Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Calarasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Calarasi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,200 per month in Chisinau vs $687 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,843 per month in Chisinau vs $1,079 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,485 per month in Chisinau vs $1,470 in Calarasi, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 75% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chisinau and Calarasi are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 11% lower, Calarasi 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.87 MDL 153

$8.69 MDL 150

2.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.12 MDL 641

$36.05 MDL 623

2.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 MDL 130

$7.53 MDL 130

0.13%

Cappuccino

$1.80 MDL 31.07

$1.89 MDL 32.65

-4.76%

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

$0.98 MDL 16.89

$0.90 MDL 15.59

8.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.02

$0.65 MDL 11.15

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 29.87

$1.77 MDL 30.56

-2.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 MDL 39.52

$2.40 MDL 41.52

-4.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.06

$1.24 MDL 21.44

3.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.69

$0.56 MDL 9.62

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 25.83

$1.51 MDL 26.01

-0.66%

Eggs

$2.53 MDL 43.65

$2.48 MDL 42.89

2.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 MDL 177

$10.48 MDL 181

-2.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 MDL 95.2

$5.54 MDL 95.7

-0.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.74 MDL 151

$8.82 MDL 152

-0.91%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 MDL 15.31

$0.91 MDL 15.69

-2.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MDL 30.35

$1.83 MDL 31.63

-3.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 MDL 30.44

$1.70 MDL 29.35

3.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MDL 35.98

$2.15 MDL 37.19

-3.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.50

$0.81 MDL 14.07

3.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 MDL 9.65

$0.58 MDL 10.06

-3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 MDL 22.57

$1.30 MDL 22.44

0.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 MDL 14.37

$0.87 MDL 15.09

-4.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 MDL 57.0

$3.31 MDL 57.1

-0.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 MDL 82.0

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MDL 21.08

$1.28 MDL 22.04

-4.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 MDL 33.23

$2.01 MDL 34.65

-4.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MDL 6.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.74 MDL 237

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MDL 34.48

$1.99 MDL 34.43

0.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.28

$0.27 MDL 4.67

-7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 MDL 91.8

$5.11 MDL 88.3

3.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 MDL 24.55

$1.36 MDL 23.56

4.41%

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

$32.4K MDL 560.3K

$32.3K MDL 558.2K

0.37%

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

$30.9K MDL 533.5K

$31.4K MDL 542.2K

-1.60%

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

$173 MDL 2,986

$169 MDL 2,919

2.27%

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

$7.57 MDL 131

$7.73 MDL 134

-2.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.65 MDL 184

$10.87 MDL 188

-2.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.21 MDL 746

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.02 MDL 380

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 MDL 132

$7.52 MDL 130

1.73%

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

$397 MDL 6,854

$392 MDL 6,771

1.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,753 MDL 133.9K

$7,618 MDL 131.6K

1.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.3 MDL 1,127

$66.5 MDL 1,149

-1.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 MDL 912

$54.6 MDL 942

-3.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,923

$111 MDL 1,910

0.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 MDL 2,147

$124 MDL 2,149

-0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 MDL 11.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 MDL 7,970

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 MDL 21.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$819 MDL 14.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,583 MDL 44.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,942 MDL 33.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$856 MDL 14.8K

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 7, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Chisinau versus $36.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $182 – making Calarasi 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 Calarasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 75%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,800 per month in Chisinau and $1,031 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,200 in Chisinau and $687 in Calarasi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $397 per month in Chisinau and $392 in Calarasi. 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 Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $687, than in Chisinau at $1,200. In Calarasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Calarasi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Calarasi. 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.