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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,143 per month in Cheras vs $1,346 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,558 per month in Cheras vs $2,052 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,973 per month in Cheras vs $2,758 in Chisinau, rent included.

Cheras is about 15% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cheras and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Cheras 17% lower, Chisinau 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.67 MYR 14.94

$11.69 MDL 201

-68.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.62 MYR 100

$51.6 MDL 885

-52.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.58

$8.58 MDL 147

-43.94%

Cappuccino

$3.11 MYR 12.66

$2.23 MDL 38.26

39.46%

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

$0.86 MYR 3.50

$1.25 MDL 21.51

-31.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$0.89 MDL 15.21

-42.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 MYR 18.02

$2.29 MDL 39.22

93.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.35 MYR 25.83

$1.97 MDL 33.83

222.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.75

$1.30 MDL 22.25

46.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 MYR 4.22

$0.72 MDL 12.35

44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.85

$1.49 MDL 25.63

-3.36%

Eggs

$1.85 MYR 7.52

$2.97 MDL 50.9

-37.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.02 MYR 73.3

$10.16 MDL 174

77.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 MYR 18.40

$5.28 MDL 90.6

-14.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MYR 44.69

$8.78 MDL 151

25.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 MYR 14.47

$0.97 MDL 16.69

267.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.61

$1.90 MDL 32.68

-1.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.82

$2.05 MDL 35.22

29.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.81

$2.21 MDL 38.00

-23.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.60

$0.68 MDL 11.71

210.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.91

$0.57 MDL 9.70

198.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 MYR 5.46

$1.46 MDL 24.97

-8.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$0.93 MDL 16.03

-45.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.60

$3.57 MDL 61.2

21.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.05 MYR 57.1

$5.03 MDL 86.4

179.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 MYR 11.38

$1.27 MDL 21.74

120.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 MYR 12.69

$1.94 MDL 33.36

60.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.96

$0.39 MDL 6.74

87.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.42 MYR 50.5

$13.83 MDL 237

-10.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 MYR 5.17

$2.36 MDL 40.54

-46.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.44

$0.37 MDL 6.31

-5.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.50 MYR 38.63

$5.07 MDL 87.1

87.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 MYR 3.21

$1.71 MDL 29.27

-53.80%

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

$42.9K MYR 174.7K

$29.9K MDL 513.3K

43.58%

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

$34.8K MYR 141.7K

$30.5K MDL 523.0K

14.29%

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

$49.55 MYR 202

$254 MDL 4,365

-80.52%

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

$11.27 MYR 45.83

$9.44 MDL 162

19.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.69 MYR 113

$10.75 MDL 185

157.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MYR 208

$42.83 MDL 735

19.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.23 MDL 364

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 19.88

$8.60 MDL 148

-43.14%

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

$163 MYR 662

$445 MDL 7,633

-63.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,548 MYR 18.5K

$6,089 MDL 104.5K

-25.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.2 MYR 265

$78.4 MDL 1,345

-16.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.08 MYR 122

$47.80 MDL 820

-37.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 MYR 331

$119 MDL 2,050

-31.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 MYR 346

$113 MDL 1,945

-24.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MYR 3,888

$711 MDL 12.2K

34.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 MYR 1,925

$455 MDL 7,815

3.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$747 MYR 3,040

$1,258 MDL 21.6K

-40.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 MYR 1,980

$821 MDL 14.1K

-40.72%

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)

$1,174 MYR 4,776

$922 MDL 15.8K

27.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

9.41

-56.85%

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

Last update for Cheras: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Cheras versus $711 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 27% 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 $25.00 in Cheras versus $52.0 in Chisinau. Groceries tell a different story – $270 in Cheras vs $197 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 18%, 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 $1,715 per month in Cheras and $2,019 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 37% 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 $25.00 in Cheras 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 Cheras, where all-in costs run around $1,143, than in Chisinau at $1,346. 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.