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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,225 per month in Chisinau vs $978 in Cotonou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,820 per month in Chisinau vs $1,407 in Cotonou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,416 per month in Chisinau vs $1,835 in Cotonou, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 25% more than Cotonou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chisinau and Cotonou are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 8% lower, Cotonou 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.83 MDL 152

$3.47 F CFA 1,948

154.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.23 MDL 642

$26.93 F CFA 15.1K

38.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 MDL 127

$5.24 F CFA 2,940

41.03%

Cappuccino

$1.83 MDL 31.55

$5.52 F CFA 3,097

-66.85%

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

$0.94 MDL 16.18

$0.86 F CFA 483

9.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.03

$0.78 F CFA 435

-10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 MDL 29.97

$1.45 F CFA 814

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 MDL 41.56

$3.49 F CFA 1,956

-30.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.33

$2.65 F CFA 1,486

-51.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 MDL 9.06

$1.38 F CFA 774

-61.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 25.92

$1.85 F CFA 1,037

-18.92%

Eggs

$2.49 MDL 42.91

$2.18 F CFA 1,221

14.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 MDL 178

$9.23 F CFA 5,179

11.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.55 MDL 95.8

$4.93 F CFA 2,763

12.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.69 MDL 150

$5.13 F CFA 2,877

69.40%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 MDL 15.71

$3.89 F CFA 2,183

-76.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MDL 30.47

$1.37 F CFA 771

29.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 MDL 29.35

$1.27 F CFA 710

33.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MDL 36.20

$1.77 F CFA 991

18.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MDL 13.11

$1.41 F CFA 789

-46.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 MDL 9.55

$1.45 F CFA 811

-62.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MDL 23.45

$0.48 F CFA 267

183.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MDL 14.52

$1.28 F CFA 718

-34.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 MDL 54.6

$2.33 F CFA 1,309

36.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.88 MDL 84.2

$6.52 F CFA 3,659

-25.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 MDL 21.14

$1.24 F CFA 698

-0.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 MDL 33.94

$2.28 F CFA 1,281

-13.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.85

$1.80 F CFA 1,012

-81.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.53 MDL 233

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 MDL 34.65

$1.44 F CFA 810

39.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.67

$1.26 F CFA 705

-78.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 MDL 88.1

$1.79 F CFA 1,005

185.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MDL 23.90

$1.06 F CFA 595

31.13%

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

$32.1K MDL 554.4K

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

$30.7K MDL 528.8K

$24.3K F CFA 13.6M

26.21%

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

$176 MDL 3,031

$269 F CFA 150.9K

-34.71%

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

$7.68 MDL 133

$44.80 F CFA 25.1K

-82.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.98 MDL 189

$55.5 F CFA 31.1K

-80.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.02 MDL 742

$58.9 F CFA 33.0K

-26.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.11 MDL 381

$5.44 F CFA 3,051

306.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 MDL 130

$7.53 F CFA 4,221

0.27%

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

$390 MDL 6,730

$189 F CFA 106.1K

106.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,672 MDL 132.3K

$6,522 F CFA 3.7M

17.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 MDL 1,143

$17.58 F CFA 9,863

276.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 MDL 913

$8.64 F CFA 4,846

512.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,909

$9.04 F CFA 5,070

1124.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MDL 2,084

$49.26 F CFA 27.6K

145.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 MDL 11.7K

$202 F CFA 113.3K

235.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 MDL 7,943

$149 F CFA 83.6K

208.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 MDL 21.6K

$577 F CFA 323.7K

116.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 MDL 13.8K

$285 F CFA 159.7K

181.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,645 MDL 45.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,885 MDL 32.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$831 MDL 14.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

84.80%

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

Last update for Chisinau: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $677 in Chisinau versus $202 in Cotonou. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Chisinau versus $27.00 in Cotonou. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Chisinau vs $214 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 25%, 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 $1,838 per month in Chisinau and $1,467 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 $1,225 in Chisinau and $978 in Cotonou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $390 per month in Chisinau and $189 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 $978, than in Chisinau at $1,225. 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.