Cost of Living Comparison Between Bender and Soroca Cost of Living Comparison Between Bender and Soroca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $706 per month in Bender vs $699 in Soroca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,064 per month in Bender vs $1,077 in Soroca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,423 per month in Bender vs $1,455 in Soroca, rent included.

Bender costs about 1% more than Soroca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bender and Soroca are more affordable than the global median – Bender 47% lower, Soroca 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.03 MDL 155

$8.66 MDL 149

4.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.80 MDL 306

$36.01 MDL 618

-50.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.70 MDL 97.8

$7.79 MDL 134

-26.83%

Cappuccino

$1.07 MDL 18.43

$1.79 MDL 30.65

-40.22%

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

$0.99 MDL 17.04

$0.94 MDL 16.07

5.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 MDL 9.83

$0.69 MDL 11.84

-17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 MDL 16.54

$1.73 MDL 29.65

-44.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 MDL 35.68

$2.39 MDL 40.97

-12.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 MDL 16.44

$1.25 MDL 21.46

-23.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 MDL 8.04

$0.55 MDL 9.50

-14.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MDL 25.90

$1.44 MDL 24.67

4.86%

Eggs

$1.96 MDL 33.64

$2.64 MDL 45.24

-25.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.08 MDL 70.1

$10.24 MDL 176

-60.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.09 MDL 70.2

$5.34 MDL 91.6

-23.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.04 MDL 86.5

$9.05 MDL 155

-44.31%

Apples (1kg)

$0.71 MDL 12.20

$0.90 MDL 15.39

-21.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MDL 31.30

$1.74 MDL 29.90

4.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 MDL 29.03

$1.75 MDL 30.12

-3.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 MDL 26.76

$2.08 MDL 35.66

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 MDL 13.24

$0.83 MDL 14.32

-7.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 MDL 9.49

$0.55 MDL 9.47

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 MDL 22.45

$1.36 MDL 23.42

-3.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 MDL 13.68

$0.89 MDL 15.22

-10.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 MDL 51.0

$3.16 MDL 54.3

-6.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.55 MDL 43.71

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 MDL 12.25

$1.21 MDL 20.86

-41.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 MDL 27.10

$1.93 MDL 33.13

-18.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.77

$0.28 MDL 4.78

21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.08 MDL 70.0

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 MDL 19.63

$1.99 MDL 34.25

-42.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.66

$0.25 MDL 4.29

8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MDL 19.88

$5.32 MDL 91.4

-78.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MDL 23.39

$1.37 MDL 23.48

-0.73%

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

$17.9K MDL 307.2K

$32.5K MDL 558.4K

-44.99%

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

$18.0K MDL 308.6K

$30.7K MDL 526.8K

-41.42%

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

$175 MDL 3,002

$175 MDL 3,003

-0.03%

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

$7.32 MDL 126

$7.39 MDL 127

-0.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.05 MDL 138

$10.95 MDL 188

-26.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.18 MDL 398

Cinema Ticket

$2.40 MDL 41.15

$7.62 MDL 131

-68.50%

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

$392 MDL 6,725

$385 MDL 6,615

1.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,487 MDL 128.6K

$7,749 MDL 133.1K

-3.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.51 MDL 198

$65.7 MDL 1,128

-82.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.05 MDL 447

$53.4 MDL 917

-51.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MDL 1,922

$113 MDL 1,935

-0.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 MDL 2,065

$122 MDL 2,093

-1.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 MDL 3,758

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.2 MDL 1,635

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$316 MDL 5,417

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 MDL 3,876

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$329 MDL 5,650

$517 MDL 8,875

-36.33%

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 Soroca: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 57% 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 $18.00 in Bender versus $36.00 in Soroca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $135 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 Soroca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bender is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,048 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 $18.00 in Bender 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 34% cheaper in Bender – 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 $706 in Bender 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, Bender makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.