Cost of Living Comparison Between Cahul and Balti Cost of Living Comparison Between Cahul and Balti

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $646 per month in Cahul vs $1,023 in Balti, rent included.

A couple spends around $938 per month in Cahul vs $1,479 in Balti, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,230 per month in Cahul vs $1,936 in Balti, rent included.

Cahul is about 37% cheaper than Balti, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Cahul and Balti are more affordable than the global median – Cahul 53% lower, Balti 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.56 MDL 148

$8.73 MDL 151

-1.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.96 MDL 415

$23.08 MDL 400

3.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MDL 189

$10.88 MDL 189

0.18%

Cappuccino

$1.76 MDL 30.52

$1.74 MDL 30.21

1.15%

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

$1.13 MDL 19.52

$1.10 MDL 18.98

2.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MDL 10.39

$0.67 MDL 11.63

-10.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 MDL 34.30

$1.18 MDL 20.47

67.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 MDL 31.23

$1.42 MDL 24.54

26.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.33

$1.30 MDL 22.54

-0.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 MDL 8.76

$0.48 MDL 8.31

6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 MDL 27.52

$1.57 MDL 27.26

1.27%

Eggs

$2.34 MDL 40.49

$2.27 MDL 39.30

3.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 MDL 123

$6.81 MDL 118

4.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.83 MDL 83.6

$4.70 MDL 81.4

2.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.26 MDL 109

$6.52 MDL 113

-3.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MDL 17.74

$1.05 MDL 18.23

-2.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 MDL 39.22

$2.25 MDL 39.07

0.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 MDL 32.58

$1.88 MDL 32.50

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MDL 41.83

$2.32 MDL 40.19

3.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MDL 12.55

$0.72 MDL 12.51

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 MDL 8.59

$0.53 MDL 9.26

-5.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 MDL 8.23

$0.47 MDL 8.18

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MDL 9.84

$0.54 MDL 9.36

5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.55 MDL 61.6

$3.39 MDL 58.8

4.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.72 MDL 81.7

$4.48 MDL 77.7

5.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 MDL 25.45

$1.42 MDL 24.66

3.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 MDL 35.84

$2.00 MDL 34.71

3.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 MDL 4.82

$0.33 MDL 5.77

-15.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.26 MDL 299

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 MDL 51.2

$2.90 MDL 50.2

1.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.31

$0.27 MDL 4.68

-7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 MDL 102

$5.83 MDL 101

1.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 MDL 25.95

$1.56 MDL 27.03

-3.85%

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

$35.1K MDL 608.1K

$34.9K MDL 605.5K

0.43%

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

$24.8K MDL 429.6K

$25.1K MDL 435.6K

-1.37%

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

$234 MDL 4,048

$232 MDL 4,025

0.57%

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

$7.85 MDL 136

$7.91 MDL 137

-0.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.46 MDL 199

$11.69 MDL 203

-1.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.77 MDL 637

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.64 MDL 271

Cinema Ticket

$7.95 MDL 138

$7.93 MDL 137

0.25%

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

$117 MDL 2,021

$114 MDL 1,973

2.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,445 MDL 94.4K

$5,449 MDL 94.4K

-0.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.87 MDL 812

$46.49 MDL 806

0.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.15 MDL 609

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.9 MDL 987

$57.4 MDL 994

-0.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.8 MDL 897

$51.4 MDL 890

0.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 MDL 6,952

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 MDL 5,007

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$688 MDL 11.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 MDL 9,098

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,451 MDL 25.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,008 MDL 17.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$527 MDL 9,129

$636 MDL 11.0K

-17.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Cahul: September 15, 2026

Last update for Balti: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 21% higher in Balti, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Cahul versus $23.00 in Balti. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $169 vs $166 – making Balti 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

Cahul vs Balti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $646 in Cahul, $1,023 in Balti – roughly 58% apart. Balti costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $969 per month in Cahul and $1,534 in Balti. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Cahul and $23.00 in Balti. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Balti – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $646 in Cahul and $1,023 in Balti, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Cahul – 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 Cahul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Balti makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.