Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,340 per month in Chisinau vs $2,316 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,023 per month in Chisinau vs $3,361 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,705 per month in Chisinau vs $4,405 in Lisbon, rent included.

Chisinau is about 42% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chisinau sits 2% below the global median, while Lisbon is 69% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.65 MDL 199

$17.30 €14.93

-32.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 MDL 860

$63.3 €54.6

-20.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 MDL 151

$11.39 €9.83

-22.30%

Cappuccino

$2.19 MDL 37.47

$3.19 €2.75

-31.35%

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

$1.30 MDL 22.25

$2.45 €2.11

-46.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 MDL 15.31

$1.76 €1.52

-49.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 MDL 39.49

$3.59 €3.10

-35.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 MDL 35.73

$3.39 €2.93

-38.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 MDL 21.53

$1.24 €1.07

1.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MDL 11.91

$1.98 €1.71

-64.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MDL 24.85

$1.52 €1.31

-4.61%

Eggs

$2.83 MDL 48.42

$4.04 €3.49

-29.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.38 MDL 178

$13.54 €11.68

-23.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 MDL 93.1

$8.39 €7.24

-35.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.23 MDL 158

$18.25 €15.75

-49.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 MDL 17.87

$2.29 €1.98

-54.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MDL 34.43

$1.74 €1.50

15.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 MDL 37.41

$1.86 €1.60

17.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MDL 40.20

$2.63 €2.27

-10.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 MDL 11.65

$1.92 €1.65

-64.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 MDL 9.76

$2.09 €1.81

-72.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 MDL 25.45

$1.44 €1.24

3.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 MDL 15.18

$0.84 €0.73

5.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 MDL 58.3

$6.78 €5.85

-49.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.71 MDL 80.6

$5.71 €4.93

-17.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 MDL 22.55

$1.38 €1.19

-4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 MDL 33.51

$2.22 €1.91

-11.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 MDL 7.23

$2.40 €2.07

-82.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.75 MDL 235

$46.78 €40.37

-70.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 MDL 39.70

$4.17 €3.60

-44.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 MDL 5.77

$1.14 €0.98

-70.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 MDL 91.6

$17.68 €15.26

-69.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 MDL 28.14

$2.32 €2.01

-29.31%

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

$30.5K MDL 522.2K

$35.3K €30.5K

-13.69%

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

$31.2K MDL 534.8K

$41.4K €35.8K

-24.63%

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

$256 MDL 4,386

$170 €147

50.42%

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

$9.82 MDL 168

$19.34 €16.69

-49.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.05 MDL 189

$33.64 €29.03

-67.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.19 MDL 757

$48.10 €41.50

-8.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.05 MDL 360

$19.90 €17.17

5.78%

Cinema Ticket

$8.72 MDL 149

$9.92 €8.56

-12.10%

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

$437 MDL 7,477

$717 €619

-39.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,037 MDL 103.3K

$17.5K €15.1K

-65.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 MDL 1,389

$105 €90.4

-22.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.11 MDL 841

$46.95 €40.51

4.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 MDL 2,103

$103 €89.2

18.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MDL 1,997

$124 €107

-5.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 MDL 12.1K

$1,677 €1,447

-57.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 MDL 7,591

$1,271 €1,097

-65.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 MDL 22.2K

$2,985 €2,575

-56.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 MDL 14.8K

$1,992 €1,719

-56.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,775 MDL 47.5K

$7,826 €6,753

-64.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,007 MDL 34.4K

$4,658 €4,019

-56.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$919 MDL 15.7K

$1,583 €1,366

-41.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.41

3.79

148.28%

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

Last update for Chisinau: August 29, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $706 in Chisinau versus $1,677 in Lisbon. 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 72% higher in Lisbon, 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 $50.0 in Chisinau versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $283 – 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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 73%, 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 $2,010 per month in Chisinau and $3,474 in Lisbon. 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.

Groceries cost about 41% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Chisinau and $63.0 in Lisbon. 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 $1,340, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Chisinau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chisinau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.