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: $696 in Cahul versus $1,159 in Leova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,085 in Cahul versus $1,954 in Leova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,474 in Cahul versus $2,749 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

$8.58 MDL 149

$10.80 MDL 188

-20.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.74 MDL 640

$35.04 MDL 610

4.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.66 MDL 133

$9.81 MDL 171

-21.92%

Cappuccino

$1.82 MDL 31.66

$0.92 MDL 15.97

97.83%

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

$0.93 MDL 16.27

$0.54 MDL 9.47

72.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 MDL 11.11

$0.39 MDL 6.83

64.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 30.09

$2.69 MDL 46.90

-35.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 MDL 39.69

$2.83 MDL 49.31

-19.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.29

$1.73 MDL 30.14

-26.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MDL 9.61

$0.56 MDL 9.73

-1.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 26.03

$1.36 MDL 23.72

10.29%

Eggs

$2.51 MDL 43.72

$1.36 MDL 23.66

84.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 MDL 182

$14.58 MDL 254

-28.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 MDL 95.8

$2.39 MDL 41.62

130.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.94 MDL 156

$4.28 MDL 74.5

108.88%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 MDL 15.70

$1.41 MDL 24.54

-36.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MDL 30.27

$0.84 MDL 14.71

107.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 MDL 30.73

$0.95 MDL 16.63

86.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MDL 36.56

$1.20 MDL 20.94

75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 MDL 13.46

$1.59 MDL 27.76

-51.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 MDL 9.53

$0.60 MDL 10.46

-8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MDL 23.65

$0.49 MDL 8.59

177.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MDL 14.66

$1.03 MDL 17.85

-18.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 MDL 57.1

$4.63 MDL 80.6

-29.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.57 MDL 79.6

$15.44 MDL 269

-70.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MDL 21.27

$1.20 MDL 20.82

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 MDL 34.44

$2.73 MDL 47.61

-27.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MDL 6.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.44 MDL 513

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 MDL 35.23

$2.94 MDL 51.2

-31.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.72

$0.52 MDL 9.09

-48.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MDL 92.3

$3.47 MDL 60.5

52.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MDL 24.82

$1.44 MDL 24.99

-0.69%

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

$32.2K MDL 560.4K

$35.5K MDL 618.3K

-9.36%

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

$31.5K MDL 547.8K

$36.5K MDL 634.6K

-13.68%

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

$169 MDL 2,948

$196 MDL 3,407

-13.47%

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

$7.74 MDL 135

$6.00 MDL 105

29.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.68 MDL 186

$21.72 MDL 378

-50.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.36 MDL 616

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.72 MDL 204

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 MDL 132

$4.54 MDL 79.1

66.96%

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

$394 MDL 6,859

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,562 MDL 131.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.3 MDL 1,137

$88.0 MDL 1,531

-25.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 MDL 947

$58.9 MDL 1,025

-7.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MDL 1,992

$99.2 MDL 1,727

15.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MDL 2,106

$119 MDL 2,066

1.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 MDL 15.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 MDL 6,426

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 MDL 27.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,131 MDL 19.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,526 MDL 44.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,999 MDL 34.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$514 MDL 8,942

$670 MDL 11.7K

-23.32%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Leova: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Leova pays 30% 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 $35.00 in Leova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 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, salaries run 30% 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 $696 per month in Cahul versus $1,159 in Leova – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Leova pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $696 in Cahul versus $1,159 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.