Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Manisa Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Manisa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,231 per month in Chisinau vs $970 in Manisa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,813 per month in Chisinau vs $1,462 in Manisa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,394 per month in Chisinau vs $1,953 in Manisa, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 27% more than Manisa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chisinau and Manisa are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 8% lower, Manisa 28% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chisinau
Manisa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.53 MDL 147
$7.41 ₺341
15.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.11 MDL 638
$19.38 ₺890
91.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.53 MDL 130
$7.74 ₺356
-2.71%
Cappuccino
$1.87 MDL 32.22
$3.11 ₺143
-39.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 MDL 17.03
$1.80 ₺82.6
-45.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 MDL 12.01
$0.49 ₺22.71
42.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.74 MDL 29.89
$3.26 ₺150
-46.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 MDL 39.41
$3.87 ₺178
-40.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chisinau
Manisa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 MDL 22.16
$0.87 ₺40.16
48.28%
White Bread (500g)
$0.52 MDL 8.98
$0.62 ₺28.26
-16.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.46 MDL 25.03
$1.73 ₺79.4
-15.61%
Eggs
$2.62 MDL 44.99
$1.84 ₺84.7
42.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 MDL 176
$8.73 ₺401
17.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.35 MDL 92.0
$6.10 ₺280
-12.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.69 MDL 149
$19.91 ₺915
-56.35%
Apples (1kg)
$0.84 MDL 14.40
$1.30 ₺59.7
-35.38%
Banana (1kg)
$1.82 MDL 31.29
$1.92 ₺88.3
-5.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.78 MDL 30.52
$0.96 ₺44.31
85.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.17 MDL 37.27
$1.12 ₺51.5
93.75%
Potato (1kg)
$0.81 MDL 13.93
$0.74 ₺34.07
9.46%
Onion (1kg)
$0.54 MDL 9.31
$0.61 ₺27.82
-11.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 MDL 22.40
$0.73 ₺33.37
78.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 MDL 15.47
$0.22 ₺10.27
309.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.28 MDL 56.4
$2.18 ₺100
50.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.73 MDL 81.4
$11.37 ₺522
-58.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 MDL 20.84
$2.06 ₺94.6
-41.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 MDL 32.83
$2.53 ₺116
-24.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Chisinau
Manisa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.33 MDL 5.75
$0.63 ₺28.73
-47.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$13.47 MDL 232
$30.55 ₺1,403
-55.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.07 MDL 35.61
$1.09 ₺50.2
89.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.25 MDL 4.29
$0.62 ₺28.34
-59.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.33 MDL 91.7
$7.65 ₺351
-30.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MDL 24.76
$1.25 ₺57.3
15.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.7K MDL 561.9K
$49.3K ₺2.3M
-33.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.5K MDL 540.7K
$44.9K ₺2.1M
-30.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chisinau
Manisa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$174 MDL 2,991
$47.60 ₺2,187
265.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.38 MDL 127
$5.65 ₺259
30.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.98 MDL 189
$9.31 ₺428
17.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chisinau
Manisa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.14 MDL 742
$43.19 ₺1,984
-0.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.18 MDL 381
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.63 MDL 131
$4.38 ₺201
74.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chisinau
Manisa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$388 MDL 6,663
$615 ₺28.3K
-37.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,708 MDL 132.5K
$9,032 ₺415.0K
-14.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chisinau
Manisa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.4 MDL 1,123
$38.30 ₺1,760
70.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.3 MDL 934
$38.85 ₺1,785
39.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 MDL 1,911
$87.1 ₺4,000
27.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 MDL 2,071
$43.26 ₺1,987
178.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chisinau
Manisa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$668 MDL 11.5K
$478 ₺21.9K
39.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$468 MDL 8,048
$349 ₺16.0K
34.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,243 MDL 21.4K
$709 ₺32.6K
75.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$798 MDL 13.7K
$574 ₺26.4K
39.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,649 MDL 45.5K
$1,927 ₺88.5K
37.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,901 MDL 32.7K
$1,320 ₺60.7K
44.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chisinau
Manisa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$864 MDL 14.9K
$1,110 ₺51.0K
-22.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.24
43.79
-78.90%

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

Last update for Chisinau: June 1, 2026

Last update for Manisa: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $668 in Chisinau versus $478 in Manisa. 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 28% higher in Manisa, 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 $19.00 in Manisa. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Chisinau vs $220 in Manisa – 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 Manisa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Manisa cheaper than Chisinau?
Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 27%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,846 per month in Chisinau and $1,455 in Manisa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Manisa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Chisinau and Manisa?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Chisinau or Manisa?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Chisinau and $19.00 in Manisa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Chisinau or Manisa?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Manisa, where all-in costs run around $970, than in Chisinau at $1,231. In Manisa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Chisinau or Manisa more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Manisa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Chisinau or Manisa?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Manisa. 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.

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