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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $686 per month in Cahul vs $1,006 in Balti, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,082 per month in Cahul vs $1,265 in Balti, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,478 per month in Cahul vs $1,524 in Balti, rent included.

Cahul is about 32% 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

$8.73 MDL 151

$8.35 MDL 144

4.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.23 MDL 625

$37.00 MDL 638

-2.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 MDL 130

$7.54 MDL 130

-0.13%

Cappuccino

$1.88 MDL 32.44

$1.60 MDL 27.66

17.50%

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

$0.91 MDL 15.70

$0.91 MDL 15.68

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.07

$0.65 MDL 11.18

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 MDL 29.52

$1.73 MDL 29.84

-1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 MDL 39.82

$2.18 MDL 37.57

5.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.17

$1.23 MDL 21.28

4.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 8.99

$0.43 MDL 7.42

20.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 MDL 26.19

$1.51 MDL 26.05

0.66%

Eggs

$2.63 MDL 45.35

$1.58 MDL 27.23

66.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.41 MDL 180

$9.61 MDL 166

8.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.32 MDL 91.8

$4.44 MDL 76.5

19.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.09 MDL 157

$8.75 MDL 151

3.89%

Apples (1kg)

$0.86 MDL 14.76

$0.91 MDL 15.71

-5.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MDL 31.09

$1.82 MDL 31.44

-1.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 MDL 29.79

$1.52 MDL 26.26

13.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MDL 37.18

$2.07 MDL 35.69

4.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MDL 13.11

$0.69 MDL 11.90

10.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.18

$0.60 MDL 10.28

-1.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 MDL 22.75

$1.30 MDL 22.50

1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 MDL 15.02

$0.89 MDL 15.36

-2.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 MDL 57.0

$3.31 MDL 57.2

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 MDL 81.9

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 20.87

$1.26 MDL 21.81

-3.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 MDL 34.41

$1.90 MDL 32.76

4.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MDL 6.34

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 MDL 35.81

$2.01 MDL 34.60

3.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.27

$0.27 MDL 4.69

-7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 MDL 89.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MDL 24.82

$1.36 MDL 23.45

5.88%

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

$32.0K MDL 552.4K

$32.1K MDL 554.4K

-0.37%

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

$31.0K MDL 534.7K

$30.8K MDL 531.3K

0.64%

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

$172 MDL 2,967

$172 MDL 2,973

-0.20%

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

$7.65 MDL 132

$4.60 MDL 79.3

66.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.92 MDL 188

$10.70 MDL 185

2.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.27 MDL 695

Cinema Ticket

$7.66 MDL 132

$4.71 MDL 81.2

62.63%

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

$384 MDL 6,626

$117 MDL 2,026

227.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,684 MDL 132.5K

$5,367 MDL 92.6K

43.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 MDL 1,129

$67.0 MDL 1,155

-2.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.7 MDL 943

$54.1 MDL 934

1.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MDL 1,939

$114 MDL 1,962

-1.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MDL 2,098

$124 MDL 2,143

-2.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 MDL 7,096

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 MDL 5,054

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,458 MDL 25.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,025 MDL 17.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 MDL 9,036

$432 MDL 7,452

21.26%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Balti: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 21% 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 $36.00 in Cahul versus $37.00 in Balti. Groceries tell a different story – $182 in Cahul vs $177 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: $686 in Cahul, $1,006 in Balti – roughly 47% apart. Balti costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,029 per month in Cahul and $1,509 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 3% 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 $686 in Cahul and $1,006 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.