Cost of Living Comparison Between Cahul and Leova Cost of Living Comparison Between Cahul and Leova

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $653 in Cahul versus $1,429 in Leova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $965 in Cahul versus $2,177 in Leova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,276 in Cahul versus $2,925 in Leova.

Living in Cahul costs roughly 54% less than in Leova, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cahul is 52% below, Leova is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.97 MDL 154

$10.81 MDL 185

-17.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.49 MDL 419

$35.06 MDL 600

-30.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MDL 190

$9.79 MDL 168

13.28%

Cappuccino

$1.80 MDL 30.85

$0.84 MDL 14.33

114.29%

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

$1.14 MDL 19.59

$0.54 MDL 9.30

111.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 MDL 9.74

$0.39 MDL 6.71

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 MDL 34.46

$2.69 MDL 46.04

-25.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 MDL 32.21

$2.84 MDL 48.61

-33.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 MDL 22.49

$1.79 MDL 30.59

-26.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 MDL 8.31

$1.62 MDL 27.66

-69.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MDL 27.61

$1.42 MDL 24.31

13.38%

Eggs

$2.30 MDL 39.33

$1.43 MDL 24.51

60.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.21 MDL 123

$14.32 MDL 245

-49.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 MDL 81.1

$2.30 MDL 39.33

106.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.29 MDL 108

$4.18 MDL 71.6

50.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MDL 18.38

$1.40 MDL 23.91

-23.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 MDL 39.58

$0.84 MDL 14.43

175.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 MDL 32.27

$1.02 MDL 17.53

84.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MDL 42.01

$1.20 MDL 20.55

104.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MDL 13.42

$1.59 MDL 27.30

-50.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 MDL 8.83

$0.55 MDL 9.49

-5.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 MDL 7.77

$0.46 MDL 7.80

-2.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MDL 9.65

$1.06 MDL 18.23

-47.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 MDL 59.1

$4.69 MDL 80.3

-26.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.72 MDL 80.9

$15.44 MDL 264

-69.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 MDL 24.77

$1.15 MDL 19.73

26.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 MDL 35.46

$2.76 MDL 47.26

-25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MDL 6.76

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.40 MDL 503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 MDL 48.81

$2.88 MDL 49.34

-1.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.62

$0.55 MDL 9.49

-50.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.68 MDL 97.3

$3.54 MDL 60.6

60.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MDL 27.29

$1.44 MDL 24.70

10.42%

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

$35.2K MDL 603.2K

$35.0K MDL 599.1K

0.68%

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

$25.5K MDL 437.3K

$36.9K MDL 631.7K

-30.78%

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

$238 MDL 4,073

$192 MDL 3,290

23.79%

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

$7.97 MDL 137

$5.93 MDL 102

34.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.52 MDL 197

$21.58 MDL 369

-46.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.8 MDL 1,470

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.49 MDL 197

Cinema Ticket

$7.70 MDL 132

$4.61 MDL 79.0

67.03%

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

$115 MDL 1,972

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,551 MDL 95.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.10 MDL 789

$87.2 MDL 1,493

-47.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 MDL 984

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.9 MDL 1,008

$101 MDL 1,731

-41.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.3 MDL 896

$118 MDL 2,025

-55.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 MDL 11.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$558 MDL 9,546

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 MDL 27.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 MDL 19.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,520 MDL 43.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,030 MDL 34.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$526 MDL 9,011

$664 MDL 11.4K

-20.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.19

11.27%

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

Last update for Cahul: August 30, 2026

Last update for Leova: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Leova pays 26% 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 $35.00 in Leova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $197 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 Leova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cahul wins on cost – living expenses run 119% lower than in Leova. 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 26% lower in Leova. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

All in, you'll spend $653 per month in Cahul versus $1,429 in Leova – a 119% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Leova. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $653 in Cahul versus $1,429 in Leova, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cahul but tight or insufficient in Leova. The gap between the two cities makes Cahul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Cahul and Leova 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 119% less than in Leova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.