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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,231 per month in Chisinau vs $816 in Mohammedia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,853 per month in Chisinau vs $1,384 in Mohammedia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,475 per month in Chisinau vs $1,952 in Mohammedia, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 51% more than Mohammedia, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chisinau and Mohammedia are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 8% lower, Mohammedia 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.63 MDL 151

$4.35 MAD 40.85

98.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.05 MDL 650

$29.74 MAD 279

24.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 MDL 134

$7.31 MAD 68.6

4.65%

Cappuccino

$1.88 MDL 32.92

$1.89 MAD 17.71

-0.53%

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

$0.92 MDL 16.11

$0.71 MAD 6.68

29.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 MDL 11.33

$0.38 MAD 3.57

71.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 30.32

$3.90 MAD 36.58

-55.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 MDL 41.51

$4.51 MAD 42.32

-47.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.55

$0.99 MAD 9.26

30.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.76

$0.87 MAD 8.12

-35.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MDL 25.49

$2.01 MAD 18.84

-27.86%

Eggs

$2.49 MDL 43.74

$2.19 MAD 20.55

13.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 MDL 185

$11.44 MAD 107

-8.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 MDL 93.6

$7.13 MAD 66.9

-25.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 MDL 151

$11.77 MAD 110

-26.85%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 MDL 15.99

$1.56 MAD 14.66

-41.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MDL 32.05

$1.43 MAD 13.42

27.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 MDL 30.22

$0.78 MAD 7.35

120.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MDL 36.80

$0.83 MAD 7.75

153.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 MDL 13.84

$0.72 MAD 6.76

9.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 MDL 10.44

$0.75 MAD 7.06

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MDL 23.80

$0.50 MAD 4.71

172.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 MDL 14.53

$0.61 MAD 5.76

36.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 MDL 54.9

$4.41 MAD 41.34

-29.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.59 MDL 80.5

$8.53 MAD 80.0

-46.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 MDL 21.56

$2.90 MAD 27.23

-57.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MDL 33.58

$3.31 MAD 31.02

-42.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.96

$0.67 MAD 6.33

-49.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.44 MDL 236

$16.68 MAD 157

-19.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MDL 35.05

$0.80 MAD 7.55

150.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.36

$0.58 MAD 5.43

-56.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MDL 92.6

$5.42 MAD 50.9

-2.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MDL 25.08

$1.54 MAD 14.45

-7.14%

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

$31.5K MDL 553.4K

$37.2K MAD 348.8K

-15.14%

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

$31.5K MDL 552.4K

$26.8K MAD 251.9K

17.31%

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

$170 MDL 2,989

$50.5 MAD 474

237.63%

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

$7.57 MDL 133

$11.14 MAD 105

-32.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.68 MDL 187

$40.26 MAD 378

-73.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.05 MDL 755

$26.91 MAD 252

59.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.19 MDL 389

$23.36 MAD 219

-5.01%

Cinema Ticket

$7.56 MDL 133

$8.83 MAD 82.9

-14.38%

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

$389 MDL 6,820

$154 MAD 1,444

152.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,746 MDL 135.9K

$5,487 MAD 51.5K

41.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 MDL 1,164

$52.0 MAD 488

27.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.0 MDL 930

$53.0 MAD 497

0.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MDL 1,961

$111 MAD 1,039

0.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MDL 2,134

$88.5 MAD 830

37.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 MDL 11.9K

$272 MAD 2,549

149.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MDL 8,187

$172 MAD 1,610

171.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 MDL 21.8K

$512 MAD 4,803

142.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$808 MDL 14.2K

$511 MAD 4,799

58.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,669 MDL 46.8K

$1,637 MAD 15.4K

63.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,901 MDL 33.4K

$1,030 MAD 9,660

84.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$843 MDL 14.8K

$577 MAD 5,418

45.99%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Mohammedia: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $678 in Chisinau versus $272 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 46% 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 – $189 in Chisinau vs $215 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 51%, 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 $1,846 per month in Chisinau and $1,223 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 14% 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 $816, than in Chisinau at $1,231. 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.