Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Almaty Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Almaty

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,217 per month in Chisinau vs $1,080 in Almaty, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,808 per month in Chisinau vs $1,692 in Almaty, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,399 per month in Chisinau vs $2,304 in Almaty, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 13% more than Almaty, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chisinau and Almaty are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 9% lower, Almaty 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.89 MDL 155

$7.90 ₸3,719

12.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.83 MDL 641

$38.58 ₸18.2K

-4.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 MDL 129

$6.92 ₸3,255

6.65%

Cappuccino

$1.89 MDL 32.91

$2.43 ₸1,142

-22.22%

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

$0.92 MDL 16.08

$0.99 ₸464

-7.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.14

$0.52 ₸247

34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 MDL 31.13

$1.36 ₸639

31.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 MDL 40.48

$2.95 ₸1,387

-21.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.21

$1.31 ₸617

-2.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.79

$0.55 ₸258

1.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MDL 26.00

$1.52 ₸716

-1.97%

Eggs

$2.61 MDL 45.51

$1.76 ₸829

48.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 MDL 183

$9.66 ₸4,549

8.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 MDL 93.3

$4.67 ₸2,201

14.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 MDL 155

$7.69 ₸3,619

15.60%

Apples (1kg)

$0.85 MDL 14.79

$1.39 ₸656

-38.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MDL 31.57

$1.91 ₸901

-5.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 MDL 30.81

$1.94 ₸915

-8.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 MDL 37.42

$2.06 ₸971

4.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MDL 13.56

$0.58 ₸275

34.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.31

$0.43 ₸202

37.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 MDL 23.34

$1.30 ₸613

3.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MDL 15.63

$0.74 ₸347

21.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 MDL 57.0

$1.94 ₸913

69.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.59 MDL 80.0

$10.66 ₸5,018

-56.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 21.12

$0.82 ₸387

47.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 MDL 34.57

$2.11 ₸991

-5.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MDL 6.29

$0.24 ₸114

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.82 MDL 241

$18.33 ₸8,631

-24.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MDL 36.50

$1.20 ₸567

75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.70

$0.71 ₸336

-61.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.17 MDL 90.0

$4.63 ₸2,180

11.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 MDL 24.06

$0.52 ₸245

165.38%

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

$31.9K MDL 555.7K

$23.6K ₸11.1M

35.45%

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

$31.5K MDL 548.8K

$27.4K ₸12.9M

15.10%

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

$170 MDL 2,954

$62.4 ₸29.4K

171.72%

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

$7.34 MDL 128

$8.56 ₸4,028

-14.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.78 MDL 188

$13.90 ₸6,546

-22.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.85 MDL 763

$46.84 ₸22.1K

-6.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.97 MDL 383

$21.46 ₸10.1K

2.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 MDL 130

$5.20 ₸2,448

43.27%

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

$391 MDL 6,800

$268 ₸126.0K

45.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,516 MDL 130.9K

$13.0K ₸6.1M

-42.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 MDL 1,166

$84.9 ₸39.9K

-21.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MDL 943

$44.46 ₸20.9K

21.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MDL 1,923

$99.5 ₸46.8K

11.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MDL 2,132

$120 ₸56.4K

2.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 MDL 11.7K

$643 ₸302.9K

4.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MDL 8,146

$425 ₸200.0K

10.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MDL 21.6K

$1,157 ₸544.9K

7.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$822 MDL 14.3K

$776 ₸365.1K

6.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,599 MDL 45.2K

$2,362 ₸1.1M

10.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,879 MDL 32.7K

$1,364 ₸641.9K

37.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$867 MDL 15.1K

$834 ₸392.6K

3.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

18.39

-49.76%

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

Last update for Chisinau: July 12, 2026

Last update for Almaty: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $673 in Chisinau versus $643 in Almaty. 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 4% higher in Chisinau, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Chisinau versus $39.00 in Almaty. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in Chisinau vs $190 in Almaty – so Almaty 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

Chisinau vs Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,826 per month in Chisinau and $1,620 in Almaty. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Chisinau and $39.00 in Almaty. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,217 in Chisinau and $1,080 in Almaty. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Almaty, where all-in costs run around $1,080, than in Chisinau at $1,217. In Almaty it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Almaty – 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 Almaty. 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.