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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,318 per month in Chisinau vs $371 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Chisinau vs $612 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,713 per month in Chisinau vs $852 in Calarasi, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 255% more than Calarasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chisinau and Calarasi are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 4% lower, Calarasi 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.51 MDL 195

$11.83 MDL 201

-2.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 MDL 855

$22.90 MDL 389

119.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 MDL 151

$7.11 MDL 121

24.89%

Cappuccino

$2.27 MDL 38.52

$1.44 MDL 24.40

57.64%

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

$1.23 MDL 20.84

$0.78 MDL 13.25

57.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MDL 15.45

$0.45 MDL 7.72

102.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 MDL 40.30

$1.18 MDL 20.03

100.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 MDL 35.04

$1.50 MDL 25.42

37.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 MDL 21.52

$1.04 MDL 17.65

22.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 MDL 12.64

$0.34 MDL 5.71

117.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MDL 25.36

Eggs

$2.87 MDL 48.72

$2.05 MDL 34.80

40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.23 MDL 174

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.45 MDL 92.5

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.40 MDL 160

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 MDL 16.67

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 MDL 33.75

$2.01 MDL 34.17

-1.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 MDL 33.38

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 MDL 37.39

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MDL 12.29

$0.70 MDL 11.87

2.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 MDL 10.11

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MDL 24.48

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 MDL 15.51

$0.57 MDL 9.68

59.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 MDL 58.0

Wine (Bottle)

$4.69 MDL 79.7

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 MDL 21.41

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MDL 32.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 MDL 7.17

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.36 MDL 227

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 MDL 40.53

$1.18 MDL 20.06

102.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 MDL 5.76

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 MDL 91.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 MDL 28.76

$1.64 MDL 27.91

3.05%

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

$29.5K MDL 500.3K

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

$31.5K MDL 535.5K

$21.4K MDL 363.6K

47.26%

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

$244 MDL 4,136

$62.1 MDL 1,054

292.46%

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

$9.73 MDL 165

$6.93 MDL 118

40.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.77 MDL 183

$10.65 MDL 181

1.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.86 MDL 745

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.91 MDL 355

Cinema Ticket

$8.48 MDL 144

$3.44 MDL 58.5

146.51%

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

$443 MDL 7,517

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,066 MDL 103.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.9 MDL 1,323

$35.28 MDL 599

120.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.93 MDL 814

$35.08 MDL 596

36.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 MDL 2,094

$109 MDL 1,847

13.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MDL 1,950

$35.47 MDL 602

223.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 MDL 12.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 MDL 7,797

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 MDL 22.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$812 MDL 13.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,678 MDL 45.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,988 MDL 33.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$908 MDL 15.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.3

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

Last update for Chisinau: August 16, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Chisinau versus $23.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $43.00 – 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 255%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,977 per month in Chisinau and $557 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 363% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Chisinau and $23.00 in Calarasi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $371, than in Chisinau at $1,318. 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.