Cost of Living Comparison Between Calarasi and Balti Cost of Living Comparison Between Calarasi and Balti

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $371 per month in Calarasi vs $1,022 in Balti, rent included.

A couple spends around $612 per month in Calarasi vs $1,467 in Balti, rent included.

A family of three spends $852 per month in Calarasi vs $1,911 in Balti, rent included.

Calarasi is about 64% cheaper than Balti, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Calarasi and Balti are more affordable than the global median – Calarasi 73% lower, Balti 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MDL 201

$8.41 MDL 143

40.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.90 MDL 389

$22.95 MDL 390

-0.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 MDL 121

$10.79 MDL 183

-34.11%

Cappuccino

$1.44 MDL 24.40

$1.78 MDL 30.17

-19.10%

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

$0.78 MDL 13.25

$1.15 MDL 19.50

-32.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MDL 7.72

$0.69 MDL 11.67

-34.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 MDL 20.03

$1.15 MDL 19.52

2.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 MDL 25.42

$1.50 MDL 25.45

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 MDL 17.65

$1.32 MDL 22.36

-21.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.34 MDL 5.71

$0.51 MDL 8.73

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 MDL 28.21

Eggs

$2.05 MDL 34.80

$2.28 MDL 38.72

-10.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.01 MDL 119

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.90 MDL 83.2

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.29 MDL 107

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 MDL 17.44

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MDL 34.17

$2.26 MDL 38.39

-11.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MDL 32.29

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 MDL 40.21

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 MDL 11.87

$0.74 MDL 12.50

-5.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 MDL 9.05

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 MDL 7.80

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MDL 9.68

$0.56 MDL 9.59

1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 MDL 56.0

Wine (Bottle)

$4.79 MDL 81.3

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 MDL 24.26

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 MDL 34.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MDL 5.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.25 MDL 293

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 MDL 20.06

$2.89 MDL 48.99

-59.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.73 MDL 97.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 MDL 27.91

$1.58 MDL 26.78

3.80%

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

$35.0K MDL 593.9K

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

$21.4K MDL 363.6K

$24.9K MDL 422.6K

-13.96%

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

$62.1 MDL 1,054

$236 MDL 4,007

-73.70%

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

$6.93 MDL 118

$8.27 MDL 140

-16.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.65 MDL 181

$11.74 MDL 199

-9.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.38 MDL 635

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.74 MDL 267

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 MDL 58.5

$7.68 MDL 130

-55.21%

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

$116 MDL 1,975

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,484 MDL 93.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.28 MDL 599

$47.21 MDL 802

-25.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.08 MDL 596

$34.35 MDL 583

2.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MDL 1,847

$59.3 MDL 1,006

83.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.47 MDL 602

$51.6 MDL 876

-31.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 MDL 6,942

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 MDL 4,847

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 MDL 11.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 MDL 8,840

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,428 MDL 24.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,024 MDL 17.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 MDL 10.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Calarasi: August 18, 2026

Last update for Balti: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Calarasi versus $23.00 in Balti. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $43.00 vs $169 – making Calarasi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Calarasi vs Balti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $371 in Calarasi, $1,022 in Balti – roughly 176% apart. Balti costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $557 per month in Calarasi and $1,534 in Balti. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Calarasi and $23.00 in Balti. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $371 in Calarasi and $1,022 in Balti. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $371 in Calarasi and $1,022 in Balti, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Calarasi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Calarasi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Balti makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.