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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,199 per month in Chisinau vs $969 in Cotonou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,816 per month in Chisinau vs $1,393 in Cotonou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,433 per month in Chisinau vs $1,816 in Cotonou, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 24% more than Cotonou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chisinau and Cotonou are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 10% lower, Cotonou 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.73 MDL 151

$3.57 F CFA 2,017

144.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.61 MDL 632

$26.18 F CFA 14.8K

39.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.40 MDL 128

$5.41 F CFA 3,053

36.78%

Cappuccino

$1.88 MDL 32.48

$5.62 F CFA 3,171

-66.55%

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

$0.92 MDL 15.89

$0.92 F CFA 522

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 MDL 11.22

$0.72 F CFA 404

-9.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 MDL 29.32

$1.43 F CFA 809

18.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 MDL 41.59

$3.50 F CFA 1,976

-31.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.05

$2.66 F CFA 1,504

-51.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.73

$1.42 F CFA 803

-60.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MDL 25.13

$1.92 F CFA 1,086

-23.96%

Eggs

$2.54 MDL 43.91

$2.24 F CFA 1,266

13.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 MDL 176

$9.36 F CFA 5,284

8.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 MDL 95.4

$4.85 F CFA 2,737

14.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 MDL 155

$4.96 F CFA 2,797

81.05%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.48

$4.02 F CFA 2,269

-79.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MDL 31.64

$1.44 F CFA 815

27.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 MDL 30.34

$1.26 F CFA 709

39.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 MDL 36.84

$1.82 F CFA 1,028

17.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 MDL 14.19

$1.34 F CFA 756

-38.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.23

$1.48 F CFA 837

-60.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MDL 22.40

$0.48 F CFA 270

170.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 MDL 15.44

$1.23 F CFA 693

-27.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 MDL 54.9

$2.32 F CFA 1,307

37.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.59 MDL 79.3

$4.53 F CFA 2,556

1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MDL 21.86

$1.24 F CFA 701

2.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 MDL 32.65

$2.21 F CFA 1,249

-14.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.86

$1.81 F CFA 1,021

-81.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.84 MDL 239

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MDL 34.47

$1.38 F CFA 778

44.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.67

$1.31 F CFA 737

-79.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 MDL 89.5

$1.72 F CFA 970

201.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MDL 24.69

$1.11 F CFA 626

28.83%

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

$32.0K MDL 552.8K

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

$31.0K MDL 534.4K

$24.4K F CFA 13.8M

26.97%

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

$172 MDL 2,974

$269 F CFA 152.0K

-35.99%

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

$7.34 MDL 127

$44.74 F CFA 25.3K

-83.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.00 MDL 190

$56.0 F CFA 31.6K

-80.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.87 MDL 757

$60.0 F CFA 33.9K

-26.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.72 MDL 375

$5.40 F CFA 3,046

302.22%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 MDL 135

$7.72 F CFA 4,356

1.30%

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

$388 MDL 6,704

$190 F CFA 107.3K

104.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,651 MDL 132.1K

$6,481 F CFA 3.7M

18.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 MDL 1,130

$17.36 F CFA 9,797

277.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 MDL 930

$9.01 F CFA 5,087

497.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MDL 1,984

$8.61 F CFA 4,862

1234.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MDL 2,082

$47.92 F CFA 27.0K

151.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 MDL 11.6K

$200 F CFA 113.0K

234.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MDL 8,004

$148 F CFA 83.8K

212.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 MDL 21.2K

$584 F CFA 329.4K

110.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 MDL 14.3K

$283 F CFA 159.7K

192.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,578 MDL 44.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,887 MDL 32.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$865 MDL 14.9K

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $669 in Chisinau versus $200 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 $26.00 in Cotonou. Groceries tell a different story – $191 in Chisinau vs $211 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 24%, 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 $1,798 per month in Chisinau and $1,454 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 $1,199 in Chisinau and $969 in Cotonou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $388 per month in Chisinau and $190 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 $969, than in Chisinau at $1,199. 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.