable than the global median – Balti 27% lower, Soroca 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.08 MDL 139

$8.66 MDL 149

-6.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.20 MDL 639

$36.01 MDL 619

3.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 MDL 134

$7.79 MDL 134

-0.13%

Cappuccino

$1.64 MDL 28.15

$1.79 MDL 30.69

-8.38%

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

$0.91 MDL 15.65

$0.94 MDL 16.09

-3.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 MDL 11.31

$0.69 MDL 11.85

-4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 MDL 30.36

$1.73 MDL 29.68

2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 MDL 39.11

$2.39 MDL 41.02

-4.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.15

$1.25 MDL 21.48

3.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 MDL 7.29

$0.55 MDL 9.51

-23.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MDL 24.68

$1.44 MDL 24.70

Eggs

$1.59 MDL 27.36

$2.64 MDL 45.30

-39.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 MDL 159

$10.24 MDL 176

-9.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.57 MDL 78.6

$5.34 MDL 91.7

-14.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.95 MDL 154

$9.05 MDL 156

-1.10%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 MDL 15.32

$0.90 MDL 15.41

-1.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MDL 30.21

$1.74 MDL 29.93

1.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 MDL 25.26

$1.75 MDL 30.15

-16.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MDL 35.37

$2.08 MDL 35.71

-0.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 MDL 12.09

$0.83 MDL 14.34

-15.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 MDL 10.26

$0.55 MDL 9.48

9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 MDL 23.51

$1.36 MDL 23.45

0.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 MDL 15.14

$0.89 MDL 15.24

-1.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 MDL 55.0

$3.16 MDL 54.3

1.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.69 MDL 80.6

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 20.72

$1.21 MDL 20.89

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 MDL 33.74

$1.93 MDL 33.17

1.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.78

$0.28 MDL 4.79

21.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 MDL 35.95

$1.99 MDL 34.29

5.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.30

$0.25 MDL 4.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 MDL 89.3

$5.32 MDL 91.5

-2.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MDL 22.75

$1.37 MDL 23.51

-3.65%

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

$31.9K MDL 547.7K

$32.5K MDL 559.0K

-2.03%

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

$31.1K MDL 533.8K

$30.7K MDL 527.4K

1.22%

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

$171 MDL 2,932

$175 MDL 3,006

-2.46%

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

$4.77 MDL 81.9

$7.39 MDL 127

-35.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.57 MDL 182

$10.95 MDL 188

-3.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 MDL 712

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 MDL 79.5

$7.62 MDL 131

-39.37%

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

$119 MDL 2,041

$385 MDL 6,622

-69.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,566 MDL 95.7K

$7,749 MDL 133.2K

-28.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 MDL 1,119

$65.7 MDL 1,129

-0.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 MDL 924

$53.4 MDL 918

0.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MDL 1,926

$113 MDL 1,938

-0.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 MDL 2,148

$122 MDL 2,095

2.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 MDL 6,980

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 MDL 5,049

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,471 MDL 25.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,017 MDL 17.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$431 MDL 7,415

$517 MDL 8,885

-16.54%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Soroca: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 20% higher in Soroca, 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 $37.00 in Balti versus $36.00 in Soroca. Groceries tell a different story – $177 in Balti vs $181 in Soroca – 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 Soroca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $983 in Balti, $699 in Soroca – roughly 41% apart. Balti costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,475 per month in Balti and $1,048 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 $37.00 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 2% 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 $983 in Balti and $699 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.