Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Guayaquil Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Guayaquil

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,217 per month in Chisinau vs $1,065 in Guayaquil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,808 per month in Chisinau vs $1,699 in Guayaquil, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,399 per month in Chisinau vs $2,332 in Guayaquil, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 14% more than Guayaquil, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chisinau and Guayaquil are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 9% lower, Guayaquil 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.89 MDL 155

$3.59 $3.59

147.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.83 MDL 641

$48.44 $48.44

-23.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 MDL 129

$7.81 $7.81

-5.51%

Cappuccino

$1.89 MDL 32.91

$2.50 $2.50

-24.40%

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

$0.92 MDL 16.08

$0.90 $0.90

2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.14

$0.62 $0.62

12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 MDL 31.13

$2.97 $2.97

-39.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 MDL 40.48

$4.45 $4.45

-47.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.21

$1.13 $1.13

13.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.79

$1.71 $1.71

-67.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MDL 26.00

$1.77 $1.77

-15.82%

Eggs

$2.61 MDL 45.51

$2.54 $2.54

2.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 MDL 183

$6.11 $6.11

72.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 MDL 93.3

$5.28 $5.28

1.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 MDL 155

$6.17 $6.17

44.08%

Apples (1kg)

$0.85 MDL 14.79

$2.04 $2.04

-58.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MDL 31.57

$1.52 $1.52

19.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 MDL 30.81

$1.04 $1.04

70.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 MDL 37.42

$1.22 $1.22

76.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MDL 13.56

$1.89 $1.89

-58.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.31

$1.39 $1.39

-57.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 MDL 23.34

$0.67 $0.67

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MDL 15.63

$0.98 $0.98

-8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 MDL 57.0

$5.92 $5.92

-44.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.59 MDL 80.0

$11.82 $11.82

-61.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 21.12

$1.57 $1.57

-22.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 MDL 34.57

$2.12 $2.12

-6.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MDL 6.29

$0.33 $0.33

9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.82 MDL 241

$21.12 $21.12

-34.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MDL 36.50

$2.70 $2.70

-22.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.70

$2.70 $2.70

-90.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.17 MDL 90.0

$10.07 $10.07

-48.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 MDL 24.06

$0.65 $0.65

112.31%

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

$31.9K MDL 555.7K

$25.4K $25.4K

25.73%

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

$31.5K MDL 548.8K

$29.3K $29.3K

7.50%

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

$170 MDL 2,954

$107 $107

58.74%

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

$7.34 MDL 128

$13.58 $13.58

-45.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.78 MDL 188

$31.85 $31.85

-66.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.85 MDL 763

$35.61 $35.61

23.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.97 MDL 383

$46.65 $46.65

-52.90%

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 MDL 130

$7.70 $7.70

-3.25%

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

$391 MDL 6,800

$311 $311

25.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,516 MDL 130.9K

$5,954 $5,954

26.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 MDL 1,166

$51.2 $51.2

30.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MDL 943

$42.94 $42.94

26.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MDL 1,923

$101 $101

9.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MDL 2,132

$112 $112

9.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 MDL 11.7K

$337 $337

99.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MDL 8,146

$359 $359

30.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MDL 21.6K

$524 $524

137.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$822 MDL 14.3K

$687 $687

19.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,599 MDL 45.2K

$2,266 $2,266

14.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,879 MDL 32.7K

$1,441 $1,441

30.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$867 MDL 15.1K

$592 $592

46.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

9.35

-1.18%

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

Last update for Chisinau: July 12, 2026

Last update for Guayaquil: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $673 in Chisinau versus $337 in Guayaquil. 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 47% 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 $37.00 in Chisinau versus $48.00 in Guayaquil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $197 – making Chisinau 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 Guayaquil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,826 per month in Chisinau and $1,598 in Guayaquil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Chisinau – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Chisinau and $48.00 in Guayaquil. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Guayaquil, where all-in costs run around $1,065, than in Chisinau at $1,217. In Guayaquil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Guayaquil – 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 Guayaquil. 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.