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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,340 per month in Chisinau vs $1,109 in Guayaquil, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,023 per month in Chisinau vs $1,765 in Guayaquil, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,705 per month in Chisinau vs $2,422 in Guayaquil, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 21% more than Guayaquil, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chisinau and Guayaquil are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 2% lower, Guayaquil 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.65 MDL 199

$4.12 $4.12

182.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 MDL 858

$52.7 $52.7

-4.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 MDL 151

$9.10 $9.10

-2.75%

Cappuccino

$2.19 MDL 37.40

$2.81 $2.81

-22.06%

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

$1.30 MDL 22.21

$0.90 $0.90

44.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 MDL 15.28

$0.71 $0.71

25.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 MDL 39.42

$2.98 $2.98

-22.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 MDL 35.67

$4.55 $4.55

-54.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 MDL 21.49

$1.16 $1.16

8.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MDL 11.89

$2.00 $2.00

-65.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MDL 24.81

$1.45 $1.45

Eggs

$2.83 MDL 48.33

$2.07 $2.07

36.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.38 MDL 177

$7.11 $7.11

45.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 MDL 93.0

$5.01 $5.01

8.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.23 MDL 158

$9.20 $9.20

0.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 MDL 17.84

$1.52 $1.52

-31.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MDL 34.37

$1.19 $1.19

68.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 MDL 37.34

$0.99 $0.99

120.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MDL 40.13

$0.90 $0.90

161.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 MDL 11.63

$1.28 $1.28

-46.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 MDL 9.74

$0.91 $0.91

-37.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 MDL 25.40

$0.82 $0.82

81.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 MDL 15.15

$1.02 $1.02

-12.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 MDL 58.2

$6.04 $6.04

-43.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.71 MDL 80.5

$12.10 $12.10

-61.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 MDL 22.51

$1.49 $1.49

-11.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 MDL 33.46

$2.20 $2.20

-10.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 MDL 7.22

$0.34 $0.34

23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.75 MDL 235

$19.66 $19.66

-30.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 MDL 39.63

$2.80 $2.80

-17.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 MDL 5.76

$1.72 $1.72

-80.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 MDL 91.4

$12.19 $12.19

-56.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 MDL 28.09

$0.83 $0.83

97.59%

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

$30.5K MDL 521.2K

$21.1K $21.1K

44.43%

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

$31.2K MDL 533.8K

$30.7K $30.7K

1.82%

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

$256 MDL 4,379

$127 $127

101.63%

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

$9.82 MDL 168

$14.97 $14.97

-34.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.05 MDL 189

$25.14 $25.14

-56.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.19 MDL 755

$46.01 $46.01

-3.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.05 MDL 360

$26.48 $26.48

-20.51%

Cinema Ticket

$8.72 MDL 149

$7.72 $7.72

12.95%

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

$437 MDL 7,464

$407 $407

7.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,037 MDL 103.2K

$5,935 $5,935

1.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 MDL 1,386

$65.6 $65.6

23.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.11 MDL 839

$40.34 $40.34

21.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 MDL 2,100

$123 $123

0.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MDL 1,994

$91.5 $91.5

27.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 MDL 12.1K

$461 $461

53.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 MDL 7,578

$399 $399

11.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 MDL 22.2K

$803 $803

61.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 MDL 14.7K

$738 $738

16.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,775 MDL 47.4K

$2,333 $2,333

18.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,007 MDL 34.3K

$1,437 $1,437

39.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$919 MDL 15.7K

$611 $611

50.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.41

10.05

-6.37%

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

Last update for Chisinau: August 29, 2026

Last update for Guayaquil: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $706 in Chisinau versus $461 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 50% 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 $53.0 in Guayaquil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $200 – 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 21%, 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 $2,010 per month in Chisinau and $1,663 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.

Groceries cost about 0% 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 $53.0 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 $1,109, than in Chisinau at $1,340. 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.