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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $841 per month in Cheras vs $1,217 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,279 per month in Cheras vs $1,808 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,716 per month in Cheras vs $2,399 in Chisinau, rent included.

Cheras is about 31% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cheras and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Cheras 37% lower, Chisinau 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 MYR 14.85

$8.89 MDL 155

-59.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.90 MYR 77.4

$36.83 MDL 641

-48.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.56

$7.38 MDL 129

-35.23%

Cappuccino

$2.97 MYR 12.14

$1.89 MDL 32.91

57.14%

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

$0.83 MYR 3.41

$0.92 MDL 16.08

-9.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 2.02

$0.70 MDL 12.14

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 MYR 18.86

$1.79 MDL 31.13

157.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 MYR 27.47

$2.33 MDL 40.48

187.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.73

$1.28 MDL 22.21

47.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.90

$0.56 MDL 9.79

69.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.28

$1.49 MDL 26.00

-13.42%

Eggs

$2.07 MYR 8.46

$2.61 MDL 45.51

-20.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.55 MYR 63.6

$10.51 MDL 183

47.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 MYR 14.79

$5.36 MDL 93.3

-32.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.44 MYR 30.45

$8.89 MDL 155

-16.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 MYR 10.80

$0.85 MDL 14.79

210.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.19

$1.81 MDL 31.57

-2.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 10.14

$1.77 MDL 30.81

40.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.97

$2.15 MDL 37.42

-43.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.98

$0.78 MDL 13.56

87.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.46

$0.59 MDL 10.31

125.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.84

$1.34 MDL 23.34

-29.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.10

$0.90 MDL 15.63

-43.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 MYR 16.86

$3.28 MDL 57.0

25.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.31 MYR 58.6

$4.59 MDL 80.0

211.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 MYR 11.77

$1.21 MDL 21.12

138.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 MYR 16.36

$1.99 MDL 34.57

101.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.87

$0.36 MDL 6.29

27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.89 MYR 48.65

$13.82 MDL 241

-13.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 MYR 3.97

$2.10 MDL 36.50

-53.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.18

$0.27 MDL 4.70

277.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.26 MYR 37.91

$5.17 MDL 90.0

79.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.91

$1.38 MDL 24.06

-65.94%

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

$49.5K MYR 202.6K

$31.9K MDL 555.7K

55.08%

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

$30.9K MYR 126.6K

$31.5K MDL 548.8K

-1.84%

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

$41.01 MYR 168

$170 MDL 2,954

-75.83%

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

$9.40 MYR 38.48

$7.34 MDL 128

28.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.02 MYR 127

$10.78 MDL 188

187.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.52 MYR 170

$43.85 MDL 763

-5.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.97 MYR 24.45

$21.97 MDL 383

-72.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 MYR 19.98

$7.45 MDL 130

-34.50%

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

$186 MYR 763

$391 MDL 6,800

-52.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,780 MYR 27.7K

$7,516 MDL 130.9K

-9.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 MYR 263

$67.0 MDL 1,166

-4.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.06 MYR 139

$54.2 MDL 943

-37.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 MYR 296

$110 MDL 1,923

-34.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.91 MYR 196

$122 MDL 2,132

-60.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 MYR 1,540

$673 MDL 11.7K

-44.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 MYR 965

$468 MDL 8,146

-49.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 MYR 2,667

$1,243 MDL 21.6K

-47.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 MYR 1,760

$822 MDL 14.3K

-47.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,599 MDL 45.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,879 MDL 32.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,164 MYR 4,763

$867 MDL 15.1K

34.23%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $376 in Cheras versus $673 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 34% 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 – $237 in Cheras vs $192 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 45%, 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 $1,262 per month in Cheras and $1,826 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 23% 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 $841, than in Chisinau at $1,217. 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.