Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Bender Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Bender

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,217 per month in Chisinau vs $681 in Bender, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,808 per month in Chisinau vs $1,052 in Bender, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,399 per month in Chisinau vs $1,424 in Bender, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 79% more than Bender, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chisinau and Bender are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 9% lower, Bender 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.89 MDL 155

$8.57 MDL 149

3.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.83 MDL 641

$17.87 MDL 311

106.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 MDL 129

$5.87 MDL 102

25.72%

Cappuccino

$1.89 MDL 32.91

$1.11 MDL 19.30

70.27%

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

$0.92 MDL 16.08

$0.91 MDL 15.78

1.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.14

$0.54 MDL 9.39

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 MDL 31.13

$0.96 MDL 16.80

86.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 MDL 40.48

$2.00 MDL 34.88

16.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.21

$0.91 MDL 15.78

40.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.79

$0.51 MDL 8.81

9.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MDL 26.00

$1.51 MDL 26.22

-1.32%

Eggs

$2.61 MDL 45.51

$1.89 MDL 32.98

38.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 MDL 183

$4.18 MDL 72.8

151.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 MDL 93.3

$4.32 MDL 75.1

24.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 MDL 155

$5.22 MDL 90.9

70.31%

Apples (1kg)

$0.85 MDL 14.79

$0.76 MDL 13.24

11.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MDL 31.57

$1.76 MDL 30.60

2.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 MDL 30.81

$1.69 MDL 29.44

4.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 MDL 37.42

$1.62 MDL 28.27

32.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MDL 13.56

$0.78 MDL 13.55

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.31

$0.58 MDL 10.17

1.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 MDL 23.34

$1.31 MDL 22.76

2.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MDL 15.63

$0.79 MDL 13.81

13.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 MDL 57.0

$2.89 MDL 50.4

13.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.59 MDL 80.0

$2.59 MDL 45.12

77.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 21.12

$0.72 MDL 12.48

68.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 MDL 34.57

$1.56 MDL 27.19

27.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MDL 6.29

$0.36 MDL 6.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.82 MDL 241

$4.17 MDL 72.5

231.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MDL 36.50

$1.09 MDL 18.97

92.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.70

$0.25 MDL 4.34

8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.17 MDL 90.0

$1.16 MDL 20.13

345.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 MDL 24.06

$1.37 MDL 23.78

0.73%

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

$31.9K MDL 555.7K

$17.5K MDL 304.1K

82.71%

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

$31.5K MDL 548.8K

$17.8K MDL 310.1K

76.94%

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

$170 MDL 2,954

$171 MDL 2,982

-0.94%

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

$7.34 MDL 128

$7.73 MDL 135

-5.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.78 MDL 188

$8.29 MDL 144

30.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.85 MDL 763

$23.56 MDL 410

86.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.97 MDL 383

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 MDL 130

$2.31 MDL 40.16

222.51%

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

$391 MDL 6,800

$385 MDL 6,711

1.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,516 MDL 130.9K

$7,689 MDL 133.9K

-2.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 MDL 1,166

$11.76 MDL 205

469.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MDL 943

$26.08 MDL 454

107.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MDL 1,923

$112 MDL 1,945

-1.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MDL 2,132

$121 MDL 2,107

1.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 MDL 11.7K

$226 MDL 3,941

197.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MDL 8,146

$97.2 MDL 1,691

381.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MDL 21.6K

$306 MDL 5,336

305.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$822 MDL 14.3K

$224 MDL 3,904

266.58%

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)

$867 MDL 15.1K

$322 MDL 5,609

169.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

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

Last update for Chisinau: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bender: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $673 in Chisinau versus $226 in Bender. 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 169% 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 $18.00 in Bender. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $137 – making Bender the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bender: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 79%, 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 $1,826 per month in Chisinau and $1,021 in Bender. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 231% less in Bender. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $391 per month in Chisinau and $385 in Bender. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bender, where all-in costs run around $681, than in Chisinau at $1,217. In Bender it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bender – 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 Bender. 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.