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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,275 per month in Chisinau vs $359 in Calarasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,987 per month in Chisinau vs $582 in Calarasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,699 per month in Chisinau vs $805 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 5% lower, Calarasi 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.27 MDL 200

$11.24 MDL 200

0.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.50 MDL 879

$22.36 MDL 397

121.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 MDL 150

$7.01 MDL 124

20.68%

Cappuccino

$2.12 MDL 37.65

$1.37 MDL 24.33

54.74%

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

$1.17 MDL 20.84

$0.76 MDL 13.48

53.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MDL 16.10

$0.46 MDL 8.22

97.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 MDL 39.80

$1.11 MDL 19.67

101.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 MDL 34.10

$1.44 MDL 25.60

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 MDL 21.49

$1.03 MDL 18.36

17.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MDL 12.24

$0.32 MDL 5.75

115.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 MDL 24.32

Eggs

$2.81 MDL 49.97

$1.94 MDL 34.50

44.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 MDL 169

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.02 MDL 89.1

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.75 MDL 155

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MDL 17.31

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 MDL 34.18

$2.01 MDL 35.70

-4.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MDL 36.94

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 MDL 39.93

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 MDL 12.66

$0.67 MDL 11.81

5.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 MDL 9.98

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 MDL 23.32

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 MDL 15.58

$0.56 MDL 9.98

57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 MDL 59.8

Wine (Bottle)

$4.81 MDL 85.5

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 MDL 22.33

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 MDL 33.18

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MDL 6.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.68 MDL 243

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 MDL 39.96

$1.14 MDL 20.28

97.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MDL 5.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 MDL 90.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 MDL 30.24

$1.61 MDL 28.56

5.59%

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

$29.4K MDL 521.5K

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

$30.3K MDL 538.5K

$20.3K MDL 360.2K

49.48%

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

$244 MDL 4,327

$60.4 MDL 1,073

303.19%

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

$9.64 MDL 171

$6.94 MDL 123

38.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.72 MDL 190

$10.25 MDL 182

4.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.23 MDL 732

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.17 MDL 358

Cinema Ticket

$8.40 MDL 149

$3.31 MDL 58.8

153.78%

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

$428 MDL 7,594

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,887 MDL 104.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.8 MDL 1,435

$34.48 MDL 612

134.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.11 MDL 819

$34.02 MDL 604

35.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MDL 2,050

$109 MDL 1,944

5.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MDL 2,023

$34.27 MDL 609

232.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 MDL 12.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 MDL 7,805

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 MDL 22.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 MDL 14.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,614 MDL 46.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,988 MDL 35.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$867 MDL 15.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

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

Last update for Chisinau: October 5, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Chisinau versus $22.00 in Calarasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $42.00 – 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 $1,912 per month in Chisinau and $538 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 351% 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 $49.00 in Chisinau and $22.00 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 $359, than in Chisinau at $1,275. 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.