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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,200 per month in Chisinau vs $799 in Mohammedia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,843 per month in Chisinau vs $1,377 in Mohammedia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,485 per month in Chisinau vs $1,956 in Mohammedia, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 50% more than Mohammedia, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chisinau and Mohammedia are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 11% lower, Mohammedia 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.87 MDL 153

$4.44 MAD 41.10

99.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.12 MDL 641

$29.83 MAD 276

24.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 MDL 130

$6.97 MAD 64.5

8.18%

Cappuccino

$1.80 MDL 31.07

$1.81 MAD 16.75

-0.55%

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

$0.98 MDL 16.89

$0.72 MAD 6.69

36.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.02

$0.38 MAD 3.52

84.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 29.87

$3.75 MAD 34.70

-53.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 MDL 39.52

$4.36 MAD 40.34

-47.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.06

$0.99 MAD 9.20

29.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.69

$0.86 MAD 7.97

-34.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 25.83

$2.01 MAD 18.63

-25.37%

Eggs

$2.53 MDL 43.65

$2.24 MAD 20.76

12.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 MDL 177

$11.28 MAD 104

-9.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 MDL 95.2

$6.92 MAD 64.0

-20.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.74 MDL 151

$11.58 MAD 107

-24.53%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 MDL 15.31

$1.56 MAD 14.46

-42.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MDL 30.35

$1.41 MAD 13.07

24.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 MDL 30.44

$0.77 MAD 7.11

128.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MDL 35.98

$0.87 MAD 8.09

139.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.50

$0.77 MAD 7.10

9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 MDL 9.65

$0.80 MAD 7.36

-30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 MDL 22.57

$0.51 MAD 4.71

156.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 MDL 14.37

$0.64 MAD 5.95

29.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 MDL 57.0

$4.43 MAD 41.00

-25.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 MDL 82.0

$8.00 MAD 74.0

-40.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MDL 21.08

$2.89 MAD 26.76

-57.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 MDL 33.23

$3.21 MAD 29.68

-40.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MDL 6.27

$0.69 MAD 6.40

-47.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.74 MDL 237

$16.56 MAD 153

-17.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MDL 34.48

$0.73 MAD 6.78

173.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.28

$0.59 MAD 5.43

-57.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 MDL 91.8

$5.35 MAD 49.51

-0.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 MDL 24.55

$1.61 MAD 14.90

-11.80%

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

$32.4K MDL 560.3K

$36.9K MAD 341.6K

-12.14%

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

$30.9K MDL 533.5K

$27.3K MAD 252.8K

13.02%

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

$173 MDL 2,986

$49.23 MAD 455

251.17%

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

$7.57 MDL 131

$11.24 MAD 104

-32.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.65 MDL 184

$39.59 MAD 366

-73.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.21 MDL 746

$27.51 MAD 254

57.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.02 MDL 380

$23.48 MAD 217

-6.22%

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 MDL 132

$8.80 MAD 81.4

-13.07%

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

$397 MDL 6,854

$152 MAD 1,409

160.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,753 MDL 133.9K

$5,489 MAD 50.8K

41.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.3 MDL 1,127

$51.0 MAD 471

28.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 MDL 912

$52.7 MAD 488

0.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,923

$112 MAD 1,039

-0.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 MDL 2,147

$86.7 MAD 802

43.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 MDL 11.3K

$270 MAD 2,494

142.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 MDL 7,970

$177 MAD 1,639

160.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 MDL 21.6K

$512 MAD 4,740

144.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$819 MDL 14.1K

$521 MAD 4,821

57.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,583 MDL 44.6K

$1,637 MAD 15.1K

57.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,942 MDL 33.5K

$1,041 MAD 9,631

86.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$856 MDL 14.8K

$587 MAD 5,426

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mohammedia: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $654 in Chisinau versus $270 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 – $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 50%, 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 $1,800 per month in Chisinau and $1,198 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 $799, than in Chisinau at $1,200. 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.