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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $370 per month in Calarasi vs $1,346 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $597 per month in Calarasi vs $2,052 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $824 per month in Calarasi vs $2,758 in Chisinau, rent included.

Calarasi is about 73% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Calarasi and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Calarasi 73% lower, Chisinau 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.75 MDL 202

$11.69 MDL 201

0.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.91 MDL 393

$51.6 MDL 885

-55.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 MDL 127

$8.58 MDL 147

-13.99%

Cappuccino

$1.44 MDL 24.64

$2.23 MDL 38.26

-35.43%

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

$0.78 MDL 13.34

$1.25 MDL 21.51

-37.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 MDL 7.62

$0.89 MDL 15.21

-50.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 MDL 20.44

$2.29 MDL 39.22

-48.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MDL 24.61

$1.97 MDL 33.83

-27.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 MDL 18.08

$1.30 MDL 22.25

-19.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.34 MDL 5.75

$0.72 MDL 12.35

-52.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MDL 25.63

Eggs

$1.92 MDL 33.03

$2.97 MDL 50.9

-35.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 MDL 174

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 MDL 90.6

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 MDL 151

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MDL 16.69

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MDL 34.45

$1.90 MDL 32.68

5.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MDL 35.22

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 MDL 38.00

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 MDL 10.80

$0.68 MDL 11.71

-7.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 MDL 9.70

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MDL 24.97

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MDL 9.71

$0.93 MDL 16.03

-38.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 MDL 61.2

Wine (Bottle)

$5.03 MDL 86.4

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MDL 21.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MDL 33.36

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MDL 6.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.83 MDL 237

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 MDL 20.49

$2.36 MDL 40.54

-49.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 MDL 6.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 MDL 87.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 MDL 27.89

$1.71 MDL 29.27

-4.68%

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

$29.9K MDL 513.3K

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

$21.0K MDL 361.2K

$30.5K MDL 523.0K

-30.94%

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

$60.6 MDL 1,040

$254 MDL 4,365

-76.18%

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

$6.98 MDL 120

$9.44 MDL 162

-26.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.42 MDL 179

$10.75 MDL 185

-3.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.83 MDL 735

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.23 MDL 364

Cinema Ticket

$3.45 MDL 59.3

$8.60 MDL 148

-59.88%

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

$445 MDL 7,633

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,089 MDL 104.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.31 MDL 606

$78.4 MDL 1,345

-54.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.86 MDL 598

$47.80 MDL 820

-27.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MDL 1,893

$119 MDL 2,050

-7.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.17 MDL 586

$113 MDL 1,945

-69.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 MDL 12.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 MDL 7,815

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 MDL 21.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$821 MDL 14.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,781 MDL 47.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,997 MDL 34.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$922 MDL 15.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.41

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

Last update for Calarasi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Calarasi versus $52.0 in Chisinau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $42.00 vs $197 – 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 264%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $555 per month in Calarasi and $2,019 in Chisinau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 366% more in Chisinau, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Calarasi and $52.0 in Chisinau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $370, than in Chisinau at $1,346. 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.