Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Mohammedia Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Mohammedia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,225 per month in Chisinau vs $787 in Mohammedia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,820 per month in Chisinau vs $1,364 in Mohammedia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,416 per month in Chisinau vs $1,940 in Mohammedia, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 56% more than Mohammedia, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chisinau and Mohammedia are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 8% lower, Mohammedia 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.83 MDL 153

$4.50 MAD 41.66

96.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.23 MDL 644

$29.94 MAD 277

24.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 MDL 128

$7.32 MAD 67.7

0.96%

Cappuccino

$1.83 MDL 31.66

$1.90 MAD 17.53

-3.68%

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

$0.94 MDL 16.23

$0.66 MAD 6.15

42.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.07

$0.36 MAD 3.30

94.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 MDL 30.08

$3.77 MAD 34.87

-53.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 MDL 41.71

$4.33 MAD 40.02

-44.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.41

$0.91 MAD 8.45

41.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 MDL 9.09

$0.83 MAD 7.64

-36.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 26.01

$1.93 MAD 17.82

-22.28%

Eggs

$2.49 MDL 43.06

$2.24 MAD 20.75

11.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 MDL 178

$11.40 MAD 105

-9.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.55 MDL 96.1

$7.06 MAD 65.3

-21.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.69 MDL 150

$11.71 MAD 108

-25.79%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 MDL 15.76

$1.63 MAD 15.04

-44.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MDL 30.57

$1.42 MAD 13.11

24.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 MDL 29.45

$0.78 MAD 7.23

117.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MDL 36.32

$0.83 MAD 7.70

153.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MDL 13.16

$0.78 MAD 7.25

-2.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 MDL 9.59

$0.74 MAD 6.86

-25.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MDL 23.54

$0.51 MAD 4.69

166.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MDL 14.57

$0.64 MAD 5.95

31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 MDL 54.8

$4.33 MAD 40.05

-26.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.88 MDL 84.5

$8.33 MAD 77.0

-41.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 MDL 21.21

$2.79 MAD 25.78

-55.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 MDL 34.06

$3.26 MAD 30.14

-39.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.87

$0.64 MAD 5.90

-46.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.53 MDL 234

$16.62 MAD 154

-18.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 MDL 34.77

$0.74 MAD 6.87

171.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.69

$0.58 MAD 5.36

-53.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 MDL 88.4

$5.39 MAD 49.84

-5.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MDL 23.99

$1.55 MAD 14.29

-10.32%

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

$32.1K MDL 556.3K

$37.9K MAD 350.9K

-15.27%

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

$30.7K MDL 530.6K

$26.8K MAD 247.9K

14.36%

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

$176 MDL 3,041

$50.6 MAD 468

247.56%

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

$7.68 MDL 133

$11.19 MAD 103

-31.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.98 MDL 190

$39.85 MAD 369

-72.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.02 MDL 745

$27.93 MAD 258

54.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.11 MDL 383

$23.67 MAD 219

-6.59%

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 MDL 131

$8.67 MAD 80.2

-12.92%

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

$390 MDL 6,754

$152 MAD 1,410

155.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,672 MDL 132.8K

$5,402 MAD 50.0K

42.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 MDL 1,147

$50.7 MAD 468

30.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 MDL 916

$53.4 MAD 494

-0.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,915

$112 MAD 1,033

-0.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MDL 2,091

$88.8 MAD 821

36.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 MDL 11.7K

$273 MAD 2,521

148.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 MDL 7,971

$171 MAD 1,578

169.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 MDL 21.7K

$502 MAD 4,647

149.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 MDL 13.9K

$528 MAD 4,884

51.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,645 MDL 45.8K

$1,631 MAD 15.1K

62.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,885 MDL 32.6K

$1,034 MAD 9,561

82.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$831 MDL 14.4K

$587 MAD 5,430

41.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

4.35

112.41%

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

Last update for Chisinau: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mohammedia: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $677 in Chisinau versus $273 in Mohammedia. 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 42% 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 $30.00 in Mohammedia. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Chisinau vs $213 in Mohammedia – 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 Mohammedia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,838 per month in Chisinau and $1,181 in Mohammedia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% 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 $30.00 in Mohammedia. 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 Mohammedia, where all-in costs run around $787, than in Chisinau at $1,225. In Mohammedia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mohammedia – 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 Mohammedia. 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.