Cost of Living Comparison Between Bender and Orhei Cost of Living Comparison Between Bender and Orhei

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $701 per month in Bender vs $677 in Orhei, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,051 per month in Bender vs $1,063 in Orhei, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,400 per month in Bender vs $1,449 in Orhei, rent included.

Bender costs about 3% more than Orhei, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bender and Orhei are more affordable than the global median – Bender 48% lower, Orhei 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.87 MDL 153

$8.65 MDL 149

2.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.61 MDL 304

$36.24 MDL 625

-51.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 MDL 98.2

$7.43 MDL 128

-23.42%

Cappuccino

$1.11 MDL 19.23

$1.87 MDL 32.34

-40.64%

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

$0.92 MDL 15.94

$0.93 MDL 16.08

-1.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 MDL 9.82

$0.65 MDL 11.15

-12.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.91 MDL 15.67

$1.73 MDL 29.92

-47.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 MDL 35.80

$2.40 MDL 41.33

-13.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 MDL 16.65

$1.29 MDL 22.26

-24.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 MDL 8.10

$0.52 MDL 9.03

-9.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MDL 25.22

$1.46 MDL 25.18

Eggs

$1.88 MDL 32.41

$2.59 MDL 44.71

-27.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.12 MDL 71.2

$10.56 MDL 182

-60.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 MDL 74.0

$5.49 MDL 94.6

-21.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 MDL 90.1

$8.73 MDL 151

-40.21%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 MDL 11.98

$0.90 MDL 15.61

-23.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MDL 31.50

$1.84 MDL 31.76

-0.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 MDL 30.23

$1.72 MDL 29.68

1.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 MDL 26.95

$2.06 MDL 35.61

-24.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 MDL 14.07

$0.84 MDL 14.45

-2.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 MDL 9.61

$0.56 MDL 9.65

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MDL 22.45

$1.31 MDL 22.60

-0.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 MDL 12.73

$0.83 MDL 14.34

-10.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 MDL 50.6

$3.20 MDL 55.2

-8.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.55 MDL 44.01

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 MDL 13.09

$1.20 MDL 20.78

-36.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MDL 26.28

$1.99 MDL 34.31

-23.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.78

$0.18 MDL 3.05

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.02 MDL 69.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MDL 18.94

$2.01 MDL 34.70

-45.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.68

$0.25 MDL 4.28

8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 MDL 20.40

$5.28 MDL 91.0

-77.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MDL 24.64

$1.42 MDL 24.43

0.70%

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

$17.9K MDL 308.6K

$32.5K MDL 560.0K

-44.89%

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

$18.0K MDL 310.8K

$31.4K MDL 542.4K

-42.70%

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

$173 MDL 2,981

$173 MDL 2,979

0.08%

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

$7.56 MDL 130

$7.41 MDL 128

2.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.98 MDL 138

$10.68 MDL 184

-25.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.64 MDL 408

Cinema Ticket

$2.35 MDL 40.58

$7.43 MDL 128

-68.37%

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

$394 MDL 6,795

$389 MDL 6,706

1.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,528 MDL 129.9K

$7,585 MDL 130.8K

-0.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.54 MDL 199

$66.9 MDL 1,154

-82.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 MDL 454

$53.1 MDL 916

-50.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MDL 1,935

$114 MDL 1,966

-1.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MDL 2,118

$121 MDL 2,089

1.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 MDL 3,771

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$93.7 MDL 1,616

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$314 MDL 5,422

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 MDL 3,870

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$320 MDL 5,528

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Orhei: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Bender versus $36.00 in Orhei. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $136 vs $181 – 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 Orhei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bender is pricier by about 3%, 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 $1,051 per month in Bender and $1,016 in Orhei. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Bender and $36.00 in Orhei. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 33% cheaper in Bender – 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 $701 in Bender and $677 in Orhei, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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