Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Orhei Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Orhei

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,346 per month in Chisinau vs $368 in Orhei, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,052 per month in Chisinau vs $607 in Orhei, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,758 per month in Chisinau vs $846 in Orhei, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 265% more than Orhei, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chisinau and Orhei are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 2% lower, Orhei 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.69 MDL 201

$11.88 MDL 204

-1.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MDL 885

$23.25 MDL 399

121.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.58 MDL 147

$7.51 MDL 129

14.25%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MDL 38.26

$1.42 MDL 24.35

57.04%

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

$1.25 MDL 21.51

$0.84 MDL 14.38

48.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 MDL 15.21

$0.45 MDL 7.73

97.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 MDL 39.22

$1.15 MDL 19.77

99.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 MDL 33.83

$1.49 MDL 25.55

32.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 MDL 22.25

$1.07 MDL 18.35

21.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 MDL 12.35

$0.33 MDL 5.71

118.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MDL 25.63

Eggs

$2.97 MDL 50.9

$1.98 MDL 34.00

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 MDL 174

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 MDL 90.6

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 MDL 151

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MDL 16.69

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 MDL 32.68

$1.98 MDL 34.03

-4.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MDL 35.22

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 MDL 38.00

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 MDL 11.71

$0.66 MDL 11.28

3.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 MDL 9.70

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MDL 24.97

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 MDL 16.03

$0.57 MDL 9.76

63.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 MDL 61.2

Wine (Bottle)

$5.03 MDL 86.4

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MDL 21.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MDL 33.36

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MDL 6.74

$0.18 MDL 3.14

116.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.83 MDL 237

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 MDL 40.54

$1.18 MDL 20.28

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 MDL 6.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 MDL 87.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 MDL 29.27

$1.64 MDL 28.20

4.27%

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

$29.9K MDL 513.3K

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

$30.5K MDL 523.0K

$21.4K MDL 367.8K

42.21%

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

$254 MDL 4,365

$62.9 MDL 1,080

304.32%

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

$9.44 MDL 162

$7.17 MDL 123

31.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.75 MDL 185

$10.69 MDL 183

0.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.83 MDL 735

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.23 MDL 364

Cinema Ticket

$8.60 MDL 148

$3.52 MDL 60.3

144.32%

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

$445 MDL 7,633

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,089 MDL 104.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.4 MDL 1,345

$34.78 MDL 597

125.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.80 MDL 820

$34.93 MDL 599

36.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 MDL 2,050

$113 MDL 1,934

6.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MDL 1,945

$34.94 MDL 600

224.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 MDL 12.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 MDL 7,815

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 MDL 21.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$821 MDL 14.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,781 MDL 47.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,997 MDL 34.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$922 MDL 15.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.41

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

Last update for Chisinau: September 5, 2026

Last update for Orhei: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Chisinau versus $23.00 in Orhei. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $43.00 – making Orhei the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Orhei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 265%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $553 in Orhei. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 363% more in Chisinau, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Chisinau and $23.00 in Orhei. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Orhei, where all-in costs run around $368, than in Chisinau at $1,346. In Orhei it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Orhei – 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 Orhei. 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.