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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,199 per month in Chisinau vs $989 in Izhevsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,816 per month in Chisinau vs $1,573 in Izhevsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,433 per month in Chisinau vs $2,156 in Izhevsk, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 21% more than Izhevsk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chisinau and Izhevsk are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 10% lower, Izhevsk 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.73 MDL 151

$8.78 ₽636

-0.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.61 MDL 632

$38.61 ₽2,797

-5.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.40 MDL 128

$4.34 ₽314

70.51%

Cappuccino

$1.88 MDL 32.48

$2.38 ₽173

-21.01%

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

$0.92 MDL 15.89

$1.30 ₽94.1

-29.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 MDL 11.22

$0.43 ₽30.97

51.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 MDL 29.32

$2.92 ₽211

-41.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 MDL 41.59

$2.59 ₽188

-6.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.05

$1.06 ₽76.7

20.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.73

$0.69 ₽50.2

-18.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MDL 25.13

$1.69 ₽123

-13.61%

Eggs

$2.54 MDL 43.91

$1.82 ₽132

39.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 MDL 176

$14.07 ₽1,019

-27.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 MDL 95.4

$3.83 ₽278

44.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 MDL 155

$9.05 ₽656

-0.77%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.48

$1.71 ₽124

-50.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MDL 31.64

$1.99 ₽144

-8.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 MDL 30.34

$1.38 ₽100

27.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 MDL 36.84

$2.91 ₽211

-26.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 MDL 14.19

$1.08 ₽78.6

-24.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.23

$0.98 ₽71.2

-39.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MDL 22.40

$1.54 ₽111

-15.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 MDL 15.44

$0.64 ₽46.41

39.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 MDL 54.9

$3.13 ₽227

1.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.59 MDL 79.3

$8.37 ₽607

-45.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MDL 21.86

$0.87 ₽62.8

45.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 MDL 32.65

$1.95 ₽141

-3.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.86

$0.46 ₽33.15

-26.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.84 MDL 239

$25.66 ₽1,859

-46.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MDL 34.47

$3.11 ₽226

-35.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.67

$0.31 ₽22.61

-12.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 MDL 89.5

$7.58 ₽549

-31.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MDL 24.69

$0.74 ₽53.9

93.24%

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

$32.0K MDL 552.8K

$31.5K ₽2.3M

1.59%

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

$31.0K MDL 534.4K

$32.2K ₽2.3M

-3.75%

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

$172 MDL 2,974

$96.4 ₽6,988

78.69%

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

$7.34 MDL 127

$4.71 ₽341

55.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.00 MDL 190

$6.79 ₽492

62.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.87 MDL 757

$37.54 ₽2,720

16.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.72 MDL 375

$23.19 ₽1,680

-6.34%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 MDL 135

$4.97 ₽360

57.34%

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

$388 MDL 6,704

$329 ₽23.8K

18.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,651 MDL 132.1K

$6,917 ₽501.2K

10.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 MDL 1,130

$70.5 ₽5,106

-7.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 MDL 930

$44.08 ₽3,194

22.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MDL 1,984

$115 ₽8,334

-0.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MDL 2,082

$106 ₽7,665

14.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 MDL 11.6K

$418 ₽30.3K

59.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MDL 8,004

$305 ₽22.1K

52.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 MDL 21.2K

$776 ₽56.3K

57.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 MDL 14.3K

$590 ₽42.7K

40.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,578 MDL 44.5K

$2,816 ₽204.1K

-8.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,887 MDL 32.6K

$1,410 ₽102.2K

33.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$865 MDL 14.9K

$1,019 ₽73.8K

-15.10%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Izhevsk: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $669 in Chisinau versus $418 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 18% 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: $191 vs $205 – 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 21%, 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 $1,798 per month in Chisinau and $1,483 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 7% 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 $1,199. 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.