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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,225 per month in Chisinau vs $989 in Izhevsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,820 per month in Chisinau vs $1,577 in Izhevsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,416 per month in Chisinau vs $2,165 in Izhevsk, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 24% more than Izhevsk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chisinau and Izhevsk are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 8% lower, Izhevsk 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.83 MDL 152

$8.36 ₽628

5.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.23 MDL 642

$38.81 ₽2,915

-4.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 MDL 127

$4.55 ₽342

62.42%

Cappuccino

$1.83 MDL 31.55

$2.33 ₽175

-21.46%

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

$0.94 MDL 16.18

$1.30 ₽97.6

-27.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.03

$0.39 ₽29.36

79.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 MDL 29.97

$2.80 ₽210

-37.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 MDL 41.56

$2.57 ₽193

-6.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.33

$1.01 ₽75.7

27.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 MDL 9.06

$0.66 ₽49.39

-19.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 25.92

$1.72 ₽129

-12.79%

Eggs

$2.49 MDL 42.91

$1.83 ₽137

36.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 MDL 178

$14.53 ₽1,091

-29.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.55 MDL 95.8

$3.78 ₽284

46.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.69 MDL 150

$8.79 ₽660

-1.14%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 MDL 15.71

$1.73 ₽130

-47.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MDL 30.47

$1.91 ₽143

-7.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 MDL 29.35

$1.33 ₽99.7

27.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MDL 36.20

$3.01 ₽226

-30.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MDL 13.11

$1.12 ₽84.0

-32.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 MDL 9.55

$0.98 ₽73.8

-43.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MDL 23.45

$1.54 ₽116

-11.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MDL 14.52

$0.60 ₽45.04

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 MDL 54.6

$3.13 ₽235

1.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.88 MDL 84.2

$7.78 ₽584

-37.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 MDL 21.14

$0.81 ₽60.6

51.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 MDL 33.94

$1.94 ₽146

1.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.85

$0.46 ₽34.22

-26.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.53 MDL 233

$24.91 ₽1,871

-45.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 MDL 34.65

$3.20 ₽240

-37.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.67

$0.29 ₽21.43

-6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 MDL 88.1

$7.72 ₽580

-33.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MDL 23.90

$0.79 ₽59.6

75.95%

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

$32.1K MDL 554.4K

$32.0K ₽2.4M

0.44%

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

$30.7K MDL 528.8K

$32.0K ₽2.4M

-4.33%

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

$176 MDL 3,031

$96.0 ₽7,210

83.03%

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

$7.68 MDL 133

$4.79 ₽360

60.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.98 MDL 189

$7.15 ₽537

53.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.02 MDL 742

$37.96 ₽2,851

13.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.11 MDL 381

$22.75 ₽1,708

-2.81%

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 MDL 130

$4.96 ₽373

52.22%

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

$390 MDL 6,730

$324 ₽24.4K

20.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,672 MDL 132.3K

$7,115 ₽534.4K

7.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 MDL 1,143

$70.9 ₽5,324

-6.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 MDL 913

$44.94 ₽3,375

17.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,909

$114 ₽8,562

-2.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MDL 2,084

$106 ₽7,970

13.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 MDL 11.7K

$409 ₽30.8K

65.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 MDL 7,943

$312 ₽23.4K

47.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 MDL 21.6K

$762 ₽57.2K

64.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 MDL 13.8K

$588 ₽44.2K

36.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,645 MDL 45.6K

$2,640 ₽198.3K

0.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,885 MDL 32.5K

$1,329 ₽99.8K

41.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$831 MDL 14.3K

$903 ₽67.8K

-7.94%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Izhevsk: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $677 in Chisinau versus $409 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: $190 vs $202 – 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 24%, 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 $1,838 per month in Chisinau and $1,484 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 $989, than in Chisinau at $1,225. 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.