Cost of Living Comparison Between Bender and Chisinau Cost of Living Comparison Between Bender and Chisinau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $706 per month in Bender vs $1,231 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,064 per month in Bender vs $1,813 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,423 per month in Bender vs $2,394 in Chisinau, rent included.

Bender is about 43% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bender and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Bender 47% lower, Chisinau 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.03 MDL 155

$8.53 MDL 147

5.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.80 MDL 306

$37.11 MDL 638

-52.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.70 MDL 97.9

$7.53 MDL 130

-24.30%

Cappuccino

$1.07 MDL 18.45

$1.87 MDL 32.22

-42.78%

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

$0.99 MDL 17.06

$0.99 MDL 17.03

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 MDL 9.84

$0.70 MDL 12.01

-18.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 MDL 16.56

$1.74 MDL 29.89

-44.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 MDL 35.73

$2.29 MDL 39.41

-9.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 MDL 16.46

$1.29 MDL 22.16

-25.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 MDL 8.05

$0.52 MDL 8.98

-9.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MDL 25.93

$1.46 MDL 25.03

3.42%

Eggs

$1.96 MDL 33.68

$2.62 MDL 44.99

-25.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.08 MDL 70.1

$10.22 MDL 176

-60.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.09 MDL 70.3

$5.35 MDL 92.0

-23.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.04 MDL 86.6

$8.69 MDL 149

-42.00%

Apples (1kg)

$0.71 MDL 12.22

$0.84 MDL 14.40

-15.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MDL 31.34

$1.82 MDL 31.29

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 MDL 29.07

$1.78 MDL 30.52

-5.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 MDL 26.80

$2.17 MDL 37.27

-28.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 MDL 13.26

$0.81 MDL 13.93

-4.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 MDL 9.50

$0.54 MDL 9.31

1.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 MDL 22.47

$1.30 MDL 22.40

0.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 MDL 13.69

$0.90 MDL 15.47

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 MDL 51.1

$3.28 MDL 56.4

-9.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.55 MDL 43.76

$4.73 MDL 81.4

-46.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 MDL 12.26

$1.21 MDL 20.84

-41.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 MDL 27.13

$1.91 MDL 32.83

-17.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.78

$0.33 MDL 5.75

3.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.08 MDL 70.1

$13.47 MDL 232

-69.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 MDL 19.65

$2.07 MDL 35.61

-44.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.67

$0.25 MDL 4.29

8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MDL 19.90

$5.33 MDL 91.7

-78.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MDL 23.42

$1.44 MDL 24.76

-5.56%

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

$17.9K MDL 307.5K

$32.7K MDL 561.9K

-45.27%

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

$18.0K MDL 308.9K

$31.5K MDL 540.7K

-42.87%

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

$175 MDL 3,005

$174 MDL 2,991

0.47%

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

$7.32 MDL 126

$7.38 MDL 127

-0.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.05 MDL 138

$10.98 MDL 189

-26.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.18 MDL 398

$43.14 MDL 742

-46.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.18 MDL 381

Cinema Ticket

$2.40 MDL 41.19

$7.63 MDL 131

-68.55%

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

$392 MDL 6,733

$388 MDL 6,663

1.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,487 MDL 128.7K

$7,708 MDL 132.5K

-2.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.51 MDL 198

$65.4 MDL 1,123

-82.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.05 MDL 448

$54.3 MDL 934

-52.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MDL 1,925

$111 MDL 1,911

0.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 MDL 2,068

$120 MDL 2,071

-0.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 MDL 3,763

$668 MDL 11.5K

-67.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.2 MDL 1,637

$468 MDL 8,048

-79.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$316 MDL 5,424

$1,243 MDL 21.4K

-74.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 MDL 3,881

$798 MDL 13.7K

-71.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,649 MDL 45.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,901 MDL 32.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$329 MDL 5,657

$864 MDL 14.9K

-61.92%

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 Bender: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $219 in Bender versus $668 in Chisinau. 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 163% higher in Chisinau, 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 $18.00 in Bender versus $37.00 in Chisinau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $135 vs $190 – making Bender 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

Bender vs Chisinau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 74%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,059 per month in Bender and $1,846 in Chisinau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bender, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 230% less in Bender. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $392 per month in Bender and $388 in Chisinau. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bender, where all-in costs run around $706, than in Chisinau at $1,231. In Bender it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bender – 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 Bender. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chisinau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.