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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,304 per month in Chisinau vs $738 in Izhevsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,008 per month in Chisinau vs $1,127 in Izhevsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,713 per month in Chisinau vs $1,515 in Izhevsk, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 77% more than Izhevsk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chisinau and Izhevsk are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 5% lower, Izhevsk 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 MDL 199

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.3 MDL 889

$35.81 ₽3,026

43.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.72 MDL 151

$10.60 ₽896

-17.74%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MDL 38.56

$4.26 ₽360

-47.65%

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

$1.24 MDL 21.46

$0.85 ₽71.4

45.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MDL 15.74

$0.58 ₽48.87

56.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 MDL 40.71

$1.20 ₽101

95.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 MDL 34.18

$1.05 ₽88.5

87.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 MDL 22.65

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MDL 11.96

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MDL 25.37

Eggs

$2.93 MDL 50.8

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MDL 177

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 MDL 90.8

$5.35 ₽452

-2.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.94 MDL 155

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MDL 17.62

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 MDL 33.23

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MDL 35.56

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MDL 37.69

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 MDL 11.96

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 MDL 9.26

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MDL 25.00

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 MDL 16.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 MDL 61.4

Wine (Bottle)

$4.80 MDL 83.3

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 MDL 22.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 MDL 34.55

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 MDL 7.11

$0.51 ₽42.98

-19.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.22 MDL 229

$23.29 ₽1,968

-43.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 MDL 40.78

$1.45 ₽123

62.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MDL 6.25

$0.25 ₽21.15

44.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 MDL 90.2

$7.11 ₽601

-26.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 MDL 29.43

$0.82 ₽69.1

107.32%

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

$29.1K MDL 504.9K

$29.4K ₽2.5M

-0.91%

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

$31.2K MDL 541.5K

$29.9K ₽2.5M

4.41%

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

$251 MDL 4,354

$142 ₽12.0K

76.99%

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

$9.43 MDL 163

$7.12 ₽601

32.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.03 MDL 191

$7.00 ₽592

57.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 MDL 744

$30.07 ₽2,541

42.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.33 MDL 370

Cinema Ticket

$8.49 MDL 147

$5.37 ₽453

58.10%

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

$439 MDL 7,614

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,932 MDL 102.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.6 MDL 1,345

$82.6 ₽6,982

-6.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.65 MDL 826

$23.92 ₽2,021

99.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 MDL 2,076

$118 ₽9,994

1.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MDL 1,992

$141 ₽11.9K

-18.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 MDL 12.0K

$472 ₽39.9K

46.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 MDL 7,683

$209 ₽17.7K

112.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MDL 21.6K

$648 ₽54.8K

92.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$817 MDL 14.2K

$422 ₽35.7K

93.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,752 MDL 47.7K

$2,368 ₽200.1K

16.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,957 MDL 33.9K

$1,026 ₽86.7K

90.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$925 MDL 16.0K

$956 ₽80.8K

-3.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.41

-57.23%

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

Last update for Chisinau: September 13, 2026

Last update for Izhevsk: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Chisinau versus $472 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 3% 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 $51.0 in Chisinau versus $36.00 in Izhevsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $27.00 – making Izhevsk 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 77%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,107 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,304 in Chisinau and $738 in Izhevsk. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Chisinau and $36.00 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 $738, than in Chisinau at $1,304. 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.