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: $1,217 in Chisinau versus $696 in Cahul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,808 in Chisinau versus $1,085 in Cahul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,399 in Chisinau versus $1,474 in Cahul.

Living in Chisinau is roughly 75% more expensive than in Cahul, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chisinau 9% lower, Cahul 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.89 MDL 155

$8.58 MDL 149

3.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.83 MDL 641

$36.74 MDL 640

0.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 MDL 129

$7.66 MDL 133

-3.66%

Cappuccino

$1.89 MDL 32.91

$1.82 MDL 31.66

3.85%

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

$0.92 MDL 16.08

$0.93 MDL 16.27

-1.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.14

$0.64 MDL 11.11

9.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 MDL 31.13

$1.73 MDL 30.09

3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 MDL 40.48

$2.28 MDL 39.69

2.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.21

$1.28 MDL 22.29

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.79

$0.55 MDL 9.61

1.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MDL 26.00

$1.50 MDL 26.03

-0.67%

Eggs

$2.61 MDL 45.51

$2.51 MDL 43.72

3.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 MDL 183

$10.43 MDL 182

0.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 MDL 93.3

$5.50 MDL 95.8

-2.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 MDL 155

$8.94 MDL 156

-0.56%

Apples (1kg)

$0.85 MDL 14.79

$0.90 MDL 15.70

-5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MDL 31.57

$1.74 MDL 30.27

4.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 MDL 30.81

$1.77 MDL 30.73

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 MDL 37.42

$2.10 MDL 36.56

2.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MDL 13.56

$0.77 MDL 13.46

1.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.31

$0.55 MDL 9.53

7.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 MDL 23.34

$1.36 MDL 23.65

-1.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MDL 15.63

$0.84 MDL 14.66

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 MDL 57.0

$3.28 MDL 57.1

Wine (Bottle)

$4.59 MDL 80.0

$4.57 MDL 79.6

0.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 21.12

$1.22 MDL 21.27

-0.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 MDL 34.57

$1.98 MDL 34.44

0.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MDL 6.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.82 MDL 241

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MDL 36.50

$2.02 MDL 35.23

3.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.70

$0.27 MDL 4.72

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.17 MDL 90.0

$5.30 MDL 92.3

-2.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 MDL 24.06

$1.43 MDL 24.82

-3.50%

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

$31.9K MDL 555.7K

$32.2K MDL 560.4K

-0.85%

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

$31.5K MDL 548.8K

$31.5K MDL 547.8K

0.17%

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

$170 MDL 2,954

$169 MDL 2,948

0.18%

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

$7.34 MDL 128

$7.74 MDL 135

-5.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.78 MDL 188

$10.68 MDL 186

0.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.85 MDL 763

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.97 MDL 383

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 MDL 130

$7.58 MDL 132

-1.72%

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

$391 MDL 6,800

$394 MDL 6,859

-0.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,516 MDL 130.9K

$7,562 MDL 131.7K

-0.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 MDL 1,166

$65.3 MDL 1,137

2.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MDL 943

$54.4 MDL 947

-0.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MDL 1,923

$114 MDL 1,992

-3.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MDL 2,132

$121 MDL 2,106

1.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 MDL 11.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MDL 8,146

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MDL 21.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$822 MDL 14.3K

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

$514 MDL 8,942

68.82%

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 Cahul: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Chisinau pays 69% 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 $37.00 in Cahul. Groceries flip the comparison at $192 vs $191, with Cahul 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 75% 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.

Average pay runs 69% higher in Chisinau, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Chisinau. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,217 per month in Chisinau versus $696 in Cahul – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $696 in Cahul versus $1,217 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 $696 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 75% less than in Chisinau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.