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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $678 per month in Calarasi vs $1,231 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,077 per month in Calarasi vs $1,853 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,477 per month in Calarasi vs $2,475 in Chisinau, rent included.

Calarasi is about 45% 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

$8.87 MDL 156

$8.63 MDL 151

2.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.00 MDL 649

$37.05 MDL 650

-0.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 MDL 137

$7.65 MDL 134

1.83%

Cappuccino

$1.89 MDL 33.18

$1.88 MDL 32.92

0.53%

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

$1.00 MDL 17.47

$0.92 MDL 16.11

8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 MDL 12.07

$0.65 MDL 11.33

6.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 MDL 31.58

$1.73 MDL 30.32

4.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 MDL 42.05

$2.37 MDL 41.51

1.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.57

$1.29 MDL 22.55

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.80

$0.56 MDL 9.76

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MDL 25.37

$1.45 MDL 25.49

Eggs

$2.58 MDL 45.19

$2.49 MDL 43.74

3.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.28 MDL 180

$10.52 MDL 185

-2.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.45 MDL 95.7

$5.34 MDL 93.6

2.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.84 MDL 155

$8.61 MDL 151

2.67%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.72

$0.91 MDL 15.99

-7.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MDL 30.53

$1.83 MDL 32.05

-4.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 MDL 31.34

$1.72 MDL 30.22

4.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 MDL 37.36

$2.10 MDL 36.80

1.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MDL 13.62

$0.79 MDL 13.84

-1.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 MDL 9.63

$0.60 MDL 10.44

-8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 MDL 23.54

$1.36 MDL 23.80

-1.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MDL 14.68

$0.83 MDL 14.53

1.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 MDL 57.2

$3.13 MDL 54.9

4.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.59 MDL 80.5

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MDL 22.27

$1.23 MDL 21.56

3.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MDL 33.50

$1.91 MDL 33.58

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.44 MDL 236

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.07 MDL 36.26

$2.00 MDL 35.05

3.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.34

$0.25 MDL 4.36

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MDL 93.1

$5.28 MDL 92.6

0.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 MDL 24.80

$1.43 MDL 25.08

-1.40%

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

$32.2K MDL 564.6K

$31.5K MDL 553.4K

2.03%

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

$31.0K MDL 543.0K

$31.5K MDL 552.4K

-1.71%

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

$175 MDL 3,078

$170 MDL 2,989

2.99%

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

$7.35 MDL 129

$7.57 MDL 133

-2.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.99 MDL 193

$10.68 MDL 187

2.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.05 MDL 755

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.19 MDL 389

Cinema Ticket

$7.41 MDL 130

$7.56 MDL 133

-1.98%

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

$385 MDL 6,749

$389 MDL 6,820

-1.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,526 MDL 132.0K

$7,746 MDL 135.9K

-2.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.1 MDL 1,178

$66.3 MDL 1,164

1.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 MDL 946

$53.0 MDL 930

1.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 MDL 1,975

$112 MDL 1,961

0.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 MDL 2,112

$122 MDL 2,134

-1.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 MDL 11.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MDL 8,187

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 MDL 21.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$808 MDL 14.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,669 MDL 46.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,901 MDL 33.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$843 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: July 28, 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 $189 – 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 82%, 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 $1,017 per month in Calarasi and $1,846 in Chisinau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $678 in Calarasi and $1,231 in Chisinau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $385 per month in Calarasi and $389 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 $678, than in Chisinau at $1,231. 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.