Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Leova Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Leova

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,346 per month in Chisinau vs $1,393 in Leova, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,052 per month in Chisinau vs $2,132 in Leova, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,758 per month in Chisinau vs $2,871 in Leova, rent included.

Chisinau is about 3% cheaper than Leova, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Chisinau sits 2% below the global median, while Leova is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.69 MDL 201

$10.58 MDL 182

10.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MDL 885

$35.32 MDL 606

45.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.58 MDL 147

$9.62 MDL 165

-10.81%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MDL 38.26

$0.90 MDL 15.39

147.78%

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

$1.25 MDL 21.51

$0.55 MDL 9.51

127.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 MDL 15.21

$0.42 MDL 7.22

111.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 MDL 39.22

$2.69 MDL 46.13

-14.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 MDL 33.83

$2.75 MDL 47.27

-28.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 MDL 22.25

$1.71 MDL 29.32

-23.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 MDL 12.35

$1.56 MDL 26.74

-53.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MDL 25.63

$1.41 MDL 24.24

5.67%

Eggs

$2.97 MDL 50.9

$1.38 MDL 23.70

115.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 MDL 174

$14.50 MDL 249

-29.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 MDL 90.6

$2.28 MDL 39.11

131.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 MDL 151

$4.29 MDL 73.6

104.66%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MDL 16.69

$1.40 MDL 23.94

-30.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 MDL 32.68

$0.90 MDL 15.37

111.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MDL 35.22

$1.03 MDL 17.70

99.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 MDL 38.00

$1.15 MDL 19.82

92.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 MDL 11.71

$1.56 MDL 26.70

-56.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 MDL 9.70

$0.59 MDL 10.18

-3.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MDL 24.97

$0.45 MDL 7.66

224.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 MDL 16.03

$1.06 MDL 18.20

-12.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 MDL 61.2

$4.81 MDL 82.5

-25.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.03 MDL 86.4

$15.60 MDL 268

-67.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MDL 21.74

$1.18 MDL 20.27

7.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MDL 33.36

$2.70 MDL 46.33

-28.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MDL 6.74

$0.40 MDL 6.85

-2.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.83 MDL 237

$29.90 MDL 513

-53.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 MDL 40.54

$2.98 MDL 51.1

-20.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 MDL 6.31

$0.56 MDL 9.59

-33.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 MDL 87.1

$3.54 MDL 60.7

43.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 MDL 29.27

$1.43 MDL 24.61

19.58%

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

$29.9K MDL 513.3K

$35.1K MDL 602.3K

-14.78%

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

$30.5K MDL 523.0K

$36.4K MDL 624.1K

-16.19%

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

$254 MDL 4,365

$199 MDL 3,418

27.72%

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

$9.44 MDL 162

$5.90 MDL 101

60.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.75 MDL 185

$21.89 MDL 376

-50.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.83 MDL 735

$89.1 MDL 1,528

-51.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.23 MDL 364

$11.90 MDL 204

78.40%

Cinema Ticket

$8.60 MDL 148

$4.77 MDL 81.8

80.29%

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

$445 MDL 7,633

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,089 MDL 104.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.4 MDL 1,345

$88.8 MDL 1,524

-11.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.80 MDL 820

$57.0 MDL 978

-16.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 MDL 2,050

$99.7 MDL 1,710

19.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MDL 1,945

$115 MDL 1,971

-1.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 MDL 12.2K

$650 MDL 11.2K

9.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 MDL 7,815

$550 MDL 9,441

-17.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 MDL 21.6K

$1,560 MDL 26.8K

-19.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$821 MDL 14.1K

$1,148 MDL 19.7K

-28.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,781 MDL 47.7K

$2,564 MDL 44.0K

8.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,997 MDL 34.3K

$2,015 MDL 34.6K

-0.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$922 MDL 15.8K

$661 MDL 11.3K

39.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.41

7.19

30.88%

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

Last update for Chisinau: September 5, 2026

Last update for Leova: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $711 in Chisinau versus $650 in Leova. 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 39% higher in Chisinau, 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 $52.0 in Chisinau versus $35.00 in Leova. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Chisinau vs $197 in Leova – so Chisinau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Leova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Leova is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,019 per month in Chisinau and $2,090 in Leova. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chisinau, 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 $1,346 in Chisinau and $1,393 in Leova. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Chisinau and $35.00 in Leova. 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 Chisinau, where all-in costs run around $1,346, than in Leova at $1,393. In Chisinau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Leova it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chisinau – 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 Chisinau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Leova makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.