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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,231 per month in Chisinau vs $997 in Cotonou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,853 per month in Chisinau vs $1,426 in Cotonou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,475 per month in Chisinau vs $1,854 in Cotonou, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 23% more than Cotonou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chisinau and Cotonou are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 8% lower, Cotonou 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.63 MDL 150

$3.46 F CFA 1,967

149.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.05 MDL 644

$26.77 F CFA 15.2K

38.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 MDL 133

$5.16 F CFA 2,927

48.26%

Cappuccino

$1.88 MDL 32.61

$5.56 F CFA 3,154

-66.19%

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

$0.92 MDL 15.96

$0.86 F CFA 488

6.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 MDL 11.22

$0.79 F CFA 446

-17.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 30.04

$1.40 F CFA 794

23.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 MDL 41.13

$3.61 F CFA 2,047

-34.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.34

$2.58 F CFA 1,462

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.67

$1.44 F CFA 815

-61.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MDL 25.25

$1.92 F CFA 1,092

-24.48%

Eggs

$2.49 MDL 43.34

$2.22 F CFA 1,263

12.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 MDL 183

$9.25 F CFA 5,253

13.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 MDL 92.8

$5.05 F CFA 2,869

5.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 MDL 150

$5.16 F CFA 2,929

66.86%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 MDL 15.84

$3.88 F CFA 2,202

-76.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MDL 31.75

$1.37 F CFA 779

33.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 MDL 29.94

$1.21 F CFA 689

42.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MDL 36.46

$1.74 F CFA 988

20.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 MDL 13.71

$1.34 F CFA 761

-41.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 MDL 10.34

$1.50 F CFA 853

-60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MDL 23.58

$0.51 F CFA 291

166.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 MDL 14.40

$1.23 F CFA 700

-32.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 MDL 54.4

$2.35 F CFA 1,332

33.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.59 MDL 79.8

$4.28 F CFA 2,430

7.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 MDL 21.36

$1.20 F CFA 681

2.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MDL 33.27

$2.29 F CFA 1,301

-16.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.90

$1.80 F CFA 1,023

-81.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.44 MDL 234

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MDL 34.73

$1.38 F CFA 784

44.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.32

$1.25 F CFA 707

-80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MDL 91.7

$1.74 F CFA 988

203.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MDL 24.85

$1.11 F CFA 631

28.83%

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

$31.5K MDL 548.3K

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

$31.5K MDL 547.3K

$24.9K F CFA 14.1M

26.59%

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

$170 MDL 2,961

$266 F CFA 151.1K

-36.00%

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

$7.57 MDL 132

$43.54 F CFA 24.7K

-82.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.68 MDL 186

$56.1 F CFA 31.8K

-80.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.05 MDL 748

$58.8 F CFA 33.4K

-26.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.19 MDL 386

$5.40 F CFA 3,066

310.93%

Cinema Ticket

$7.56 MDL 131

$7.51 F CFA 4,266

0.67%

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

$389 MDL 6,757

$185 F CFA 104.8K

110.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,746 MDL 134.6K

$6,379 F CFA 3.6M

21.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 MDL 1,153

$17.45 F CFA 9,907

280.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.0 MDL 921

$8.70 F CFA 4,939

509.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MDL 1,942

$9.04 F CFA 5,134

1136.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MDL 2,115

$49.16 F CFA 27.9K

147.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 MDL 11.8K

$199 F CFA 113.0K

240.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MDL 8,112

$149 F CFA 84.6K

213.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 MDL 21.6K

$571 F CFA 324.3K

117.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$808 MDL 14.1K

$283 F CFA 160.6K

185.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,669 MDL 46.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,901 MDL 33.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$843 MDL 14.7K

$171 F CFA 97.3K

392.02%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $678 in Chisinau versus $199 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 392% 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 $37.00 in Chisinau versus $27.00 in Cotonou. Groceries tell a different story – $189 in Chisinau vs $209 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 23%, 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 $1,496 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 $1,231 in Chisinau and $997 in Cotonou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $389 per month in Chisinau and $185 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 $997, than in Chisinau at $1,231. 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.