Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Cricova Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Cricova

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,275 per month in Chisinau vs $1,054 in Cricova, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,987 per month in Chisinau vs $1,880 in Cricova, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,699 per month in Chisinau vs $2,706 in Cricova, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 21% more than Cricova, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chisinau and Cricova are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 5% lower, Cricova 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.27 MDL 200

$8.51 MDL 151

32.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.50 MDL 879

$28.14 MDL 500

75.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 MDL 150

$10.52 MDL 187

-19.58%

Cappuccino

$2.12 MDL 37.65

$1.04 MDL 18.48

103.85%

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

$1.17 MDL 20.84

$1.09 MDL 19.34

7.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MDL 16.10

$0.67 MDL 11.82

35.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 MDL 39.80

$2.03 MDL 36.14

10.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 MDL 34.10

$2.24 MDL 39.75

-14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 MDL 21.49

$2.34 MDL 41.59

-48.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MDL 12.24

$0.50 MDL 8.84

38.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 MDL 24.32

$1.10 MDL 19.55

24.55%

Eggs

$2.81 MDL 49.97

$1.25 MDL 22.27

124.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 MDL 169

$6.62 MDL 118

43.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.02 MDL 89.1

$4.66 MDL 82.7

7.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.75 MDL 155

$12.19 MDL 216

-28.22%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MDL 17.31

$1.08 MDL 19.26

-10.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 MDL 34.18

$0.81 MDL 14.43

137.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MDL 36.94

$1.05 MDL 18.59

98.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 MDL 39.93

$1.10 MDL 19.46

104.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 MDL 12.66

$0.73 MDL 12.93

-2.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 MDL 9.98

$1.05 MDL 18.62

-46.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 MDL 23.32

$1.05 MDL 18.61

24.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 MDL 15.58

$1.08 MDL 19.27

-18.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 MDL 59.8

$3.40 MDL 60.4

-0.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.81 MDL 85.5

$4.46 MDL 79.2

7.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 MDL 22.33

$2.55 MDL 45.26

-50.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 MDL 33.18

$4.30 MDL 76.5

-56.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MDL 6.63

$0.56 MDL 9.92

-33.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.68 MDL 243

$22.18 MDL 394

-38.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 MDL 39.96

$1.10 MDL 19.49

104.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MDL 5.82

$0.24 MDL 4.22

37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 MDL 90.0

$6.94 MDL 123

-26.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 MDL 30.24

$1.37 MDL 24.41

24.09%

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

$29.4K MDL 521.5K

$29.8K MDL 528.9K

-1.40%

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

$30.3K MDL 538.5K

$24.0K MDL 426.5K

26.25%

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

$244 MDL 4,327

$239 MDL 4,239

2.08%

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

$9.64 MDL 171

$7.95 MDL 141

21.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.72 MDL 190

$11.17 MDL 198

-4.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.23 MDL 732

$56.7 MDL 1,007

-27.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.17 MDL 358

$11.26 MDL 200

79.13%

Cinema Ticket

$8.40 MDL 149

$7.79 MDL 138

7.83%

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

$428 MDL 7,594

$112 MDL 1,997

280.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,887 MDL 104.6K

$5,258 MDL 93.4K

11.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.8 MDL 1,435

$56.6 MDL 1,006

42.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.11 MDL 819

$28.69 MDL 510

60.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MDL 2,050

$83.2 MDL 1,477

38.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MDL 2,023

$113 MDL 2,014

0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 MDL 12.0K

$918 MDL 16.3K

-26.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 MDL 7,805

$223 MDL 3,957

97.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 MDL 22.3K

$1,407 MDL 25.0K

-10.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 MDL 14.7K

$1,117 MDL 19.8K

-25.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,614 MDL 46.4K

$2,798 MDL 49.7K

-6.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,988 MDL 35.3K

$1,976 MDL 35.1K

0.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$867 MDL 15.4K

$581 MDL 10.3K

49.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

30.00%

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

Last update for Chisinau: October 5, 2026

Last update for Cricova: October 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $678 in Chisinau versus $918 in Cricova. 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 49% 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 $49.00 in Chisinau versus $28.00 in Cricova. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $189 – making Cricova 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 Cricova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 21%, 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 $1,912 per month in Chisinau and $1,580 in Cricova. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 1% more in Chisinau, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Chisinau and $28.00 in Cricova. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cricova, where all-in costs run around $1,054, than in Chisinau at $1,275. In Cricova it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cricova – 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 Cricova. 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.