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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,231 per month in Chisinau vs $706 in Bender, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,813 per month in Chisinau vs $1,064 in Bender, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,394 per month in Chisinau vs $1,423 in Bender, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 74% more than Bender, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chisinau and Bender are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 8% lower, Bender 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.53 MDL 146

$9.03 MDL 155

-5.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 MDL 637

$17.80 MDL 306

108.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 MDL 129

$5.70 MDL 97.8

32.11%

Cappuccino

$1.87 MDL 32.18

$1.07 MDL 18.43

74.77%

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

$0.99 MDL 17.01

$0.99 MDL 17.04

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.00

$0.57 MDL 9.83

22.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 MDL 29.85

$0.96 MDL 16.54

81.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 MDL 39.37

$2.08 MDL 35.68

10.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.14

$0.96 MDL 16.44

34.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 8.97

$0.47 MDL 8.04

10.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MDL 25.00

$1.51 MDL 25.90

-3.31%

Eggs

$2.62 MDL 44.94

$1.96 MDL 33.64

33.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 MDL 175

$4.08 MDL 70.1

150.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 MDL 91.9

$4.09 MDL 70.2

30.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.69 MDL 149

$5.04 MDL 86.5

72.42%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.38

$0.71 MDL 12.20

18.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MDL 31.25

$1.82 MDL 31.30

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 MDL 30.49

$1.69 MDL 29.03

5.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MDL 37.23

$1.56 MDL 26.76

39.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 MDL 13.91

$0.77 MDL 13.24

5.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 MDL 9.30

$0.55 MDL 9.49

-1.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MDL 22.37

$1.31 MDL 22.45

-0.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MDL 15.46

$0.80 MDL 13.68

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 MDL 56.3

$2.97 MDL 51.0

10.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.73 MDL 81.3

$2.55 MDL 43.71

85.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 20.81

$0.71 MDL 12.25

70.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MDL 32.79

$1.58 MDL 27.10

20.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MDL 5.74

$0.34 MDL 5.77

-2.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.47 MDL 231

$4.08 MDL 70.0

230.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.07 MDL 35.57

$1.14 MDL 19.63

81.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.29

$0.27 MDL 4.66

-7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 MDL 91.6

$1.16 MDL 19.88

359.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MDL 24.73

$1.36 MDL 23.39

5.88%

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

$32.7K MDL 561.3K

$17.9K MDL 307.2K

82.71%

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

$31.5K MDL 540.1K

$18.0K MDL 308.6K

75.03%

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

$174 MDL 2,988

$175 MDL 3,002

-0.46%

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

$7.38 MDL 127

$7.32 MDL 126

0.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.98 MDL 189

$8.05 MDL 138

36.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.14 MDL 741

$23.18 MDL 398

86.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.18 MDL 381

Cinema Ticket

$7.63 MDL 131

$2.40 MDL 41.15

217.92%

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

$388 MDL 6,655

$392 MDL 6,725

-1.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,708 MDL 132.3K

$7,487 MDL 128.6K

2.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 MDL 1,122

$11.51 MDL 198

467.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 MDL 933

$26.05 MDL 447

108.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,909

$112 MDL 1,922

-0.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 MDL 2,069

$120 MDL 2,065

0.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$668 MDL 11.5K

$219 MDL 3,758

205.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MDL 8,039

$95.2 MDL 1,635

391.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MDL 21.3K

$316 MDL 5,417

293.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$798 MDL 13.7K

$226 MDL 3,876

253.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,649 MDL 45.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,901 MDL 32.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 MDL 14.8K

$329 MDL 5,650

162.64%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bender: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $668 in Chisinau versus $219 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 163% 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: $190 vs $135 – 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 74%, 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 $1,846 per month in Chisinau and $1,059 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 230% less in Bender. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $388 per month in Chisinau and $392 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 $706, than in Chisinau at $1,231. 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.