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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $685 per month in Cahul vs $998 in Balti, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,084 per month in Cahul vs $1,261 in Balti, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,482 per month in Cahul vs $1,523 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 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.86 MDL 154

$8.23 MDL 143

7.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.06 MDL 627

$36.65 MDL 637

-1.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 MDL 134

Cappuccino

$1.87 MDL 32.46

$1.58 MDL 27.44

18.35%

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

$0.98 MDL 16.95

$0.91 MDL 15.81

7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 MDL 11.34

$0.65 MDL 11.38

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 30.10

$1.76 MDL 30.65

-1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 MDL 40.42

$2.24 MDL 38.97

4.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 MDL 21.52

$1.28 MDL 22.23

-3.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 9.03

$0.42 MDL 7.32

23.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MDL 25.51

$1.47 MDL 25.47

Eggs

$2.59 MDL 44.96

$1.56 MDL 27.15

66.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 MDL 182

$9.23 MDL 160

13.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 MDL 96.1

$4.55 MDL 79.0

21.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.67 MDL 151

$8.88 MDL 154

-2.36%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.57

$0.90 MDL 15.69

-6.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MDL 31.70

$1.75 MDL 30.48

4.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 MDL 29.71

$1.49 MDL 25.96

14.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MDL 37.49

$2.07 MDL 36.00

4.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 MDL 14.33

$0.75 MDL 13.07

9.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.31

$0.59 MDL 10.29

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 MDL 22.50

$1.29 MDL 22.45

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MDL 14.67

$0.90 MDL 15.64

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 MDL 57.4

$3.24 MDL 56.4

1.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.57 MDL 79.4

$4.45 MDL 77.4

2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MDL 22.07

$1.20 MDL 20.91

5.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 MDL 34.77

$2.00 MDL 34.69

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MDL 6.33

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 MDL 35.00

$2.02 MDL 35.19

-0.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.34

$0.25 MDL 4.33

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 MDL 92.2

$5.15 MDL 89.5

3.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MDL 25.02

$1.32 MDL 23.01

9.09%

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

$32.5K MDL 565.0K

$32.6K MDL 567.2K

-0.39%

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

$31.6K MDL 549.3K

$31.4K MDL 545.8K

0.64%

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

$174 MDL 3,027

$176 MDL 3,051

-0.80%

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

$7.66 MDL 133

$4.76 MDL 82.8

60.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.73 MDL 186

$10.59 MDL 184

1.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 MDL 718

Cinema Ticket

$7.79 MDL 135

$4.78 MDL 83.1

62.97%

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

$395 MDL 6,868

$119 MDL 2,070

231.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,490 MDL 130.2K

$5,474 MDL 95.1K

36.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.6 MDL 1,158

$65.9 MDL 1,145

1.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MDL 940

$53.4 MDL 928

1.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MDL 1,939

$114 MDL 1,981

-2.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MDL 2,146

$121 MDL 2,094

2.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 MDL 7,036

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 MDL 5,164

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,431 MDL 24.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$992 MDL 17.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 MDL 8,819

$618 MDL 10.7K

-17.92%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Balti: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 22% 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 $36.00 in Cahul versus $37.00 in Balti. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Cahul vs $176 in Balti – so Balti wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $685 in Cahul, $998 in Balti – roughly 46% apart. Balti costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,028 per month in Cahul and $1,497 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 $36.00 in Cahul and $37.00 in Balti. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% 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 $685 in Cahul and $998 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.