Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Dobrich

For one person, living is cheaper in Dobrich: $596 a month against $1,316 in Chisinau, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chisinau, Moldova
Dobrich, Bulgaria
Chisinau
🇲🇩 Moldova
$1,316
/mo nomad
Dobrich
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$596
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chisinau and in Dobrich

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chisinau and in Dobrich actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,316 per month in Chisinau vs $596 in Dobrich, rent included.

  • Chisinau $1,316
  • Dobrich $596

A couple spends around $1,991 per month in Chisinau vs $984 in Dobrich, rent included.

  • Chisinau $1,991
  • Dobrich $984

A family of three spends $2,666 per month in Chisinau vs $1,372 in Dobrich, rent included.

  • Chisinau $2,666
  • Dobrich $1,372

Chisinau costs about 121% more than Dobrich, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chisinau and Dobrich are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 3% lower, Dobrich 56% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chisinau
Dobrich
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.34 MDL 203
$6.93 BGN 12.12
63.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.7 MDL 1,012
$28.09 BGN 49.16
101.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.14 MDL 145
$11.53 BGN 20.18
-29.40%
Cappuccino
$2.19 MDL 39.13
$1.73 BGN 3.04
26.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.22 MDL 21.71
$0.89 BGN 1.56
37.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 MDL 16.02
$0.53 BGN 0.92
69.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.20 MDL 39.31
$1.96 BGN 3.43
12.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 MDL 34.32
$2.80 BGN 4.90
-31.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chisinau
Dobrich
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.26 MDL 22.58
$1.70 BGN 2.97
-25.88%
White Bread (500g)
$0.71 MDL 12.76
$0.84 BGN 1.47
-15.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.40 MDL 24.97
$2.09 BGN 3.65
-33.01%
Eggs
$2.72 MDL 48.55
$3.16 BGN 5.53
-13.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.70 MDL 173
$6.28 BGN 10.98
54.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.00 MDL 89.4
$8.88 BGN 15.54
-43.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.77 MDL 157
$11.51 BGN 20.14
-23.81%
Apples (1kg)
$0.97 MDL 17.36
$2.26 BGN 3.96
-57.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.93 MDL 34.50
$1.97 BGN 3.44
-2.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.01 MDL 35.95
$2.12 BGN 3.72
-5.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.16 MDL 38.50
$2.47 BGN 4.32
-12.55%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 MDL 11.65
$1.17 BGN 2.05
-44.44%
Onion (1kg)
$0.56 MDL 10.05
$1.43 BGN 2.50
-60.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 MDL 23.18
$0.94 BGN 1.65
38.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 MDL 15.95
$0.51 BGN 0.90
74.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.31 MDL 59.1
$3.20 BGN 5.59
3.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.82 MDL 86.1
$6.98 BGN 12.22
-30.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 MDL 21.70
$0.93 BGN 1.62
31.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 MDL 33.77
$1.87 BGN 3.27
1.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Chisinau
Dobrich
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.38 MDL 6.74
$0.92 BGN 1.61
-58.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$13.55 MDL 242
$22.18 BGN 38.81
-38.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.27 MDL 40.52
$1.71 BGN 2.99
32.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.34 MDL 6.14
$0.71 BGN 1.24
-52.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.94 MDL 88.2
$11.90 BGN 20.82
-58.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.65 MDL 29.52
$1.52 BGN 2.66
8.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K MDL 532.8K
$29.7K BGN 52.0K
0.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.6K MDL 493.8K
$22.1K BGN 38.7K
24.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chisinau
Dobrich
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$241 MDL 4,296
$51.2 BGN 89.7
369.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.32 MDL 166
$14.48 BGN 25.33
-35.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.33 MDL 184
$11.68 BGN 20.45
-11.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chisinau
Dobrich
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.89 MDL 766
$25.38 BGN 44.42
68.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.55 MDL 367
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.33 MDL 149
$4.61 BGN 8.07
80.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chisinau
Dobrich
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$430 MDL 7,673
$232 BGN 406
85.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,720 MDL 102.2K
$15.0K BGN 26.3K
-61.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chisinau
Dobrich
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.1 MDL 1,394
$58.5 BGN 102
33.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.91 MDL 820
$29.26 BGN 51.2
56.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 MDL 2,009
$70.6 BGN 124
59.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 MDL 2,087
$51.2 BGN 89.6
128.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chisinau
Dobrich
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$691 MDL 12.3K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$463 MDL 8,266
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,257 MDL 22.5K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$803 MDL 14.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,585 MDL 46.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,861 MDL 33.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chisinau
Dobrich
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 MDL 15.4K
$1,016 BGN 1,778
-14.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.17
3.25
182.15%

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

Last update for Chisinau: October 26, 2026

Last update for Dobrich: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chisinau
$463
Dobrich
- * 100%
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chisinau
$260
Dobrich
$77 70.3% $183
Groceries & Markets
Chisinau
$190
Dobrich
$227 19% $36
Eating Out
Chisinau
$165
Dobrich
$132 19.9% $33
Clothing & Footwear
Chisinau
$159
Dobrich
$94 40.7% $65
Sport & Entertainment
Chisinau
$60
Dobrich
$35 41.9% $25
Getting Around
Chisinau
$19
Dobrich
$31 63.4% $12

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 18% higher in Dobrich, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57 in Chisinau versus $28 in Dobrich. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Chisinau vs $227 in Dobrich – so Chisinau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇩 Chisinau
🇧🇬 Dobrich
🕒 Local time
22:07 10:07 PM
22:07 10:07 PM
Same time as Chisinau
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
750,000 Capital
89,627
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to MDL – Moldovan Leu Converter

Moldovan Leu exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 17.86 MDL (100 MDL = 5.6 USD). 1 EUR = 20.02 MDL (100 MDL = 5 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.51 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chisinau Dobrich 390 km
From you
  • Chisinau
  • Dobrich

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Dobrich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dobrich cheaper than Chisinau?
Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 121%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,974 per month in Chisinau and $894 in Dobrich. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do food prices compare in Chisinau and in Dobrich?
Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Chisinau – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
Is eating out cheaper in Chisinau or in Dobrich?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $57 in Chisinau and $28 in Dobrich. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget for living in Chisinau or in Dobrich?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Dobrich, where all-in costs run around $596, than in Chisinau at $1,316. In Dobrich it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Chisinau or in Dobrich?
It depends on your priorities. Chisinau has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $596 in Dobrich to $1,316 in Chisinau. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Chisinau vs other spots: cost of living compared

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