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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $701 per month in Bender vs $943 in Ungheni, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,051 per month in Bender vs $1,712 in Ungheni, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,400 per month in Bender vs $2,481 in Ungheni, rent included.

Bender is about 26% 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

$8.87 MDL 153

$7.42 MDL 128

19.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.61 MDL 304

$31.12 MDL 537

-43.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 MDL 98.2

$5.75 MDL 99.1

-1.04%

Cappuccino

$1.11 MDL 19.23

$1.45 MDL 24.93

-23.45%

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

$0.92 MDL 15.94

$0.72 MDL 12.39

27.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 MDL 9.82

$0.42 MDL 7.26

35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.91 MDL 15.67

$1.36 MDL 23.52

-33.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 MDL 35.80

$1.50 MDL 25.85

38.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 MDL 16.65

$1.28 MDL 22.14

-24.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 MDL 8.10

$0.49 MDL 8.49

-4.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MDL 25.22

$1.00 MDL 17.26

46.00%

Eggs

$1.88 MDL 32.41

$2.19 MDL 37.78

-14.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.12 MDL 71.2

$7.45 MDL 128

-44.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 MDL 74.0

$3.87 MDL 66.7

10.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 MDL 90.1

$6.92 MDL 119

-24.57%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 MDL 11.98

$0.50 MDL 8.69

38.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MDL 31.50

$1.43 MDL 24.66

27.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 MDL 30.23

$1.73 MDL 29.79

1.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 MDL 26.95

$1.35 MDL 23.27

15.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 MDL 14.07

$0.54 MDL 9.38

51.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 MDL 9.61

$0.36 MDL 6.22

55.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MDL 22.45

$1.30 MDL 22.48

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 MDL 12.73

$0.52 MDL 8.94

42.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 MDL 50.6

$3.00 MDL 51.8

-2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.55 MDL 44.01

$4.28 MDL 73.8

-40.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 MDL 13.09

$1.20 MDL 20.73

-36.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MDL 26.28

$1.29 MDL 22.20

17.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.78

$0.33 MDL 5.74

3.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.02 MDL 69.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MDL 18.94

$1.72 MDL 29.67

-36.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.68

$0.25 MDL 4.26

8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 MDL 20.40

$4.43 MDL 76.5

-73.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MDL 24.64

$1.28 MDL 22.11

11.72%

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

$17.9K MDL 308.6K

$32.0K MDL 552.7K

-44.17%

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

$18.0K MDL 310.8K

$30.7K MDL 529.6K

-41.30%

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

$173 MDL 2,981

$166 MDL 2,855

4.41%

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

$7.56 MDL 130

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.98 MDL 138

$10.93 MDL 189

-26.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.64 MDL 408

$20.22 MDL 349

16.91%

Cinema Ticket

$2.35 MDL 40.58

$4.17 MDL 72.0

-43.65%

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

$394 MDL 6,795

$396 MDL 6,829

-0.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,528 MDL 129.9K

$7,727 MDL 133.3K

-2.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.54 MDL 199

$43.32 MDL 747

-73.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 MDL 454

$22.33 MDL 385

17.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MDL 1,935

$39.91 MDL 688

181.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MDL 2,118

$106 MDL 1,833

15.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 MDL 3,771

$960 MDL 16.6K

-77.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$93.7 MDL 1,616

$371 MDL 6,405

-74.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$314 MDL 5,422

$1,508 MDL 26.0K

-79.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 MDL 3,870

$1,266 MDL 21.8K

-82.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,371 MDL 40.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,710 MDL 29.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$320 MDL 5,528

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Ungheni: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $219 in Bender versus $960 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 $18.00 in Bender versus $31.00 in Ungheni. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $136 vs $149 – 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 35%, 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 $1,051 per month in Bender and $1,415 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 $18.00 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 $701, than in Ungheni at $943. 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.