Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Lima Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Lima

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,217 per month in Chisinau vs $999 in Lima, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,808 per month in Chisinau vs $1,561 in Lima, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,399 per month in Chisinau vs $2,124 in Lima, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 22% more than Lima, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chisinau and Lima are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 9% lower, Lima 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.89 MDL 155

$4.06 PEN 13.77

118.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.83 MDL 641

$33.99 PEN 115

8.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 MDL 129

$6.74 PEN 22.86

9.50%

Cappuccino

$1.89 MDL 32.91

$2.52 PEN 8.56

-25.00%

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

$0.92 MDL 16.08

$0.94 PEN 3.18

-2.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.14

$0.65 PEN 2.21

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 MDL 31.13

$2.17 PEN 7.35

-17.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 MDL 40.48

$3.95 PEN 13.39

-41.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.21

$1.41 PEN 4.78

-9.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.79

$2.72 PEN 9.22

-79.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MDL 26.00

$1.37 PEN 4.64

8.76%

Eggs

$2.61 MDL 45.51

$2.94 PEN 9.98

-11.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 MDL 183

$7.92 PEN 26.87

32.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 MDL 93.3

$5.76 PEN 19.54

-6.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 MDL 155

$10.71 PEN 36.32

-16.99%

Apples (1kg)

$0.85 MDL 14.79

$1.98 PEN 6.72

-57.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MDL 31.57

$1.08 PEN 3.66

67.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 MDL 30.81

$1.10 PEN 3.72

60.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 MDL 37.42

$1.19 PEN 4.05

80.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MDL 13.56

$1.04 PEN 3.51

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.31

$1.00 PEN 3.38

-41.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 MDL 23.34

$0.87 PEN 2.94

54.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MDL 15.63

$0.86 PEN 2.93

4.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 MDL 57.0

$5.59 PEN 18.96

-41.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.59 MDL 80.0

$8.99 PEN 30.51

-48.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 21.12

$1.77 PEN 5.99

-31.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 MDL 34.57

$3.07 PEN 10.42

-35.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MDL 6.29

$0.68 PEN 2.29

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.82 MDL 241

$31.68 PEN 107

-56.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MDL 36.50

$3.37 PEN 11.43

-37.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.70

$2.22 PEN 7.54

-87.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.17 MDL 90.0

$8.26 PEN 28.00

-37.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 MDL 24.06

$1.35 PEN 4.58

2.22%

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

$31.9K MDL 555.7K

$19.4K PEN 65.8K

64.50%

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

$31.5K MDL 548.8K

$24.3K PEN 82.3K

29.93%

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

$170 MDL 2,954

$56.4 PEN 191

200.60%

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

$7.34 MDL 128

$12.57 PEN 42.63

-41.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.78 MDL 188

$23.66 PEN 80.3

-54.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.85 MDL 763

$31.04 PEN 105

41.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.97 MDL 383

$18.69 PEN 63.4

17.55%

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 MDL 130

$6.83 PEN 23.17

9.08%

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

$391 MDL 6,800

$219 PEN 743

78.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,516 MDL 130.9K

$8,096 PEN 27.5K

-7.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 MDL 1,166

$49.58 PEN 168

35.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MDL 943

$35.59 PEN 121

52.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MDL 1,923

$89.3 PEN 303

23.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MDL 2,132

$88.9 PEN 302

37.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 MDL 11.7K

$623 PEN 2,115

7.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MDL 8,146

$344 PEN 1,167

35.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MDL 21.6K

$1,027 PEN 3,484

21.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$822 MDL 14.3K

$618 PEN 2,098

32.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,599 MDL 45.2K

$2,315 PEN 7,852

12.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,879 MDL 32.7K

$1,395 PEN 4,734

34.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$867 MDL 15.1K

$625 PEN 2,120

38.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

10.11

-8.61%

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

Last update for Chisinau: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lima: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $673 in Chisinau versus $623 in Lima. 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 partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Chisinau versus $34.00 in Lima. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in Chisinau vs $222 in Lima – 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 Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,826 per month in Chisinau and $1,498 in Lima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% 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 $34.00 in Lima. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lima, where all-in costs run around $999, than in Chisinau at $1,217. In Lima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lima – 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 Lima. 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.