Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Cahul Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Cahul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,231 in Chisinau versus $697 in Cahul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,813 in Chisinau versus $1,101 in Cahul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,394 in Chisinau versus $1,505 in Cahul.

Living in Chisinau is roughly 77% more expensive than Cahul, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chisinau 8% lower, Cahul 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.53 MDL 147

$8.63 MDL 148

-1.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 MDL 638

$36.47 MDL 627

1.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 MDL 130

$7.53 MDL 129

Cappuccino

$1.87 MDL 32.22

$1.88 MDL 32.31

-0.53%

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

$0.99 MDL 17.03

$0.98 MDL 16.93

1.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.01

$0.68 MDL 11.73

2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 MDL 29.89

$1.78 MDL 30.60

-2.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 MDL 39.41

$2.32 MDL 39.87

-1.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.16

$1.29 MDL 22.13

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 8.98

$0.52 MDL 8.96

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MDL 25.03

$1.45 MDL 24.88

0.69%

Eggs

$2.62 MDL 44.99

$2.59 MDL 44.56

1.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 MDL 176

$10.47 MDL 180

-2.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 MDL 92.0

$5.54 MDL 95.3

-3.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.69 MDL 149

$9.04 MDL 155

-3.87%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.40

$0.90 MDL 15.55

-6.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MDL 31.29

$1.82 MDL 31.30

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 MDL 30.52

$1.73 MDL 29.66

2.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MDL 37.27

$2.14 MDL 36.73

1.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 MDL 13.93

$0.83 MDL 14.20

-2.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 MDL 9.31

$0.59 MDL 10.12

-8.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MDL 22.40

$1.35 MDL 23.25

-3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MDL 15.47

$0.82 MDL 14.05

9.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 MDL 56.4

$3.15 MDL 54.1

4.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.73 MDL 81.4

$4.75 MDL 81.7

-0.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 20.84

$1.26 MDL 21.62

-3.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MDL 32.83

$1.98 MDL 34.10

-3.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MDL 5.75

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.47 MDL 232

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.07 MDL 35.61

$2.08 MDL 35.83

-0.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.29

$0.27 MDL 4.67

-7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 MDL 91.7

$5.21 MDL 89.5

2.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MDL 24.76

$1.41 MDL 24.32

2.13%

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

$32.7K MDL 561.9K

$31.7K MDL 544.5K

3.19%

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

$31.5K MDL 540.7K

$31.3K MDL 538.5K

0.41%

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

$174 MDL 2,991

$173 MDL 2,969

0.75%

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

$7.38 MDL 127

$7.41 MDL 127

-0.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.98 MDL 189

$10.80 MDL 186

1.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.14 MDL 742

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.18 MDL 381

Cinema Ticket

$7.63 MDL 131

$7.49 MDL 129

1.87%

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

$388 MDL 6,663

$384 MDL 6,606

0.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,708 MDL 132.5K

$7,544 MDL 129.7K

2.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 MDL 1,123

$65.6 MDL 1,128

-0.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 MDL 934

$54.5 MDL 937

-0.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,911

$115 MDL 1,972

-3.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 MDL 2,071

$123 MDL 2,113

-1.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$668 MDL 11.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MDL 8,048

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MDL 21.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$798 MDL 13.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,649 MDL 45.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,901 MDL 32.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 MDL 14.9K

$523 MDL 8,999

65.11%

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 Cahul: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Chisinau pays 65% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $37.00 in Chisinau vs $36.00 in Cahul. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $192, with Chisinau cheaper for home cooking.

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 Cahul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cahul wins on cost – living expenses run 77% lower than in Chisinau. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cahul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Chisinau pays 65% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Chisinau pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,231 per month in Chisinau versus $697 in Cahul – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $697 in Cahul versus $1,231 in Chisinau, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cahul but tight or insufficient in Chisinau. The gap between the two cities makes Cahul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cahul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $697 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cahul hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chisinau and Cahul are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cahul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Chisinau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.