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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,231 per month in Chisinau vs $706 in Dubasari, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,813 per month in Chisinau vs $1,089 in Dubasari, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,394 per month in Chisinau vs $1,472 in Dubasari, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 74% more than Dubasari, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chisinau and Dubasari are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 8% lower, Dubasari 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.53 MDL 147

$9.03 MDL 155

-5.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 MDL 638

$36.34 MDL 625

2.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 MDL 130

$7.40 MDL 127

1.76%

Cappuccino

$1.87 MDL 32.22

$1.89 MDL 32.52

-1.06%

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

$0.99 MDL 17.03

$0.94 MDL 16.13

5.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.01

$0.66 MDL 11.27

6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 MDL 29.89

$1.72 MDL 29.51

1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 MDL 39.41

$2.40 MDL 41.19

-4.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.16

$1.28 MDL 22.05

0.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 8.98

$0.53 MDL 9.03

-1.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MDL 25.03

$1.51 MDL 26.02

-3.31%

Eggs

$2.62 MDL 44.99

$2.58 MDL 44.34

1.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 MDL 176

$10.36 MDL 178

-1.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 MDL 92.0

$5.52 MDL 94.9

-3.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.69 MDL 149

$8.89 MDL 153

-2.25%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.40

$0.85 MDL 14.63

-1.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MDL 31.29

$1.77 MDL 30.50

2.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 MDL 30.52

$1.79 MDL 30.73

-0.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MDL 37.27

$2.09 MDL 35.99

3.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 MDL 13.93

$0.81 MDL 13.99

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 MDL 9.31

$0.58 MDL 10.00

-6.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MDL 22.40

$1.30 MDL 22.33

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MDL 15.47

$0.89 MDL 15.38

1.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 MDL 56.4

$3.16 MDL 54.3

3.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.73 MDL 81.4

$4.54 MDL 78.1

4.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 20.84

$1.27 MDL 21.84

-4.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MDL 32.83

$1.94 MDL 33.28

-1.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MDL 5.75

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.47 MDL 232

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.07 MDL 35.61

$2.00 MDL 34.34

3.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.29

$0.27 MDL 4.69

-7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 MDL 91.7

$5.31 MDL 91.2

0.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MDL 24.76

$1.44 MDL 24.71

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

$32.7K MDL 561.9K

$32.0K MDL 550.4K

2.09%

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

$31.5K MDL 540.7K

$30.7K MDL 526.9K

2.62%

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

$174 MDL 2,991

$170 MDL 2,915

2.61%

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

$7.38 MDL 127

$7.47 MDL 128

-1.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.98 MDL 189

$10.81 MDL 186

1.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.14 MDL 742

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.18 MDL 381

Cinema Ticket

$7.63 MDL 131

$7.45 MDL 128

2.42%

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

$388 MDL 6,663

$387 MDL 6,650

0.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,708 MDL 132.5K

$7,611 MDL 130.8K

1.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 MDL 1,123

$66.8 MDL 1,147

-2.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 MDL 934

$52.9 MDL 909

2.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,911

$112 MDL 1,932

-1.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 MDL 2,071

$124 MDL 2,131

-2.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$668 MDL 11.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MDL 8,048

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MDL 21.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$798 MDL 13.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,649 MDL 45.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,901 MDL 32.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 MDL 14.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

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

Last update for Chisinau: June 1, 2026

Last update for Dubasari: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Chisinau versus $36.00 in Dubasari. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Chisinau vs $191 in Dubasari – 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 Dubasari: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 74%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,846 per month in Chisinau and $1,059 in Dubasari. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,231 in Chisinau and $706 in Dubasari. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $388 per month in Chisinau and $387 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 $706, than in Chisinau at $1,231. 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.