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: $697 in Cahul versus $1,165 in Leova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,101 in Cahul versus $1,989 in Leova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,505 in Cahul versus $2,813 in Leova.

Living in Cahul costs roughly 40% less than in Leova, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cahul 48% lower, Leova 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.63 MDL 148

$10.83 MDL 186

-20.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.47 MDL 627

$35.13 MDL 604

3.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 MDL 129

$9.51 MDL 163

-20.82%

Cappuccino

$1.88 MDL 32.31

$0.85 MDL 14.67

121.18%

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

$0.98 MDL 16.93

$0.54 MDL 9.30

81.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 MDL 11.73

$0.39 MDL 6.72

74.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 MDL 30.60

$2.70 MDL 46.48

-34.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 MDL 39.87

$2.86 MDL 49.19

-18.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.13

$1.76 MDL 30.28

-26.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 8.96

$0.57 MDL 9.78

-8.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MDL 24.88

$1.37 MDL 23.59

5.84%

Eggs

$2.59 MDL 44.56

$1.42 MDL 24.47

82.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.47 MDL 180

$14.71 MDL 253

-28.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 MDL 95.3

$2.32 MDL 39.88

138.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.04 MDL 155

$4.16 MDL 71.5

117.31%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 MDL 15.55

$1.41 MDL 24.21

-36.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MDL 31.30

$0.91 MDL 15.66

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 MDL 29.66

$0.95 MDL 16.37

82.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MDL 36.73

$1.19 MDL 20.39

79.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.20

$1.53 MDL 26.37

-45.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.12

$0.56 MDL 9.60

5.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 MDL 23.25

$0.45 MDL 7.73

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MDL 14.05

$1.08 MDL 18.49

-24.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 MDL 54.1

$4.76 MDL 81.8

-33.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 MDL 81.7

$15.26 MDL 262

-68.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 MDL 21.62

$1.14 MDL 19.65

10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 MDL 34.10

$2.73 MDL 46.90

-27.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MDL 6.76

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.55 MDL 508

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 MDL 35.83

$2.85 MDL 48.99

-27.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.67

$0.52 MDL 8.88

-48.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 MDL 89.5

$3.55 MDL 61.0

46.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 MDL 24.32

$1.43 MDL 24.58

-1.40%

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

$31.7K MDL 544.5K

$35.6K MDL 612.5K

-11.10%

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

$31.3K MDL 538.5K

$36.8K MDL 632.1K

-14.80%

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

$173 MDL 2,969

$193 MDL 3,320

-10.58%

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

$7.41 MDL 127

$5.74 MDL 98.7

29.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.80 MDL 186

$21.59 MDL 371

-49.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.70 MDL 597

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.91 MDL 205

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 MDL 129

$4.70 MDL 80.8

59.36%

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

$384 MDL 6,606

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,544 MDL 129.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.6 MDL 1,128

$86.8 MDL 1,492

-24.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 MDL 937

$58.9 MDL 1,012

-7.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MDL 1,972

$101 MDL 1,732

13.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MDL 2,113

$115 MDL 1,978

6.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 MDL 14.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 MDL 6,234

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 MDL 27.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 MDL 19.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,500 MDL 43.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,015 MDL 34.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$523 MDL 8,999

$668 MDL 11.5K

-21.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

7.19

28.51%

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

Last update for Cahul: June 1, 2026

Last update for Leova: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Leova pays 28% 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 $35.00 in Leova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $187 per month, with Leova 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 67% 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, Leova earns 28% less. 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 $697 per month in Cahul versus $1,165 in Leova – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Leova pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $697 in Cahul versus $1,165 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 67% less than in Leova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.