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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $687 per month in Cahul vs $995 in Balti, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,083 per month in Cahul vs $1,243 in Balti, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,480 per month in Cahul vs $1,490 in Balti, rent included.

Cahul is about 31% cheaper than Balti, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Cahul and Balti are more affordable than the global median – Cahul 49% lower, Balti 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.83 MDL 152

$8.35 MDL 144

5.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.13 MDL 641

$36.34 MDL 628

2.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.49 MDL 129

$7.48 MDL 129

0.13%

Cappuccino

$1.80 MDL 31.11

$1.64 MDL 28.27

9.76%

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

$0.96 MDL 16.65

$0.91 MDL 15.77

5.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 MDL 11.98

$0.69 MDL 11.96

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 29.88

$1.80 MDL 31.05

-3.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 MDL 39.89

$2.21 MDL 38.16

4.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 MDL 21.96

$1.24 MDL 21.50

2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.63

$0.39 MDL 6.75

43.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MDL 25.75

$1.50 MDL 25.96

-0.67%

Eggs

$2.49 MDL 42.93

$1.56 MDL 27.02

59.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 MDL 178

$9.11 MDL 157

12.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 MDL 92.2

$4.64 MDL 80.1

15.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.69 MDL 150

$8.74 MDL 151

-0.57%

Apples (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.29

$0.89 MDL 15.42

-6.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MDL 31.09

$1.83 MDL 31.57

-1.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 MDL 30.69

$1.47 MDL 25.37

21.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MDL 35.58

$2.13 MDL 36.85

-3.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 MDL 14.09

$0.70 MDL 12.05

17.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 MDL 10.08

$0.60 MDL 10.29

-3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MDL 23.47

$1.29 MDL 22.34

5.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MDL 14.55

$0.84 MDL 14.58

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 MDL 56.8

$3.24 MDL 55.9

1.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.51 MDL 77.9

$4.71 MDL 81.4

-4.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MDL 21.11

$1.22 MDL 21.13

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 MDL 33.35

$1.92 MDL 33.22

0.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MDL 5.77

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 MDL 34.72

$2.02 MDL 34.97

-0.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.70

$0.27 MDL 4.69

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MDL 91.5

$5.29 MDL 91.3

0.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 MDL 24.40

$1.36 MDL 23.47

3.68%

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

$31.6K MDL 546.2K

$31.9K MDL 550.9K

-0.84%

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

$31.2K MDL 538.8K

$30.6K MDL 528.8K

1.88%

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

$169 MDL 2,918

$170 MDL 2,931

-0.42%

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

$7.50 MDL 130

$4.59 MDL 79.2

63.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.66 MDL 184

$10.74 MDL 185

-0.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.88 MDL 706

Cinema Ticket

$7.79 MDL 135

$4.64 MDL 80.1

67.89%

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

$396 MDL 6,833

$118 MDL 2,039

235.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,663 MDL 132.3K

$5,548 MDL 95.8K

38.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.5 MDL 1,148

$65.4 MDL 1,129

1.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 MDL 932

$53.5 MDL 924

0.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MDL 1,972

$111 MDL 1,914

3.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 MDL 2,081

$121 MDL 2,093

-0.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 MDL 6,987

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 MDL 4,978

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,442 MDL 24.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$989 MDL 17.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$518 MDL 8,941

$435 MDL 7,517

18.94%

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 Cahul: June 6, 2026

Last update for Balti: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 19% higher in Cahul, 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 $37.00 in Cahul versus $36.00 in Balti. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $175 – 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: $687 in Cahul, $995 in Balti – roughly 45% apart. Balti costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,030 per month in Cahul and $1,492 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 $37.00 in Cahul and $36.00 in Balti. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Balti – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cahul, where all-in costs run around $687, than in Balti at $995. In Cahul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Balti it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.