Cost of Living Comparison Between Calarasi and Chisinau Cost of Living Comparison Between Calarasi and Chisinau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $687 per month in Calarasi vs $1,200 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,079 per month in Calarasi vs $1,843 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,470 per month in Calarasi vs $2,485 in Chisinau, rent included.

Calarasi is about 43% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Calarasi and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Calarasi 49% lower, Chisinau 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.69 MDL 150

$8.87 MDL 153

-2.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.05 MDL 623

$37.12 MDL 641

-2.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 MDL 130

$7.54 MDL 130

-0.13%

Cappuccino

$1.89 MDL 32.65

$1.80 MDL 31.07

5.00%

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

$0.90 MDL 15.59

$0.98 MDL 16.89

-8.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 MDL 11.15

$0.70 MDL 12.02

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 MDL 30.56

$1.73 MDL 29.87

2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 MDL 41.52

$2.29 MDL 39.52

4.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 MDL 21.44

$1.28 MDL 22.06

-3.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.62

$0.56 MDL 9.69

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MDL 26.01

$1.50 MDL 25.83

0.67%

Eggs

$2.48 MDL 42.89

$2.53 MDL 43.65

-1.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 MDL 181

$10.22 MDL 177

2.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 MDL 95.7

$5.51 MDL 95.2

0.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.82 MDL 152

$8.74 MDL 151

0.92%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 MDL 15.69

$0.89 MDL 15.31

2.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MDL 31.63

$1.76 MDL 30.35

3.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 MDL 29.35

$1.76 MDL 30.44

-3.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 MDL 37.19

$2.08 MDL 35.98

3.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 MDL 14.07

$0.84 MDL 14.50

-3.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 MDL 10.06

$0.56 MDL 9.65

3.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MDL 22.44

$1.31 MDL 22.57

-0.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 MDL 15.09

$0.83 MDL 14.37

4.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 MDL 57.1

$3.30 MDL 57.0

0.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 MDL 82.0

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 MDL 22.04

$1.22 MDL 21.08

4.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 MDL 34.65

$1.92 MDL 33.23

4.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MDL 6.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.74 MDL 237

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 MDL 34.43

$2.00 MDL 34.48

-0.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.67

$0.25 MDL 4.28

8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 MDL 88.3

$5.31 MDL 91.8

-3.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MDL 23.56

$1.42 MDL 24.55

-4.23%

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

$32.3K MDL 558.2K

$32.4K MDL 560.3K

-0.37%

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

$31.4K MDL 542.2K

$30.9K MDL 533.5K

1.63%

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

$169 MDL 2,919

$173 MDL 2,986

-2.22%

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

$7.73 MDL 134

$7.57 MDL 131

2.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.87 MDL 188

$10.65 MDL 184

2.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.21 MDL 746

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.02 MDL 380

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 MDL 130

$7.65 MDL 132

-1.70%

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

$392 MDL 6,771

$397 MDL 6,854

-1.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,618 MDL 131.6K

$7,753 MDL 133.9K

-1.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.5 MDL 1,149

$65.3 MDL 1,127

1.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 MDL 942

$52.8 MDL 912

3.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,910

$111 MDL 1,923

-0.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 MDL 2,149

$124 MDL 2,147

0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 MDL 11.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 MDL 7,970

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 MDL 21.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$819 MDL 14.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,583 MDL 44.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,942 MDL 33.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$856 MDL 14.8K

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 Calarasi: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Calarasi versus $37.00 in Chisinau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $182 vs $190 – 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 Chisinau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 75%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,031 per month in Calarasi and $1,800 in Chisinau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $687 in Calarasi and $1,200 in Chisinau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $392 per month in Calarasi and $397 in Chisinau. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $687, than in Chisinau at $1,200. In Calarasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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