Cost of Living Comparison Between Cahul and Chisinau Cost of Living Comparison Between Cahul and Chisinau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $697 in Cahul versus $1,231 in Chisinau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,101 in Cahul versus $1,813 in Chisinau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,505 in Cahul versus $2,394 in Chisinau.

Living in Cahul costs roughly 43% less than in Chisinau, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cahul 48% lower, Chisinau 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.63 MDL 148

$8.53 MDL 147

1.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.47 MDL 627

$37.11 MDL 638

-1.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 MDL 129

$7.53 MDL 130

Cappuccino

$1.88 MDL 32.31

$1.87 MDL 32.22

0.53%

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

$0.98 MDL 16.93

$0.99 MDL 17.03

-1.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 MDL 11.73

$0.70 MDL 12.01

-2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 MDL 30.60

$1.74 MDL 29.89

2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 MDL 39.87

$2.29 MDL 39.41

1.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.13

$1.29 MDL 22.16

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 8.96

$0.52 MDL 8.98

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MDL 24.88

$1.46 MDL 25.03

-0.68%

Eggs

$2.59 MDL 44.56

$2.62 MDL 44.99

-1.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.47 MDL 180

$10.22 MDL 176

2.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 MDL 95.3

$5.35 MDL 92.0

3.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.04 MDL 155

$8.69 MDL 149

4.03%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 MDL 15.55

$0.84 MDL 14.40

7.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MDL 31.30

$1.82 MDL 31.29

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 MDL 29.66

$1.78 MDL 30.52

-2.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MDL 36.73

$2.17 MDL 37.27

-1.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.20

$0.81 MDL 13.93

2.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.12

$0.54 MDL 9.31

9.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 MDL 23.25

$1.30 MDL 22.40

3.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MDL 14.05

$0.90 MDL 15.47

-8.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 MDL 54.1

$3.28 MDL 56.4

-3.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 MDL 81.7

$4.73 MDL 81.4

0.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 MDL 21.62

$1.21 MDL 20.84

4.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 MDL 34.10

$1.91 MDL 32.83

3.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MDL 5.75

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.47 MDL 232

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 MDL 35.83

$2.07 MDL 35.61

0.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.67

$0.25 MDL 4.29

8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 MDL 89.5

$5.33 MDL 91.7

-2.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 MDL 24.32

$1.44 MDL 24.76

-2.08%

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

$31.7K MDL 544.5K

$32.7K MDL 561.9K

-3.09%

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

$31.3K MDL 538.5K

$31.5K MDL 540.7K

-0.41%

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

$173 MDL 2,969

$174 MDL 2,991

-0.75%

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

$7.41 MDL 127

$7.38 MDL 127

0.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.80 MDL 186

$10.98 MDL 189

-1.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.14 MDL 742

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.18 MDL 381

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 MDL 129

$7.63 MDL 131

-1.83%

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

$384 MDL 6,606

$388 MDL 6,663

-0.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,544 MDL 129.7K

$7,708 MDL 132.5K

-2.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.6 MDL 1,128

$65.4 MDL 1,123

0.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 MDL 937

$54.3 MDL 934

0.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MDL 1,972

$111 MDL 1,911

3.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MDL 2,113

$120 MDL 2,071

2.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$668 MDL 11.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MDL 8,048

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MDL 21.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$798 MDL 13.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,649 MDL 45.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,901 MDL 32.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$523 MDL 8,999

$864 MDL 14.9K

-39.43%

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 1, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Chisinau pays 65% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Cahul vs $37.00 in Chisinau. Groceries flip the comparison at $192 vs $190, with Chisinau cheaper for home cooking.

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 Chisinau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cahul wins on cost – living expenses run 77% lower than in Chisinau. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cahul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Chisinau earns 65% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Shoppers in Chisinau pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $697 per month in Cahul versus $1,231 in Chisinau – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $697 in Cahul versus $1,231 in Chisinau, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cahul but tight or insufficient in Chisinau. The gap between the two cities makes Cahul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cahul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $697 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cahul hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cahul and Chisinau are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cahul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Chisinau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.