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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,318 per month in Chisinau vs $1,053 in Cricova, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Chisinau vs $1,939 in Cricova, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,713 per month in Chisinau vs $2,825 in Cricova, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 25% more than Cricova, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chisinau and Cricova are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 4% lower, Cricova 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.51 MDL 195

$8.56 MDL 145

34.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 MDL 855

$29.10 MDL 494

72.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 MDL 151

$10.89 MDL 185

-18.46%

Cappuccino

$2.27 MDL 38.52

$1.08 MDL 18.32

110.19%

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

$1.23 MDL 20.84

$1.09 MDL 18.47

12.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MDL 15.45

$0.73 MDL 12.35

24.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 MDL 40.30

$2.02 MDL 34.27

17.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 MDL 35.04

$2.28 MDL 38.68

-9.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 MDL 21.52

$2.51 MDL 42.60

-49.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 MDL 12.64

$0.52 MDL 8.89

42.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MDL 25.36

$1.09 MDL 18.49

36.70%

Eggs

$2.87 MDL 48.72

$1.30 MDL 22.06

120.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.23 MDL 174

$6.95 MDL 118

47.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.45 MDL 92.5

$4.71 MDL 80.0

15.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.40 MDL 160

$12.59 MDL 214

-25.34%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 MDL 16.67

$1.14 MDL 19.31

-14.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 MDL 33.75

$0.83 MDL 14.15

139.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 MDL 33.38

$1.12 MDL 19.09

75.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 MDL 37.39

$1.14 MDL 19.36

92.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MDL 12.29

$0.76 MDL 12.84

-5.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 MDL 10.11

$1.14 MDL 19.36

-47.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MDL 24.48

$1.09 MDL 18.57

32.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 MDL 15.51

$1.08 MDL 18.42

-15.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 MDL 58.0

$3.38 MDL 57.4

0.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.69 MDL 79.7

$4.73 MDL 80.2

-0.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 MDL 21.41

$2.66 MDL 45.17

-52.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MDL 32.98

$4.49 MDL 76.2

-56.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 MDL 7.17

$0.60 MDL 10.27

-30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.36 MDL 227

$23.42 MDL 398

-42.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 MDL 40.53

$1.13 MDL 19.21

111.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 MDL 5.76

$0.27 MDL 4.63

25.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 MDL 91.6

$6.90 MDL 117

-21.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 MDL 28.76

$1.37 MDL 23.20

23.36%

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

$29.5K MDL 500.3K

$30.3K MDL 514.0K

-2.66%

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

$31.5K MDL 535.5K

$25.2K MDL 427.1K

25.39%

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

$244 MDL 4,136

$249 MDL 4,235

-2.34%

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

$9.73 MDL 165

$8.20 MDL 139

18.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.77 MDL 183

$11.79 MDL 200

-8.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.86 MDL 745

$58.8 MDL 998

-25.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.91 MDL 355

$11.72 MDL 199

78.41%

Cinema Ticket

$8.48 MDL 144

$7.96 MDL 135

6.53%

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

$443 MDL 7,517

$119 MDL 2,015

272.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,066 MDL 103.0K

$5,386 MDL 91.5K

12.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.9 MDL 1,323

$57.4 MDL 974

35.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.93 MDL 814

$28.86 MDL 490

66.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 MDL 2,094

$86.7 MDL 1,472

42.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MDL 1,950

$115 MDL 1,949

0.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 MDL 12.2K

$936 MDL 15.9K

-23.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 MDL 7,797

$229 MDL 3,881

100.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 MDL 22.7K

$1,446 MDL 24.6K

-7.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$812 MDL 13.8K

$1,168 MDL 19.8K

-30.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,678 MDL 45.5K

$2,942 MDL 50.0K

-8.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,988 MDL 33.8K

$2,013 MDL 34.2K

-1.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$908 MDL 15.4K

$584 MDL 9,924

55.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.3

32.86%

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

Last update for Chisinau: August 16, 2026

Last update for Cricova: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $721 in Chisinau versus $936 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 55% 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 $50.0 in Chisinau versus $29.00 in Cricova. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $197 – 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 25%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,977 per month in Chisinau and $1,579 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 $50.0 in Chisinau and $29.00 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 $1,053, than in Chisinau at $1,318. 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.