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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $682 per month in Calarasi vs $1,225 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,077 per month in Calarasi vs $1,820 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,473 per month in Calarasi vs $2,416 in Chisinau, rent included.

Calarasi is about 44% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Calarasi and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Calarasi 49% lower, Chisinau 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.81 MDL 152

$8.83 MDL 153

-0.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.52 MDL 632

$37.23 MDL 644

-1.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 MDL 129

$7.39 MDL 128

0.54%

Cappuccino

$1.79 MDL 31.03

$1.83 MDL 31.66

-2.19%

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

$0.94 MDL 16.23

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 MDL 11.34

$0.70 MDL 12.07

-5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 MDL 29.74

$1.74 MDL 30.08

-1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 MDL 40.12

$2.41 MDL 41.71

-3.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 MDL 21.17

$1.29 MDL 22.41

-5.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MDL 9.55

$0.53 MDL 9.09

3.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 25.88

$1.50 MDL 26.01

Eggs

$2.61 MDL 45.14

$2.49 MDL 43.06

4.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 MDL 181

$10.29 MDL 178

1.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.32 MDL 92.0

$5.55 MDL 96.1

-4.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.87 MDL 154

$8.69 MDL 150

2.07%

Apples (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.36

$0.91 MDL 15.76

-8.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MDL 30.73

$1.77 MDL 30.57

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 MDL 29.39

$1.70 MDL 29.45

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 MDL 37.20

$2.10 MDL 36.32

2.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.34

$0.76 MDL 13.16

9.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.30

$0.55 MDL 9.59

7.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 MDL 23.43

$1.36 MDL 23.54

-0.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 MDL 15.22

$0.84 MDL 14.57

4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 MDL 56.6

$3.17 MDL 54.8

3.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.88 MDL 84.5

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 MDL 21.23

$1.23 MDL 21.21

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 MDL 34.68

$1.97 MDL 34.06

1.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.53 MDL 234

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 MDL 35.10

$2.01 MDL 34.77

1.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.72

$0.27 MDL 4.69

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.27 MDL 91.3

$5.11 MDL 88.4

3.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 MDL 23.80

$1.39 MDL 23.99

-0.72%

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

$32.8K MDL 567.2K

$32.1K MDL 556.3K

1.95%

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

$30.5K MDL 527.3K

$30.7K MDL 530.6K

-0.62%

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

$173 MDL 2,994

$176 MDL 3,041

-1.56%

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

$7.55 MDL 131

$7.68 MDL 133

-1.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.01 MDL 191

$10.98 MDL 190

0.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.02 MDL 745

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.11 MDL 383

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 MDL 130

$7.55 MDL 131

-0.79%

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

$390 MDL 6,749

$390 MDL 6,754

-0.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,684 MDL 133.0K

$7,672 MDL 132.8K

0.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.7 MDL 1,154

$66.2 MDL 1,147

0.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.4 MDL 924

$52.9 MDL 916

0.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,924

$111 MDL 1,915

0.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 MDL 2,160

$121 MDL 2,091

3.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 MDL 11.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 MDL 7,971

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 MDL 21.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 MDL 13.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,645 MDL 45.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,885 MDL 32.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$831 MDL 14.4K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Calarasi versus $37.00 in Chisinau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 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 80%, 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 $1,023 per month in Calarasi and $1,838 in Chisinau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $682 in Calarasi and $1,225 in Chisinau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $390 per month in Calarasi and $390 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 $682, than in Chisinau at $1,225. 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.