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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $681 per month in Bender vs $680 in Soroca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,052 per month in Bender vs $1,068 in Soroca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,424 per month in Bender vs $1,457 in Soroca, rent included.

Bender and Soroca have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 MDL 149

$8.67 MDL 151

-1.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.87 MDL 311

$36.31 MDL 632

-50.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 MDL 102

$7.52 MDL 131

-21.94%

Cappuccino

$1.11 MDL 19.30

$1.89 MDL 32.88

-41.27%

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

$0.91 MDL 15.78

$0.92 MDL 16.03

-1.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 MDL 9.39

$0.65 MDL 11.32

-16.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 MDL 16.80

$1.71 MDL 29.81

-43.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 MDL 34.88

$2.27 MDL 39.57

-11.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 MDL 15.78

$1.29 MDL 22.51

-29.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 MDL 8.81

$0.55 MDL 9.66

-7.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MDL 26.22

$1.50 MDL 26.09

0.67%

Eggs

$1.89 MDL 32.99

$2.63 MDL 45.83

-28.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.18 MDL 72.8

$10.20 MDL 178

-59.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 MDL 75.2

$5.32 MDL 92.7

-18.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 MDL 90.9

$9.07 MDL 158

-42.45%

Apples (1kg)

$0.76 MDL 13.24

$0.86 MDL 14.95

-11.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MDL 30.61

$1.84 MDL 32.06

-4.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 MDL 29.44

$1.69 MDL 29.50

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 MDL 28.27

$2.07 MDL 36.03

-21.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MDL 13.56

$0.76 MDL 13.29

2.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 MDL 10.17

$0.60 MDL 10.36

-3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 MDL 22.76

$1.36 MDL 23.61

-3.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 MDL 13.81

$0.90 MDL 15.62

-12.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 MDL 50.4

$3.30 MDL 57.5

-12.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.59 MDL 45.13

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 MDL 12.48

$1.21 MDL 21.10

-40.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 MDL 27.19

$1.99 MDL 34.65

-21.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MDL 6.33

$0.28 MDL 4.82

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.17 MDL 72.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 MDL 18.97

$2.09 MDL 36.34

-47.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.34

$0.27 MDL 4.75

-7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MDL 20.14

$5.16 MDL 89.8

-77.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 MDL 23.78

$1.44 MDL 25.00

-4.86%

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

$17.5K MDL 304.2K

$31.9K MDL 555.1K

-45.20%

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

$17.8K MDL 310.2K

$31.6K MDL 550.8K

-43.68%

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

$171 MDL 2,982

$169 MDL 2,951

1.06%

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

$7.73 MDL 135

$7.66 MDL 133

0.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.29 MDL 144

$10.94 MDL 191

-24.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.56 MDL 410

Cinema Ticket

$2.31 MDL 40.17

$7.62 MDL 133

-69.69%

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

$385 MDL 6,712

$388 MDL 6,758

-0.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,689 MDL 133.9K

$7,634 MDL 132.9K

0.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.76 MDL 205

$66.0 MDL 1,149

-82.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.08 MDL 454

$53.4 MDL 930

-51.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MDL 1,945

$112 MDL 1,958

-0.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MDL 2,107

$125 MDL 2,168

-2.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 MDL 3,942

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.2 MDL 1,692

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 MDL 5,337

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 MDL 3,905

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$322 MDL 5,610

$507 MDL 8,820

-36.40%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Soroca: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 57% higher in Soroca. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Bender versus $36.00 in Soroca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $137 vs $182 – 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,021 per month in Bender and $1,019 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.

Kindergarten costs $385 per month in Bender and $388 in Soroca. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $681 in Bender and $680 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.