Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Cheras Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Cheras

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,231 per month in Chisinau vs $831 in Cheras, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,813 per month in Chisinau vs $1,274 in Cheras, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,394 per month in Chisinau vs $1,717 in Cheras, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 48% more than Cheras, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chisinau and Cheras are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 8% lower, Cheras 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.53 MDL 147

$3.44 MYR 13.63

147.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 MDL 638

$18.78 MYR 74.5

97.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 MDL 130

$4.76 MYR 18.88

58.19%

Cappuccino

$1.87 MDL 32.22

$2.90 MYR 11.50

-35.52%

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

$0.99 MDL 17.03

$0.84 MYR 3.35

17.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.01

$0.49 MYR 1.94

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 MDL 29.89

$4.81 MYR 19.05

-63.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 MDL 39.41

$6.66 MYR 26.40

-65.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.16

$1.82 MYR 7.22

-29.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 8.98

$0.98 MYR 3.89

-46.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MDL 25.03

$1.30 MYR 5.14

12.31%

Eggs

$2.62 MDL 44.99

$2.16 MYR 8.56

21.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 MDL 176

$15.25 MYR 60.5

-32.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 MDL 92.0

$3.65 MYR 14.48

46.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.69 MDL 149

$7.67 MYR 30.41

13.30%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.40

$2.74 MYR 10.87

-69.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MDL 31.29

$1.66 MYR 6.60

9.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 MDL 30.52

$2.56 MYR 10.17

-30.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MDL 37.27

$1.22 MYR 4.82

77.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 MDL 13.93

$1.45 MYR 5.75

-44.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 MDL 9.31

$1.35 MYR 5.33

-60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MDL 22.40

$0.88 MYR 3.49

47.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MDL 15.47

$0.55 MYR 2.18

63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 MDL 56.4

$4.21 MYR 16.69

-22.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.73 MDL 81.4

$14.45 MYR 57.3

-67.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 20.84

$2.74 MYR 10.87

-55.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MDL 32.83

$3.81 MYR 15.09

-49.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MDL 5.75

$0.48 MYR 1.91

-31.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.47 MDL 232

$11.66 MYR 46.22

15.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.07 MDL 35.61

$1.01 MYR 4.02

104.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.29

$1.02 MYR 4.05

-75.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 MDL 91.7

$9.22 MYR 36.57

-42.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MDL 24.76

$0.47 MYR 1.86

206.38%

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

$32.7K MDL 561.9K

$48.8K MYR 193.6K

-33.05%

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

$31.5K MDL 540.7K

$31.4K MYR 124.5K

0.21%

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

$174 MDL 2,991

$40.52 MYR 161

329.44%

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

$7.38 MDL 127

$9.37 MYR 37.17

-21.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.98 MDL 189

$31.21 MYR 124

-64.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.14 MDL 742

$40.69 MYR 161

6.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.18 MDL 381

$5.93 MYR 23.49

274.03%

Cinema Ticket

$7.63 MDL 131

$5.04 MYR 20.00

51.39%

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

$388 MDL 6,663

$188 MYR 744

106.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,708 MDL 132.5K

$6,832 MYR 27.1K

12.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 MDL 1,123

$63.9 MYR 253

2.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 MDL 934

$34.51 MYR 137

57.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,911

$73.1 MYR 290

52.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 MDL 2,071

$48.54 MYR 192

148.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$668 MDL 11.5K

$379 MYR 1,504

76.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MDL 8,048

$236 MYR 935

98.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MDL 21.4K

$642 MYR 2,547

93.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$798 MDL 13.7K

$431 MYR 1,709

85.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,649 MDL 45.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,901 MDL 32.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 MDL 14.9K

$1,212 MYR 4,806

-28.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

4.07

127.03%

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

Last update for Chisinau: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cheras: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $668 in Chisinau versus $379 in Cheras. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 40% higher in Cheras, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Chisinau versus $19.00 in Cheras. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Chisinau vs $236 in Cheras – so Chisinau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Cheras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 48%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,846 per month in Chisinau and $1,247 in Cheras. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cheras, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Chisinau – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Chisinau and $19.00 in Cheras. 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 Cheras, where all-in costs run around $831, than in Chisinau at $1,231. In Cheras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cheras. 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.