Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Batumi, Ajara

For one person, living is cheaper in Batumi, Ajara: $1,140 a month against $1,285 in Chisinau, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chisinau outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

63

Cost of Living Index in Chisinau
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Chisinau Living Index
56

Cost of Living Index in Batumi, Ajara
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Batumi, Ajara Living Index

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Chisinau

🇲🇩 Moldova

$1,285

/mo nomad

Batumi, Ajara

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,140

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chisinau and in Batumi, Ajara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chisinau and in Batumi, Ajara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,285 per month in Chisinau vs $1,140 in Batumi, Ajara, rent included.

Chisinau $1,285
Batumi, Ajara $1,140

A couple spends around $1,984 per month in Chisinau vs $1,771 in Batumi, Ajara, rent included.

Chisinau $1,984
Batumi, Ajara $1,771

A family of three spends $2,684 per month in Chisinau vs $2,402 in Batumi, Ajara, rent included.

Chisinau $2,684
Batumi, Ajara $2,402

Chisinau costs about 13% more than Batumi, Ajara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chisinau and Batumi, Ajara are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 5% lower, Batumi, Ajara 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.32 MDL 201

$11.56 ₾29.91

-2.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 MDL 906

$31.94 ₾82.7

59.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 MDL 157

$11.09 ₾28.71

-20.20%

Cappuccino

$2.11 MDL 37.43

$3.67 ₾9.49

-42.51%

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

$1.19 MDL 21.13

$1.01 ₾2.62

17.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 MDL 16.53

$0.59 ₾1.53

57.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 MDL 40.03

$1.86 ₾4.81

20.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 MDL 34.61

$2.26 ₾5.84

-13.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 MDL 22.56

$2.08 ₾5.38

-38.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 MDL 12.88

$0.74 ₾1.91

-1.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 MDL 24.71

$1.61 ₾4.16

-13.66%

Eggs

$2.82 MDL 50.1

$2.71 ₾7.01

4.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 MDL 169

$9.58 ₾24.80

-0.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 MDL 90.1

$5.93 ₾15.36

-14.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.65 MDL 154

$9.87 ₾25.55

-12.36%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 MDL 16.72

$1.53 ₾3.95

-38.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 MDL 33.83

$2.05 ₾5.32

-6.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 MDL 37.42

$1.31 ₾3.39

61.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MDL 38.28

$2.20 ₾5.70

-1.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 MDL 12.07

$0.89 ₾2.32

-23.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 MDL 10.00

$0.63 ₾1.64

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 MDL 22.95

$1.48 ₾3.84

-12.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 MDL 14.76

$0.76 ₾1.96

9.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 MDL 60.2

$3.06 ₾7.93

10.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.67 MDL 83.0

$5.82 ₾15.06

-19.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 MDL 22.44

$1.51 ₾3.91

-16.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 MDL 34.83

$2.01 ₾5.20

-2.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 MDL 7.16

$0.28 ₾0.73

42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.50 MDL 240

$11.65 ₾30.17

15.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 MDL 40.61

$1.13 ₾2.91

102.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MDL 5.83

$0.68 ₾1.77

-51.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 MDL 90.8

$11.96 ₾30.96

-57.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 MDL 29.20

$1.43 ₾3.69

14.69%

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

$29.5K MDL 524.6K

$16.0K ₾41.5K

84.45%

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

$29.7K MDL 527.0K

$21.1K ₾54.6K

40.74%

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

$239 MDL 4,245

$79.9 ₾207

199.06%

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

$9.40 MDL 167

$9.34 ₾24.18

0.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.43 MDL 185

$15.77 ₾40.81

-33.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.21 MDL 750

$57.6 ₾149

-26.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.30 MDL 361

$15.75 ₾40.76

28.89%

Cinema Ticket

$8.55 MDL 152

$6.83 ₾17.69

25.18%

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

$425 MDL 7,543

$302 ₾781

40.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,785 MDL 102.7K

$3,155 ₾8,167

83.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.8 MDL 1,434

$92.1 ₾238

-12.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.59 MDL 845

$38.55 ₾99.8

23.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MDL 2,056

$135 ₾350

-14.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MDL 2,011

$115 ₾298

-1.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$676 MDL 12.0K

$510 ₾1,321

32.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 MDL 7,651

$373 ₾966

15.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 MDL 22.3K

$962 ₾2,491

30.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$846 MDL 15.0K

$675 ₾1,748

25.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,680 MDL 47.6K

$1,758 ₾4,552

52.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,937 MDL 34.4K

$1,225 ₾3,170

58.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$866 MDL 15.4K

$582 ₾1,507

48.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

12.55

-27.49%

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

Last update for Chisinau: October 13, 2026

Last update for Batumi, Ajara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chisinau

$431 33.5%

Batumi, Ajara

$373 32.8% 13.3% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chisinau

$259 20.2%

Batumi, Ajara

$105 9.2% 59.4% $154

Groceries & Markets

Chisinau

$190 14.8%

Batumi, Ajara

$212 18.6% 11.6% $22

Eating Out

Chisinau

$166 12.9%

Batumi, Ajara

$190 16.7% 14.4% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Chisinau

$161 12.5%

Batumi, Ajara

$171 15% 6.6% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Chisinau

$59 4.6%

Batumi, Ajara

$71 6.3% 20.1% $12

Getting Around

Chisinau

$19 1.5%

Batumi, Ajara

$17 1.5% 9.1% $1.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $676 in Chisinau versus $510 in Batumi, Ajara. 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 49% 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 $51.0 in Chisinau versus $32.00 in Batumi, Ajara. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Chisinau vs $212 in Batumi, Ajara – so Chisinau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇲🇩 Chisinau

🇬🇪 Batumi, Ajara

🕒 Local time

15:43 3:43 PM

16:43 4:43 PM

1 h ahead of Chisinau

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

750,000 Capital

186,949

💱 Currency

Moldovan Leu MDL L

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

📈 Exchange rate

100 MDL = 5.63 USD

100 MDL = 5.01 EUR

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, USD, EUR to MDL – Moldovan Leu Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇩 Moldovan Leu (L)

Moldovan Leu exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 17.76 MDL (100 MDL = 5.63 USD). 1 EUR = 19.97 MDL (100 MDL = 5.01 EUR).

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

USD to MDL in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chisinau Batumi, Ajara 1,180 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chisinau
Batumi, Ajara

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Batumi, Ajara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,285 in Chisinau, $1,140 in Batumi, Ajara – roughly 13% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,927 per month in Chisinau and $1,710 in Batumi, Ajara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,285 in Chisinau and $1,140 in Batumi, Ajara. That's a gap of about 13%.

Public transport costs about 16% less in Batumi, Ajara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Batumi, Ajara, where all-in costs run around $1,140, than in Chisinau at $1,285. In Batumi, Ajara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Batumi, Ajara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,140 in Batumi, Ajara to $1,285 in Chisinau. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Batumi, Ajara. 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.