Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calarasi, Moldova and Chisinau

For one person, living is cheaper in Calarasi: $357 a month against $1,316 in Chisinau, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chisinau
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Chisinau Living Index

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Calarasi

🇲🇩 Moldova

$357

/mo nomad

Chisinau

🇲🇩 Moldova

$1,316

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calarasi and in Chisinau

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Calarasi and in Chisinau actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $357 per month in Calarasi vs $1,316 in Chisinau, rent included.

Calarasi $357
Chisinau $1,316

A couple spends around $582 per month in Calarasi vs $1,991 in Chisinau, rent included.

Calarasi $582
Chisinau $1,991

A family of three spends $807 per month in Calarasi vs $2,666 in Chisinau, rent included.

Calarasi $807
Chisinau $2,666

Calarasi is about 73% cheaper than Chisinau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Calarasi and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Calarasi 74% lower, Chisinau 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 MDL 197

$11.34 MDL 203

-2.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.96 MDL 393

$56.7 MDL 1,013

-61.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.13 MDL 128

$8.14 MDL 146

-12.41%

Cappuccino

$1.42 MDL 25.40

$2.19 MDL 39.17

-35.16%

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

$0.74 MDL 13.28

$1.22 MDL 21.73

-39.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MDL 7.72

$0.90 MDL 16.04

-52.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 MDL 20.08

$2.20 MDL 39.35

-49.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 MDL 25.30

$1.92 MDL 34.36

-26.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 MDL 18.31

$1.26 MDL 22.60

-19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.34 MDL 6.15

$0.71 MDL 12.78

-52.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 MDL 25.00

Eggs

$1.97 MDL 35.14

$2.72 MDL 48.60

-27.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 MDL 173

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.00 MDL 89.5

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.77 MDL 157

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MDL 17.38

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 MDL 34.34

$1.93 MDL 34.54

-0.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MDL 35.99

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MDL 38.54

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 MDL 11.11

$0.65 MDL 11.66

-4.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 MDL 10.06

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MDL 23.21

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MDL 9.24

$0.89 MDL 15.97

-41.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 MDL 59.2

Wine (Bottle)

$4.82 MDL 86.2

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MDL 21.72

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 MDL 33.81

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MDL 6.75

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.55 MDL 242

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 MDL 19.48

$2.27 MDL 40.57

-51.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 MDL 6.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 MDL 88.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 MDL 30.61

$1.65 MDL 29.56

3.64%

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

$29.8K MDL 533.4K

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

$20.2K MDL 360.3K

$27.6K MDL 494.3K

-27.11%

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

$58.1 MDL 1,038

$241 MDL 4,301

-75.87%

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

$6.65 MDL 119

$9.32 MDL 167

-28.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.98 MDL 178

$10.33 MDL 185

-3.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.89 MDL 767

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.55 MDL 367

Cinema Ticket

$3.35 MDL 60.0

$8.33 MDL 149

-59.78%

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

$430 MDL 7,681

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,720 MDL 102.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.53 MDL 599

$78.1 MDL 1,396

-57.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.34 MDL 596

$45.91 MDL 821

-27.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MDL 1,911

$112 MDL 2,011

-4.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.80 MDL 604

$117 MDL 2,089

-71.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$691 MDL 12.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 MDL 8,275

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 MDL 22.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$803 MDL 14.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,585 MDL 46.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,861 MDL 33.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 MDL 15.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.17

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

Last update for Calarasi: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Calarasi

–

Chisinau

$463 35.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Calarasi

–

Chisinau

$260 19.8%

Groceries & Markets

Calarasi

–

Chisinau

$190 14.5%

Eating Out

Calarasi

–

Chisinau

$165 12.5%

Clothing & Footwear

Calarasi

–

Chisinau

$159 12.1%

Sport & Entertainment

Calarasi

–

Chisinau

$60 4.5%

Getting Around

Calarasi

–

Chisinau

$19 1.5%

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22 in Calarasi versus $57 in Chisinau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $41 vs $190 – making Calarasi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇩 Calarasi

🇲🇩 Chisinau

🕒 Local time

15:04 3:04 PM

Same time as Calarasi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

16,100

750,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Moldovan Leu MDL L

📈 Exchange rate

100 MDL = 5.59 USD

100 MDL = 5.03 EUR

100 MDL = 5.59 USD

100 MDL = 5.03 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Calarasi Chisinau 46 km

From you

Calarasi
Chisinau

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 269%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $535 per month in Calarasi and $1,974 in Chisinau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 363% 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 $22 in Calarasi and $57 in Chisinau. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $357, than in Chisinau at $1,316. In Calarasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chisinau has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $357 in Calarasi to $1,316 in Chisinau. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.