Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Izhevsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Izhevsk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,231 per month in Chisinau vs $1,006 in Izhevsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,853 per month in Chisinau vs $1,594 in Izhevsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,475 per month in Chisinau vs $2,181 in Izhevsk, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 22% more than Izhevsk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chisinau and Izhevsk are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 8% lower, Izhevsk 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.63 MDL 150

$8.59 ₽684

0.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.05 MDL 644

$38.64 ₽3,075

-4.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 MDL 133

$4.47 ₽356

71.14%

Cappuccino

$1.88 MDL 32.61

$2.37 ₽189

-20.68%

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

$0.92 MDL 15.96

$1.34 ₽107

-31.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 MDL 11.22

$0.42 ₽33.77

54.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 30.04

$2.95 ₽234

-41.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 MDL 41.13

$2.57 ₽204

-7.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.34

$1.06 ₽84.2

21.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.67

$0.70 ₽55.4

-20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MDL 25.25

$1.63 ₽129

-11.04%

Eggs

$2.49 MDL 43.34

$1.75 ₽139

42.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 MDL 183

$14.01 ₽1,115

-24.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 MDL 92.8

$3.71 ₽295

43.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 MDL 150

$8.77 ₽698

-1.82%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 MDL 15.84

$1.76 ₽140

-48.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MDL 31.75

$1.90 ₽151

-3.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 MDL 29.94

$1.37 ₽109

25.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MDL 36.46

$2.90 ₽231

-27.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 MDL 13.71

$1.13 ₽90.1

-30.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 MDL 10.34

$0.91 ₽72.5

-34.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MDL 23.58

$1.51 ₽120

-9.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 MDL 14.40

$0.64 ₽51.1

29.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 MDL 54.4

$3.08 ₽245

1.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.59 MDL 79.8

$7.91 ₽629

-41.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 MDL 21.36

$0.86 ₽68.4

43.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MDL 33.27

$1.85 ₽147

3.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.90

$0.43 ₽34.03

-20.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.44 MDL 234

$25.12 ₽1,999

-46.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MDL 34.73

$3.26 ₽260

-38.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.32

$0.29 ₽22.78

-13.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MDL 91.7

$7.52 ₽598

-29.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MDL 24.85

$0.73 ₽58.1

95.89%

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

$31.5K MDL 548.3K

$31.7K ₽2.5M

-0.45%

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

$31.5K MDL 547.3K

$31.1K ₽2.5M

1.10%

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

$170 MDL 2,961

$96.1 ₽7,652

77.21%

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

$7.57 MDL 132

$4.74 ₽377

59.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.68 MDL 186

$7.08 ₽564

50.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.05 MDL 748

$38.14 ₽3,036

12.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.19 MDL 386

$22.92 ₽1,825

-3.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.56 MDL 131

$4.97 ₽395

52.11%

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

$389 MDL 6,757

$318 ₽25.3K

22.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,746 MDL 134.6K

$6,965 ₽554.3K

11.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 MDL 1,153

$70.0 ₽5,570

-5.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.0 MDL 921

$43.93 ₽3,497

20.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MDL 1,942

$113 ₽9,005

-1.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MDL 2,115

$107 ₽8,485

14.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 MDL 11.8K

$405 ₽32.2K

67.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MDL 8,112

$305 ₽24.3K

52.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 MDL 21.6K

$755 ₽60.1K

64.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$808 MDL 14.1K

$593 ₽47.2K

36.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,669 MDL 46.4K

$2,551 ₽203.0K

4.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,901 MDL 33.0K

$1,313 ₽104.5K

44.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$843 MDL 14.7K

$917 ₽73.0K

-8.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

16.33

-43.42%

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

Last update for Chisinau: July 28, 2026

Last update for Izhevsk: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $678 in Chisinau versus $405 in Izhevsk. 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 9% higher in Izhevsk, 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 $37.00 in Chisinau versus $39.00 in Izhevsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $189 vs $201 – 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 Izhevsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $1,509 in Izhevsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% 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 $39.00 in Izhevsk. 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 Izhevsk, where all-in costs run around $1,006, than in Chisinau at $1,231. In Izhevsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Izhevsk – 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 Izhevsk. 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.