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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $693 per month in Bender vs $372 in Orhei, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,000 per month in Bender vs $614 in Orhei, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,307 per month in Bender vs $856 in Orhei, rent included.

Bender costs about 86% more than Orhei, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bender and Orhei are more affordable than the global median – Bender 49% lower, Orhei 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.72 MDL 114

$11.79 MDL 200

-43.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.08 MDL 324

$23.52 MDL 399

-18.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.72 MDL 97.1

$7.34 MDL 125

-22.07%

Cappuccino

$1.22 MDL 20.68

$1.42 MDL 24.06

-14.08%

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

$1.03 MDL 17.57

$0.84 MDL 14.24

22.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 MDL 9.08

$0.48 MDL 8.20

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 MDL 16.51

$1.14 MDL 19.37

-14.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 MDL 30.31

$1.43 MDL 24.31

24.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 MDL 16.36

$1.03 MDL 17.50

-6.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 MDL 8.73

$0.33 MDL 5.65

54.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MDL 24.13

Eggs

$2.00 MDL 33.94

$1.97 MDL 33.45

1.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.05 MDL 68.7

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.41 MDL 74.9

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.54 MDL 94.1

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 MDL 15.34

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 MDL 33.01

$2.10 MDL 35.67

-7.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MDL 33.02

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 MDL 32.55

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 MDL 11.42

$0.65 MDL 11.02

3.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 MDL 9.32

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 MDL 10.06

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 MDL 13.38

$0.56 MDL 9.59

41.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 MDL 50.5

Wine (Bottle)

$2.55 MDL 43.23

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MDL 10.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 MDL 31.83

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MDL 6.18

$0.18 MDL 3.08

100.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 MDL 40.63

$1.13 MDL 19.11

111.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MDL 4.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.29 MDL 89.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 MDL 24.19

$1.61 MDL 27.27

-11.80%

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

$30.1K MDL 511.0K

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

$30.8K MDL 523.4K

$21.4K MDL 364.2K

43.73%

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

$252 MDL 4,274

$62.1 MDL 1,054

305.48%

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

$9.69 MDL 164

$7.14 MDL 121

35.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.51 MDL 179

$10.65 MDL 181

-1.31%

Cinema Ticket

$9.00 MDL 153

$3.40 MDL 57.8

164.71%

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

$442 MDL 7,500

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,966 MDL 101.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.7 MDL 1,337

$34.38 MDL 584

129.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.33 MDL 838

$34.82 MDL 591

41.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 MDL 2,065

$112 MDL 1,908

8.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MDL 1,954

$34.56 MDL 587

233.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 MDL 5,195

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$327 MDL 5,547

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.3

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

Last update for Bender: August 16, 2026

Last update for Orhei: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Bender versus $24.00 in Orhei. Groceries tell a different story – $140 in Bender vs $43.00 in Orhei – so Orhei 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

Bender vs Orhei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bender is pricier by about 86%, 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 $1,039 per month in Bender and $557 in Orhei. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 226% more in Bender, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Bender and $24.00 in Orhei. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $693 in Bender and $372 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.