Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Cotonou Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Cotonou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,304 per month in Chisinau vs $946 in Cotonou, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,008 per month in Chisinau vs $1,477 in Cotonou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,713 per month in Chisinau vs $2,009 in Cotonou, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 38% more than Cotonou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chisinau and Cotonou are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 5% lower, Cotonou 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 MDL 199

$5.34 F CFA 3,052

115.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.3 MDL 889

$36.50 F CFA 20.9K

40.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.72 MDL 151

$9.92 F CFA 5,668

-12.10%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MDL 38.56

$5.12 F CFA 2,927

-56.45%

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

$1.24 MDL 21.46

$1.05 F CFA 599

18.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MDL 15.74

$0.91 F CFA 519

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 MDL 40.71

$0.86 F CFA 491

173.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 MDL 34.18

$2.69 F CFA 1,538

-26.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 MDL 22.65

$3.17 F CFA 1,814

-58.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MDL 11.96

$1.28 F CFA 731

-46.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MDL 25.37

$1.88 F CFA 1,074

-22.34%

Eggs

$2.93 MDL 50.8

$2.81 F CFA 1,605

4.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MDL 177

$9.66 F CFA 5,522

5.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 MDL 90.8

$5.66 F CFA 3,232

-7.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.94 MDL 155

$5.19 F CFA 2,963

72.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MDL 17.62

$4.32 F CFA 2,466

-76.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 MDL 33.23

$1.93 F CFA 1,105

-0.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MDL 35.56

$1.34 F CFA 764

52.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MDL 37.69

$2.78 F CFA 1,590

-21.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 MDL 11.96

$1.30 F CFA 741

-46.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 MDL 9.26

$1.80 F CFA 1,031

-70.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MDL 25.00

$0.45 F CFA 257

220.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 MDL 16.14

$1.16 F CFA 663

-19.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 MDL 61.4

$3.44 F CFA 1,963

2.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.80 MDL 83.3

$4.29 F CFA 2,451

11.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 MDL 22.18

$1.22 F CFA 695

4.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 MDL 34.55

$1.89 F CFA 1,079

5.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 MDL 7.11

$1.36 F CFA 776

-69.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.22 MDL 229

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 MDL 40.78

$1.38 F CFA 788

70.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MDL 6.25

$1.44 F CFA 821

-75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 MDL 90.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 MDL 29.43

$1.23 F CFA 701

38.21%

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

$29.1K MDL 504.9K

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

$31.2K MDL 541.5K

$25.1K F CFA 14.3M

24.52%

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

$251 MDL 4,354

$151 F CFA 86.1K

66.85%

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

$9.43 MDL 163

$35.44 F CFA 20.2K

-73.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.03 MDL 191

$49.28 F CFA 28.2K

-77.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 MDL 744

$49.48 F CFA 28.3K

-13.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.33 MDL 370

$3.54 F CFA 2,025

502.54%

Cinema Ticket

$8.49 MDL 147

$8.86 F CFA 5,061

-4.18%

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

$439 MDL 7,614

$137 F CFA 78.0K

221.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,932 MDL 102.8K

$5,660 F CFA 3.2M

4.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.6 MDL 1,345

$25.92 F CFA 14.8K

199.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.65 MDL 826

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 MDL 2,076

$34.87 F CFA 19.9K

243.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MDL 1,992

$70.6 F CFA 40.3K

62.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 MDL 12.0K

$182 F CFA 103.9K

281.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 MDL 7,683

$175 F CFA 99.8K

153.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MDL 21.6K

$614 F CFA 351.0K

102.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$817 MDL 14.2K

$429 F CFA 245.2K

90.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,752 MDL 47.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,957 MDL 33.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$925 MDL 16.0K

$261 F CFA 149.2K

254.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.41

135.25%

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

Last update for Chisinau: September 13, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Chisinau versus $182 in Cotonou. 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 254% 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 $37.00 in Cotonou. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Chisinau vs $230 in Cotonou – 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 Cotonou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 38%, 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 $1,418 in Cotonou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cotonou, 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 $946 in Cotonou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $439 per month in Chisinau and $137 in Cotonou. 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 Cotonou, where all-in costs run around $946, than in Chisinau at $1,304. In Cotonou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cotonou – 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 Cotonou. 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.