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: $696 in Cahul versus $1,217 in Chisinau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,085 in Cahul versus $1,808 in Chisinau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,474 in Cahul versus $2,399 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 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.58 MDL 149

$8.89 MDL 155

-3.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.74 MDL 640

$36.83 MDL 641

-0.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.66 MDL 133

$7.38 MDL 129

3.79%

Cappuccino

$1.82 MDL 31.66

$1.89 MDL 32.91

-3.70%

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

$0.93 MDL 16.27

$0.92 MDL 16.08

1.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 MDL 11.11

$0.70 MDL 12.14

-8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 30.09

$1.79 MDL 31.13

-3.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 MDL 39.69

$2.33 MDL 40.48

-2.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.29

$1.28 MDL 22.21

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MDL 9.61

$0.56 MDL 9.79

-1.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 26.03

$1.49 MDL 26.00

0.67%

Eggs

$2.51 MDL 43.72

$2.61 MDL 45.51

-3.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 MDL 182

$10.51 MDL 183

-0.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 MDL 95.8

$5.36 MDL 93.3

2.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.94 MDL 156

$8.89 MDL 155

0.56%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 MDL 15.70

$0.85 MDL 14.79

5.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MDL 30.27

$1.81 MDL 31.57

-3.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 MDL 30.73

$1.77 MDL 30.81

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MDL 36.56

$2.15 MDL 37.42

-2.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 MDL 13.46

$0.78 MDL 13.56

-1.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 MDL 9.53

$0.59 MDL 10.31

-6.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MDL 23.65

$1.34 MDL 23.34

1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MDL 14.66

$0.90 MDL 15.63

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 MDL 57.1

$3.28 MDL 57.0

Wine (Bottle)

$4.57 MDL 79.6

$4.59 MDL 80.0

-0.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MDL 21.27

$1.21 MDL 21.12

0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 MDL 34.44

$1.99 MDL 34.57

-0.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MDL 6.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.82 MDL 241

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 MDL 35.23

$2.10 MDL 36.50

-3.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.72

$0.27 MDL 4.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MDL 92.3

$5.17 MDL 90.0

2.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MDL 24.82

$1.38 MDL 24.06

3.62%

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

$32.2K MDL 560.4K

$31.9K MDL 555.7K

0.86%

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

$31.5K MDL 547.8K

$31.5K MDL 548.8K

-0.17%

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

$169 MDL 2,948

$170 MDL 2,954

-0.18%

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

$7.74 MDL 135

$7.34 MDL 128

5.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.68 MDL 186

$10.78 MDL 188

-0.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.85 MDL 763

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.97 MDL 383

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 MDL 132

$7.45 MDL 130

1.74%

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

$394 MDL 6,859

$391 MDL 6,800

0.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,562 MDL 131.7K

$7,516 MDL 130.9K

0.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.3 MDL 1,137

$67.0 MDL 1,166

-2.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 MDL 947

$54.2 MDL 943

0.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MDL 1,992

$110 MDL 1,923

3.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MDL 2,106

$122 MDL 2,132

-1.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 MDL 11.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MDL 8,146

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MDL 21.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$822 MDL 14.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,599 MDL 45.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,879 MDL 32.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$514 MDL 8,942

$867 MDL 15.1K

-40.76%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Chisinau pays 69% 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: $37.00 in Cahul vs $37.00 in Chisinau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $192 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 75% 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 69% 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 1% higher in Chisinau. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $696 per month in Cahul versus $1,217 in Chisinau – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $696 in Cahul versus $1,217 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 $696 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 75% less than in Chisinau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.