Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheras and Chisinau Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheras and Chisinau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $831 per month in Cheras vs $1,231 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,274 per month in Cheras vs $1,813 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,717 per month in Cheras vs $2,394 in Chisinau, rent included.

Cheras is about 32% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cheras and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Cheras 38% lower, Chisinau 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 MYR 13.63

$8.53 MDL 147

-59.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.78 MYR 74.5

$37.11 MDL 638

-49.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 MYR 18.88

$7.53 MDL 130

-36.79%

Cappuccino

$2.90 MYR 11.50

$1.87 MDL 32.22

55.08%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.35

$0.99 MDL 17.03

-15.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$0.70 MDL 12.01

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.81 MYR 19.05

$1.74 MDL 29.89

176.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 MYR 26.40

$2.29 MDL 39.41

190.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.22

$1.29 MDL 22.16

41.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MYR 3.89

$0.52 MDL 8.98

88.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 MYR 5.14

$1.46 MDL 25.03

-10.96%

Eggs

$2.16 MYR 8.56

$2.62 MDL 44.99

-17.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.25 MYR 60.5

$10.22 MDL 176

49.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 MYR 14.48

$5.35 MDL 92.0

-31.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 MYR 30.41

$8.69 MDL 149

-11.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 MYR 10.87

$0.84 MDL 14.40

226.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.60

$1.82 MDL 31.29

-8.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 MYR 10.17

$1.78 MDL 30.52

43.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.82

$2.17 MDL 37.27

-43.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.75

$0.81 MDL 13.93

79.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.33

$0.54 MDL 9.31

150.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 MYR 3.49

$1.30 MDL 22.40

-32.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.18

$0.90 MDL 15.47

-38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 MYR 16.69

$3.28 MDL 56.4

28.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.45 MYR 57.3

$4.73 MDL 81.4

205.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MYR 10.87

$1.21 MDL 20.84

126.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 MYR 15.09

$1.91 MDL 32.83

99.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 MYR 1.91

$0.33 MDL 5.75

45.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.66 MYR 46.22

$13.47 MDL 232

-13.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 MYR 4.02

$2.07 MDL 35.61

-51.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.05

$0.25 MDL 4.29

308.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.22 MYR 36.57

$5.33 MDL 91.7

72.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.86

$1.44 MDL 24.76

-67.36%

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

$48.8K MYR 193.6K

$32.7K MDL 561.9K

49.36%

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

$31.4K MYR 124.5K

$31.5K MDL 540.7K

-0.21%

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

$40.52 MYR 161

$174 MDL 2,991

-76.71%

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

$9.37 MYR 37.17

$7.38 MDL 127

26.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.21 MYR 124

$10.98 MDL 189

184.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.69 MYR 161

$43.14 MDL 742

-5.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.93 MYR 23.49

$22.18 MDL 381

-73.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 MYR 20.00

$7.63 MDL 131

-33.94%

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

$188 MYR 744

$388 MDL 6,663

-51.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,832 MYR 27.1K

$7,708 MDL 132.5K

-11.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 MYR 253

$65.4 MDL 1,123

-2.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.51 MYR 137

$54.3 MDL 934

-36.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.1 MYR 290

$111 MDL 1,911

-34.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.54 MYR 192

$120 MDL 2,071

-59.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 MYR 1,504

$668 MDL 11.5K

-43.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 MYR 935

$468 MDL 8,048

-49.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 MYR 2,547

$1,243 MDL 21.4K

-48.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 MYR 1,709

$798 MDL 13.7K

-46.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,649 MDL 45.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,901 MDL 32.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,212 MYR 4,806

$864 MDL 14.9K

40.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

9.24

-55.95%

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

Last update for Cheras: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $379 in Cheras versus $668 in Chisinau. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 40% higher in Cheras, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Cheras versus $37.00 in Chisinau. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Cheras vs $190 in Chisinau – so Chisinau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Cheras vs Chisinau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 48%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,247 per month in Cheras and $1,846 in Chisinau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cheras, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Chisinau – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Cheras and $37.00 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 Cheras, where all-in costs run around $831, than in Chisinau at $1,231. In Cheras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cheras – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cheras. 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.