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: $653 in Cahul versus $1,340 in Chisinau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $965 in Cahul versus $2,023 in Chisinau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,276 in Cahul versus $2,705 in Chisinau.

Living in Cahul costs roughly 51% less than in Chisinau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cahul 52% lower, Chisinau 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.97 MDL 154

$11.65 MDL 199

-23.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.49 MDL 419

$50.2 MDL 860

-51.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MDL 190

$8.85 MDL 151

25.31%

Cappuccino

$1.80 MDL 30.85

$2.19 MDL 37.47

-17.81%

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

$1.14 MDL 19.59

$1.30 MDL 22.25

-12.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 MDL 9.74

$0.89 MDL 15.31

-35.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 MDL 34.46

$2.31 MDL 39.49

-12.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 MDL 32.21

$2.09 MDL 35.73

-10.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 MDL 22.49

$1.26 MDL 21.53

3.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 MDL 8.31

$0.70 MDL 11.91

-30.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MDL 27.61

$1.45 MDL 24.85

11.03%

Eggs

$2.30 MDL 39.33

$2.83 MDL 48.42

-18.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.21 MDL 123

$10.38 MDL 178

-30.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 MDL 81.1

$5.44 MDL 93.1

-12.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.29 MDL 108

$9.23 MDL 158

-31.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MDL 18.38

$1.04 MDL 17.87

2.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 MDL 39.58

$2.01 MDL 34.43

14.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 MDL 32.27

$2.18 MDL 37.41

-13.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MDL 42.01

$2.35 MDL 40.20

4.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MDL 13.42

$0.68 MDL 11.65

14.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 MDL 8.83

$0.57 MDL 9.76

-8.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 MDL 7.77

$1.49 MDL 25.45

-69.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MDL 9.65

$0.89 MDL 15.18

-37.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 MDL 59.1

$3.40 MDL 58.3

1.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.72 MDL 80.9

$4.71 MDL 80.6

0.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 MDL 24.77

$1.32 MDL 22.55

9.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 MDL 35.46

$1.96 MDL 33.51

5.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 MDL 7.23

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.75 MDL 235

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 MDL 48.81

$2.32 MDL 39.70

22.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.62

$0.34 MDL 5.77

-20.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.68 MDL 97.3

$5.35 MDL 91.6

6.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MDL 27.29

$1.64 MDL 28.14

-3.05%

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

$35.2K MDL 603.2K

$30.5K MDL 522.2K

15.51%

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

$25.5K MDL 437.3K

$31.2K MDL 534.8K

-18.23%

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

$238 MDL 4,073

$256 MDL 4,386

-7.14%

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

$7.97 MDL 137

$9.82 MDL 168

-18.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.52 MDL 197

$11.05 MDL 189

4.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.19 MDL 757

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.05 MDL 360

Cinema Ticket

$7.70 MDL 132

$8.72 MDL 149

-11.70%

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

$115 MDL 1,972

$437 MDL 7,477

-73.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,551 MDL 95.0K

$6,037 MDL 103.3K

-8.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.10 MDL 789

$81.1 MDL 1,389

-43.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.11 MDL 841

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.9 MDL 1,008

$123 MDL 2,103

-52.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.3 MDL 896

$117 MDL 1,997

-55.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 MDL 12.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 MDL 7,591

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 MDL 22.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 MDL 14.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,775 MDL 47.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,007 MDL 34.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$526 MDL 9,011

$919 MDL 15.7K

-42.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.41

-14.98%

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

Last update for Cahul: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Chisinau pays 75% 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: $24.00 in Cahul vs $50.0 in Chisinau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $200 per month, with Cahul cheaper across the board.

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 105% 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, salaries run 75% lower in Chisinau. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Chisinau. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $653 per month in Cahul versus $1,340 in Chisinau – a 105% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $653 in Cahul versus $1,340 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 $653 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 105% less than in Chisinau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.