Cost of Living Comparison Between Bender and Ungheni Cost of Living Comparison Between Bender and Ungheni

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $705 per month in Bender vs $938 in Ungheni, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,060 per month in Bender vs $1,671 in Ungheni, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,415 per month in Bender vs $2,404 in Ungheni, rent included.

Bender is about 25% cheaper than Ungheni, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Bender and Ungheni are more affordable than the global median – Bender 48% lower, Ungheni 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.85 MDL 153

$7.11 MDL 123

24.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.26 MDL 298

$30.89 MDL 533

-44.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.75 MDL 99.3

$5.99 MDL 103

-4.01%

Cappuccino

$1.08 MDL 18.57

$1.42 MDL 24.53

-23.94%

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

$0.91 MDL 15.69

$0.74 MDL 12.86

22.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MDL 9.07

$0.43 MDL 7.39

23.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 MDL 16.88

$1.43 MDL 24.67

-31.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 MDL 36.25

$1.50 MDL 25.86

40.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 MDL 15.97

$1.29 MDL 22.27

-28.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 MDL 8.68

$0.48 MDL 8.37

4.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MDL 25.07

$0.92 MDL 15.91

57.61%

Eggs

$1.96 MDL 33.88

$2.16 MDL 37.33

-9.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.07 MDL 70.2

$7.52 MDL 130

-45.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.27 MDL 73.7

$3.88 MDL 67.1

10.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.06 MDL 87.4

$6.83 MDL 118

-25.92%

Apples (1kg)

$0.71 MDL 12.31

$0.55 MDL 9.49

29.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MDL 31.76

$1.49 MDL 25.77

23.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 MDL 29.43

$1.67 MDL 28.76

1.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 MDL 28.02

$1.29 MDL 22.31

25.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 MDL 14.19

$0.52 MDL 8.96

57.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 MDL 9.46

$0.33 MDL 5.77

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 MDL 21.65

$1.34 MDL 23.16

-6.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 MDL 12.55

$0.52 MDL 8.92

40.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 MDL 49.22

$3.00 MDL 51.8

-5.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.66 MDL 45.97

$4.28 MDL 73.9

-37.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.16

$1.19 MDL 20.51

-41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 MDL 27.52

$1.31 MDL 22.57

21.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MDL 6.27

$0.34 MDL 5.87

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.01 MDL 69.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 MDL 19.65

$1.73 MDL 29.81

-34.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.29

$0.27 MDL 4.71

-7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 MDL 19.70

$4.58 MDL 79.1

-75.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MDL 24.73

$1.24 MDL 21.42

15.32%

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

$17.4K MDL 300.8K

$31.7K MDL 547.8K

-45.09%

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

$17.9K MDL 309.9K

$30.7K MDL 531.0K

-41.64%

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

$174 MDL 3,011

$162 MDL 2,800

7.53%

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

$7.60 MDL 131

$7.55 MDL 130

0.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.06 MDL 139

$10.98 MDL 190

-26.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.59 MDL 407

$20.84 MDL 360

13.20%

Cinema Ticket

$2.33 MDL 40.16

$3.99 MDL 68.9

-41.60%

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

$388 MDL 6,694

$386 MDL 6,670

0.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,614 MDL 131.5K

$7,669 MDL 132.4K

-0.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.51 MDL 199

$43.52 MDL 752

-73.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.23 MDL 453

$21.98 MDL 380

19.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MDL 1,980

$38.70 MDL 668

196.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MDL 2,090

$107 MDL 1,853

12.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 MDL 3,781

$935 MDL 16.2K

-76.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$96.3 MDL 1,663

$361 MDL 6,236

-73.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 MDL 5,325

$1,496 MDL 25.8K

-79.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 MDL 3,768

$1,244 MDL 21.5K

-82.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,272 MDL 39.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,712 MDL 29.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$325 MDL 5,609

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

15.50%

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

Last update for Bender: June 6, 2026

Last update for Ungheni: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $219 in Bender versus $935 in Ungheni. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Bender versus $31.00 in Ungheni. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $135 vs $148 – 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 Ungheni: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ungheni is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,057 per month in Bender and $1,406 in Ungheni. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Bender and $31.00 in Ungheni. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Ungheni, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bender, where all-in costs run around $705, than in Ungheni at $938. In Bender it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ungheni 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, Ungheni makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.