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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,340 per month in Chisinau vs $702 in Bender, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,023 per month in Chisinau vs $1,016 in Bender, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,705 per month in Chisinau vs $1,330 in Bender, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 91% more than Bender, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chisinau and Bender are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 2% lower, Bender 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.65 MDL 199

$6.57 MDL 112

77.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 MDL 859

$19.00 MDL 325

164.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 MDL 151

$5.80 MDL 99.2

52.59%

Cappuccino

$2.19 MDL 37.42

$1.23 MDL 21.03

78.05%

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

$1.30 MDL 22.22

$1.07 MDL 18.36

21.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 MDL 15.29

$0.51 MDL 8.69

74.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 MDL 39.44

$0.91 MDL 15.54

153.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 MDL 35.69

$1.74 MDL 29.72

20.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 MDL 21.51

$0.96 MDL 16.38

31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MDL 11.90

$0.49 MDL 8.32

42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MDL 24.82

$1.42 MDL 24.35

2.11%

Eggs

$2.83 MDL 48.36

$2.01 MDL 34.37

40.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.38 MDL 177

$4.19 MDL 71.6

147.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 MDL 93.0

$4.46 MDL 76.3

21.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.23 MDL 158

$5.49 MDL 93.9

68.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 MDL 17.85

$0.85 MDL 14.54

22.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MDL 34.39

$1.88 MDL 32.15

6.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 MDL 37.36

$1.86 MDL 31.79

17.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MDL 40.16

$1.93 MDL 33.09

21.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 MDL 11.64

$0.68 MDL 11.65

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 MDL 9.75

$0.53 MDL 9.09

7.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 MDL 25.42

$0.61 MDL 10.35

144.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 MDL 15.16

$0.85 MDL 14.50

4.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 MDL 58.2

$2.97 MDL 50.9

14.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.71 MDL 80.5

$2.69 MDL 46.07

75.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 MDL 22.53

$0.56 MDL 9.55

135.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 MDL 33.48

$1.89 MDL 32.30

3.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 MDL 7.22

$0.36 MDL 6.18

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.75 MDL 235

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 MDL 39.65

$2.26 MDL 38.65

2.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 MDL 5.76

$0.28 MDL 4.71

21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 MDL 91.5

$5.10 MDL 87.1

4.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 MDL 28.11

$1.49 MDL 25.44

10.07%

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

$30.5K MDL 521.5K

$29.9K MDL 511.9K

1.88%

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

$31.2K MDL 534.1K

$30.9K MDL 528.1K

1.13%

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

$256 MDL 4,381

$258 MDL 4,417

-0.80%

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

$9.82 MDL 168

$9.50 MDL 162

3.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.05 MDL 189

$10.95 MDL 187

0.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.19 MDL 756

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.05 MDL 360

Cinema Ticket

$8.72 MDL 149

$9.02 MDL 154

-3.33%

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

$437 MDL 7,469

$440 MDL 7,522

-0.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,037 MDL 103.2K

$6,043 MDL 103.3K

-0.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 MDL 1,387

$80.4 MDL 1,374

0.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.11 MDL 840

$49.04 MDL 839

0.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 MDL 2,101

$120 MDL 2,045

2.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MDL 1,995

$116 MDL 1,983

0.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 MDL 12.1K

$304 MDL 5,191

132.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 MDL 7,582

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 MDL 22.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 MDL 14.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,775 MDL 47.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,007 MDL 34.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$919 MDL 15.7K

$317 MDL 5,414

190.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.41

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

Last update for Chisinau: August 29, 2026

Last update for Bender: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $706 in Chisinau versus $304 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 190% 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 $50.0 in Chisinau versus $19.00 in Bender. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $140 – 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 91%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,010 per month in Chisinau and $1,053 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Chisinau and $19.00 in Bender. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% more in Chisinau, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bender, where all-in costs run around $702, than in Chisinau at $1,340. 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.