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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,231 per month in Chisinau vs $1,057 in Almaty, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,813 per month in Chisinau vs $1,648 in Almaty, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,394 per month in Chisinau vs $2,238 in Almaty, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 16% more than Almaty, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chisinau and Almaty are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 8% lower, Almaty 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.53 MDL 147

$8.03 ₸3,894

6.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 MDL 637

$38.47 ₸18.7K

-3.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 MDL 129

$6.97 ₸3,381

8.03%

Cappuccino

$1.87 MDL 32.20

$2.40 ₸1,162

-22.08%

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

$0.99 MDL 17.02

$0.98 ₸473

1.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.00

$0.57 ₸274

22.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 MDL 29.87

$1.40 ₸680

24.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 MDL 39.39

$2.99 ₸1,449

-23.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.15

$1.31 ₸638

-1.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 8.97

$0.60 ₸290

-13.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MDL 25.01

$1.54 ₸748

-5.19%

Eggs

$2.62 MDL 44.96

$1.74 ₸843

50.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 MDL 176

$9.74 ₸4,723

4.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 MDL 91.9

$4.70 ₸2,277

13.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.69 MDL 149

$7.50 ₸3,640

15.87%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.39

$1.35 ₸654

-37.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MDL 31.27

$1.98 ₸960

-8.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 MDL 30.51

$1.95 ₸947

-8.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MDL 37.25

$2.07 ₸1,003

4.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 MDL 13.92

$0.63 ₸305

28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 MDL 9.31

$0.42 ₸204

28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MDL 22.38

$1.24 ₸602

4.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MDL 15.47

$0.71 ₸343

26.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 MDL 56.4

$1.97 ₸955

66.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.73 MDL 81.3

$10.09 ₸4,895

-53.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 20.82

$0.88 ₸429

37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MDL 32.81

$2.04 ₸989

-6.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MDL 5.75

$0.24 ₸116

37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.47 MDL 231

$17.76 ₸8,611

-24.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.07 MDL 35.59

$1.16 ₸561

78.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.29

$0.70 ₸340

-64.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 MDL 91.7

$4.80 ₸2,330

11.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MDL 24.75

$0.49 ₸237

193.88%

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

$32.7K MDL 561.6K

$23.2K ₸11.3M

40.85%

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

$31.5K MDL 540.4K

$27.2K ₸13.2M

15.46%

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

$174 MDL 2,989

$63.8 ₸31.0K

172.61%

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

$7.38 MDL 127

$8.60 ₸4,169

-14.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.98 MDL 189

$13.83 ₸6,707

-20.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.14 MDL 741

$48.67 ₸23.6K

-11.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.18 MDL 381

$21.24 ₸10.3K

4.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.63 MDL 131

$5.11 ₸2,479

49.32%

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

$388 MDL 6,659

$267 ₸129.4K

45.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,708 MDL 132.4K

$12.9K ₸6.2M

-40.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 MDL 1,123

$84.0 ₸40.7K

-22.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 MDL 933

$43.48 ₸21.1K

24.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,910

$96.8 ₸46.9K

14.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 MDL 2,070

$119 ₸57.9K

0.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$668 MDL 11.5K

$665 ₸322.5K

0.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MDL 8,044

$420 ₸203.5K

11.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MDL 21.4K

$1,175 ₸569.9K

5.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$798 MDL 13.7K

$773 ₸375.0K

3.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,649 MDL 45.5K

$2,143 ₸1.0M

23.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,901 MDL 32.7K

$1,254 ₸608.2K

51.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 MDL 14.8K

$789 ₸382.9K

9.48%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Almaty: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $668 in Chisinau versus $665 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 9% 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 $38.00 in Almaty. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Chisinau vs $189 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 16%, 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 $1,846 per month in Chisinau and $1,586 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 $38.00 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 $1,231 in Chisinau and $1,057 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 $1,057, than in Chisinau at $1,231. 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.