Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Dubasari Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Dubasari

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,304 per month in Chisinau vs $651 in Dubasari, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,008 per month in Chisinau vs $988 in Dubasari, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,713 per month in Chisinau vs $1,325 in Dubasari, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 100% more than Dubasari, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chisinau and Dubasari are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 5% lower, Dubasari 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 MDL 200

$8.40 MDL 146

36.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.3 MDL 892

$30.67 MDL 534

67.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.72 MDL 152

$10.59 MDL 184

-17.66%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MDL 38.72

$1.81 MDL 31.46

23.20%

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

$1.24 MDL 21.55

$1.13 MDL 19.74

9.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MDL 15.81

$0.67 MDL 11.68

35.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 MDL 40.88

$2.06 MDL 35.86

14.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 MDL 34.31

$2.32 MDL 40.35

-15.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 MDL 22.75

$1.24 MDL 21.65

5.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MDL 12.01

$0.51 MDL 8.95

35.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MDL 25.47

$1.60 MDL 27.81

-8.75%

Eggs

$2.93 MDL 51.0

$2.29 MDL 39.93

27.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MDL 178

$6.78 MDL 118

50.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 MDL 91.2

$4.71 MDL 82.0

11.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.94 MDL 156

$6.23 MDL 108

43.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MDL 17.69

$1.07 MDL 18.63

-4.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 MDL 33.36

$2.32 MDL 40.31

-17.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MDL 35.71

$1.86 MDL 32.28

10.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MDL 37.84

$2.41 MDL 41.91

-9.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 MDL 12.01

$0.78 MDL 13.62

-11.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 MDL 9.30

$0.50 MDL 8.62

6.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MDL 25.10

$0.47 MDL 8.25

206.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 MDL 16.20

$0.60 MDL 10.43

55.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 MDL 61.6

$3.40 MDL 59.2

4.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.80 MDL 83.6

$4.73 MDL 82.3

1.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 MDL 22.27

$1.43 MDL 24.86

-10.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 MDL 34.68

$2.06 MDL 35.90

-3.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 MDL 7.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.22 MDL 230

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 MDL 40.94

$2.84 MDL 49.47

-17.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MDL 6.28

$0.27 MDL 4.73

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 MDL 90.6

$5.79 MDL 101

-10.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 MDL 29.55

$1.52 MDL 26.48

11.84%

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

$29.1K MDL 506.9K

$34.1K MDL 593.8K

-14.63%

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

$31.2K MDL 543.6K

$25.4K MDL 441.5K

23.15%

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

$251 MDL 4,372

$231 MDL 4,019

8.78%

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

$9.43 MDL 164

$8.25 MDL 144

14.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.03 MDL 192

$11.45 MDL 199

-3.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 MDL 747

$11.48 MDL 200

273.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.33 MDL 371

Cinema Ticket

$8.49 MDL 148

$7.93 MDL 138

7.06%

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

$439 MDL 7,644

$115 MDL 1,993

283.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,932 MDL 103.2K

$5,283 MDL 91.9K

12.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.6 MDL 1,350

$45.29 MDL 788

71.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.65 MDL 829

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 MDL 2,085

$58.1 MDL 1,011

106.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MDL 2,000

$52.0 MDL 905

120.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 MDL 12.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 MDL 7,714

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MDL 21.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$817 MDL 14.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,752 MDL 47.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,957 MDL 34.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$925 MDL 16.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.41

17.63%

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

Last update for Chisinau: September 13, 2026

Last update for Dubasari: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Chisinau versus $31.00 in Dubasari. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $168 – making Dubasari 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 Dubasari: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 100%, 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 $1,956 per month in Chisinau and $977 in Dubasari. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,304 in Chisinau and $651 in Dubasari. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $439 per month in Chisinau and $115 in Dubasari. 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 Dubasari, where all-in costs run around $651, than in Chisinau at $1,304. In Dubasari it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dubasari – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Dubasari. 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.