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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,346 per month in Chisinau vs $816 in Mohammedia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,052 per month in Chisinau vs $1,289 in Mohammedia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,758 per month in Chisinau vs $1,762 in Mohammedia, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 65% more than Mohammedia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chisinau and Mohammedia are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 2% lower, Mohammedia 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.69 MDL 201

$4.93 MAD 46.30

137.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MDL 885

$31.57 MAD 297

63.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.58 MDL 147

$7.56 MAD 71.1

13.49%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MDL 38.26

$2.05 MAD 19.27

8.78%

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

$1.25 MDL 21.51

$0.81 MAD 7.60

54.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 MDL 15.21

$0.44 MAD 4.12

102.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 MDL 39.22

$5.42 MAD 51.0

-57.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 MDL 33.83

$5.39 MAD 50.7

-63.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 MDL 22.25

$1.10 MAD 10.30

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 MDL 12.35

$1.21 MAD 11.34

-40.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MDL 25.63

$1.94 MAD 18.22

-23.20%

Eggs

$2.97 MDL 50.9

$1.95 MAD 18.36

52.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 MDL 174

$11.66 MAD 110

-12.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 MDL 90.6

$7.16 MAD 67.3

-26.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 MDL 151

$12.62 MAD 119

-30.43%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MDL 16.69

$1.63 MAD 15.31

-40.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 MDL 32.68

$1.47 MAD 13.86

29.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MDL 35.22

$0.80 MAD 7.56

156.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 MDL 38.00

$0.78 MAD 7.33

183.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 MDL 11.71

$0.68 MAD 6.37

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 MDL 9.70

$0.76 MAD 7.11

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MDL 24.97

$0.50 MAD 4.70

192.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 MDL 16.03

$0.58 MAD 5.42

60.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 MDL 61.2

$4.22 MAD 39.63

-15.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.03 MDL 86.4

$8.42 MAD 79.1

-40.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MDL 21.74

$2.81 MAD 26.41

-54.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MDL 33.36

$2.72 MAD 25.58

-28.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MDL 6.74

$0.72 MAD 6.81

-45.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.83 MDL 237

$23.62 MAD 222

-41.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 MDL 40.54

$0.77 MAD 7.25

206.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 MDL 6.31

$0.74 MAD 6.94

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 MDL 87.1

$4.60 MAD 43.25

10.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 MDL 29.27

$1.55 MAD 14.54

10.32%

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

$29.9K MDL 513.3K

$35.4K MAD 332.9K

-15.58%

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

$30.5K MDL 523.0K

$31.1K MAD 292.2K

-1.99%

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

$254 MDL 4,365

$50.6 MAD 475

402.99%

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

$9.44 MDL 162

$10.71 MAD 101

-11.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.75 MDL 185

$40.15 MAD 377

-73.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.83 MDL 735

$29.41 MAD 276

45.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.23 MDL 364

$21.57 MAD 203

-1.58%

Cinema Ticket

$8.60 MDL 148

$7.24 MAD 68.1

18.78%

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

$445 MDL 7,633

$148 MAD 1,390

200.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,089 MDL 104.5K

$5,593 MAD 52.6K

8.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.4 MDL 1,345

$58.0 MAD 545

35.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.80 MDL 820

$49.91 MAD 469

-4.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 MDL 2,050

$104 MAD 976

15.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MDL 1,945

$85.4 MAD 802

32.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 MDL 12.2K

$268 MAD 2,517

165.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 MDL 7,815

$176 MAD 1,656

158.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 MDL 21.6K

$486 MAD 4,572

158.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$821 MDL 14.1K

$276 MAD 2,592

197.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,781 MDL 47.7K

$1,557 MAD 14.6K

78.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,997 MDL 34.3K

$1,041 MAD 9,782

91.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$922 MDL 15.8K

$597 MAD 5,607

54.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.41

3.67

156.40%

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

Last update for Chisinau: September 5, 2026

Last update for Mohammedia: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $711 in Chisinau versus $268 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 55% 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 $52.0 in Chisinau versus $32.00 in Mohammedia. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Chisinau vs $220 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 65%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,019 per month in Chisinau and $1,224 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 $52.0 in Chisinau and $32.00 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 $1,346. 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.