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: $1,346 in Chisinau versus $649 in Cahul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,052 in Chisinau versus $953 in Cahul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,758 in Chisinau versus $1,258 in Cahul.

Living in Chisinau is roughly 108% more expensive than in Cahul, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chisinau 2% lower, Cahul 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.69 MDL 201

$8.89 MDL 153

31.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MDL 885

$23.72 MDL 407

117.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.58 MDL 147

$10.81 MDL 186

-20.63%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MDL 38.26

$1.69 MDL 29.04

31.95%

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

$1.25 MDL 21.51

$1.15 MDL 19.66

8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 MDL 15.21

$0.56 MDL 9.66

58.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 MDL 39.22

$2.00 MDL 34.25

14.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 MDL 33.83

$1.90 MDL 32.59

3.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 MDL 22.25

$1.32 MDL 22.62

-1.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 MDL 12.35

$0.47 MDL 8.04

53.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MDL 25.63

$1.64 MDL 28.21

-9.15%

Eggs

$2.97 MDL 50.9

$2.25 MDL 38.65

32.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 MDL 174

$7.04 MDL 121

44.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 MDL 90.6

$4.76 MDL 81.7

10.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 MDL 151

$6.56 MDL 113

33.84%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MDL 16.69

$1.02 MDL 17.47

-4.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 MDL 32.68

$2.38 MDL 40.90

-20.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MDL 35.22

$1.93 MDL 33.04

6.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 MDL 38.00

$2.45 MDL 42.11

-9.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 MDL 11.71

$0.79 MDL 13.60

-13.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 MDL 9.70

$0.54 MDL 9.24

5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MDL 24.97

$0.44 MDL 7.55

231.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 MDL 16.03

$0.55 MDL 9.47

69.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 MDL 61.2

$3.38 MDL 58.0

5.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.03 MDL 86.4

$4.60 MDL 79.0

9.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MDL 21.74

$1.43 MDL 24.55

-11.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MDL 33.36

$2.01 MDL 34.48

-3.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MDL 6.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.83 MDL 237

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 MDL 40.54

$2.88 MDL 49.41

-18.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 MDL 6.31

$0.25 MDL 4.28

48.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 MDL 87.1

$5.88 MDL 101

-13.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 MDL 29.27

$1.54 MDL 26.35

11.04%

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

$29.9K MDL 513.3K

$34.3K MDL 588.8K

-12.84%

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

$30.5K MDL 523.0K

$25.6K MDL 438.7K

19.23%

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

$254 MDL 4,365

$236 MDL 4,050

7.77%

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

$9.44 MDL 162

$8.07 MDL 139

16.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.75 MDL 185

$11.47 MDL 197

-6.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.83 MDL 735

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.23 MDL 364

Cinema Ticket

$8.60 MDL 148

$7.73 MDL 133

11.25%

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

$445 MDL 7,633

$116 MDL 1,998

282.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,089 MDL 104.5K

$5,457 MDL 93.6K

11.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.4 MDL 1,345

$47.16 MDL 809

66.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.80 MDL 820

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 MDL 2,050

$57.1 MDL 980

109.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MDL 1,945

$52.5 MDL 901

115.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 MDL 12.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 MDL 7,815

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 MDL 21.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$821 MDL 14.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,781 MDL 47.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,997 MDL 34.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$922 MDL 15.8K

$528 MDL 9,054

74.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.41

17.63%

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

Last update for Chisinau: September 5, 2026

Last update for Cahul: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Chisinau pays 75% 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: $52.0 in Chisinau vs $24.00 in Cahul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $170 per month, with Cahul cheaper across the board.

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 108% 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 75% 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 16% higher in Chisinau. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,346 per month in Chisinau versus $649 in Cahul – a 108% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $649 in Cahul versus $1,346 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 $649 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 108% less than in Chisinau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.