Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Cimislia Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Cimislia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,304 per month in Chisinau vs $821 in Cimislia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,008 per month in Chisinau vs $1,161 in Cimislia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,713 per month in Chisinau vs $1,501 in Cimislia, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 59% more than Cimislia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chisinau and Cimislia are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 5% lower, Cimislia 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 MDL 200

$7.01 MDL 122

63.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.3 MDL 892

$23.30 MDL 405

120.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.72 MDL 152

$10.59 MDL 184

-17.66%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MDL 38.72

$1.77 MDL 30.82

25.99%

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

$1.24 MDL 21.55

$1.09 MDL 18.89

13.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MDL 15.81

$0.72 MDL 12.58

26.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 MDL 40.88

$1.12 MDL 19.44

109.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 MDL 34.31

$2.36 MDL 41.06

-16.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 MDL 22.75

$1.03 MDL 17.84

27.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MDL 12.01

$0.39 MDL 6.70

76.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MDL 25.47

$1.60 MDL 27.80

-8.75%

Eggs

$2.93 MDL 51.0

$2.01 MDL 34.98

45.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MDL 178

$7.05 MDL 123

44.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 MDL 91.2

$4.12 MDL 71.6

27.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.94 MDL 156

$6.21 MDL 108

43.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MDL 17.69

$0.56 MDL 9.78

82.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 MDL 33.36

$2.23 MDL 38.88

-13.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MDL 35.71

$1.46 MDL 25.39

40.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MDL 37.84

$2.00 MDL 34.86

8.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 MDL 12.01

$0.60 MDL 10.41

15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 MDL 9.30

$0.50 MDL 8.73

6.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MDL 25.10

$0.47 MDL 8.24

206.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 MDL 16.20

$0.60 MDL 10.45

55.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 MDL 61.6

$3.40 MDL 59.2

4.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.80 MDL 83.6

$4.52 MDL 78.6

6.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 MDL 22.27

$1.13 MDL 19.72

13.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 MDL 34.68

$1.96 MDL 34.18

1.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 MDL 7.13

$0.30 MDL 5.27

36.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.22 MDL 230

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 MDL 40.94

$2.80 MDL 48.71

-16.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MDL 6.28

$0.27 MDL 4.73

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 MDL 90.6

$5.66 MDL 98.4

-7.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 MDL 29.55

$1.40 MDL 24.39

21.43%

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

$29.1K MDL 506.9K

$34.8K MDL 605.6K

-16.29%

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

$31.2K MDL 543.6K

$24.7K MDL 429.3K

26.65%

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

$251 MDL 4,372

$230 MDL 4,000

9.30%

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

$9.43 MDL 164

$7.89 MDL 137

19.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.03 MDL 192

$11.58 MDL 202

-4.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 MDL 747

$17.48 MDL 304

145.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.33 MDL 371

Cinema Ticket

$8.49 MDL 148

$7.57 MDL 132

12.15%

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

$439 MDL 7,644

$115 MDL 1,998

282.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,932 MDL 103.2K

$5,479 MDL 95.3K

8.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.6 MDL 1,350

$45.67 MDL 795

69.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.65 MDL 829

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 MDL 2,085

$56.9 MDL 990

110.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MDL 2,000

$51.1 MDL 889

124.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 MDL 12.1K

$227 MDL 3,944

205.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 MDL 7,714

$174 MDL 3,033

154.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MDL 21.7K

$347 MDL 6,037

259.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$817 MDL 14.2K

$292 MDL 5,072

180.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,752 MDL 47.9K

$745 MDL 13.0K

269.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,957 MDL 34.1K

$688 MDL 12.0K

184.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$925 MDL 16.1K

$428 MDL 7,453

115.95%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Cimislia: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Chisinau versus $227 in Cimislia. 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 116% higher in Chisinau, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Chisinau versus $23.00 in Cimislia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $152 – making Cimislia 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 Cimislia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 59%, 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 $1,956 per month in Chisinau and $1,231 in Cimislia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,304 in Chisinau and $821 in Cimislia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $439 per month in Chisinau and $115 in Cimislia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cimislia, where all-in costs run around $821, than in Chisinau at $1,304. In Cimislia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cimislia – 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 Cimislia. 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.