Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Sale Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Sale

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,346 per month in Chisinau vs $648 in Sale, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,052 per month in Chisinau vs $1,061 in Sale, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,758 per month in Chisinau vs $1,475 in Sale, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 108% more than Sale, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chisinau and Sale are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 2% lower, Sale 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.69 MDL 201

$3.75 MAD 35.28

211.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MDL 885

$18.73 MAD 176

175.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.58 MDL 147

$7.40 MAD 69.6

15.95%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MDL 38.26

$1.92 MAD 18.05

16.15%

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

$1.25 MDL 21.51

$0.63 MAD 5.93

98.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 MDL 15.21

$0.34 MAD 3.16

161.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 MDL 39.22

$2.71 MAD 25.43

-15.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 MDL 33.83

$3.29 MAD 30.88

-40.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 MDL 22.25

$0.94 MAD 8.82

38.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 MDL 12.35

$0.68 MAD 6.37

5.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MDL 25.63

$1.99 MAD 18.73

-25.13%

Eggs

$2.97 MDL 50.9

$1.97 MAD 18.48

50.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 MDL 174

$11.70 MAD 110

-13.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 MDL 90.6

$6.95 MAD 65.3

-24.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 MDL 151

$12.67 MAD 119

-30.70%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MDL 16.69

$1.39 MAD 13.09

-30.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 MDL 32.68

$1.24 MAD 11.65

53.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MDL 35.22

$0.88 MAD 8.26

132.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 MDL 38.00

$0.87 MAD 8.22

154.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 MDL 11.71

$0.76 MAD 7.10

-10.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 MDL 9.70

$0.77 MAD 7.19

-25.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MDL 24.97

$0.44 MAD 4.12

231.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 MDL 16.03

$0.58 MAD 5.45

60.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 MDL 61.2

$3.91 MAD 36.70

-8.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.03 MDL 86.4

$4.71 MAD 44.29

6.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MDL 21.74

$2.21 MAD 20.81

-42.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MDL 33.36

$2.21 MAD 20.76

-12.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MDL 6.74

$0.57 MAD 5.31

-31.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.83 MDL 237

$23.79 MAD 224

-41.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 MDL 40.54

$0.78 MAD 7.30

202.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 MDL 6.31

$0.55 MAD 5.21

-32.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 MDL 87.1

$4.15 MAD 38.98

22.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 MDL 29.27

$1.52 MAD 14.24

12.50%

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

$29.9K MDL 513.3K

$35.5K MAD 333.7K

-15.76%

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

$30.5K MDL 523.0K

$31.5K MAD 296.0K

-3.24%

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

$254 MDL 4,365

$39.46 MAD 371

544.60%

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

$9.44 MDL 162

$10.88 MAD 102

-13.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.75 MDL 185

$42.24 MAD 397

-74.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.83 MDL 735

$16.54 MAD 155

158.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.23 MDL 364

$43.35 MAD 407

-51.03%

Cinema Ticket

$8.60 MDL 148

$5.24 MAD 49.25

64.12%

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

$445 MDL 7,633

$105 MAD 986

323.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,089 MDL 104.5K

$6,048 MAD 56.8K

0.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.4 MDL 1,345

$33.02 MAD 310

137.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.80 MDL 820

$47.63 MAD 448

0.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 MDL 2,050

$75.7 MAD 711

57.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MDL 1,945

$68.4 MAD 643

65.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 MDL 12.2K

$216 MAD 2,028

229.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 MDL 7,815

$109 MAD 1,020

319.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 MDL 21.6K

$366 MAD 3,442

243.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$821 MDL 14.1K

$269 MAD 2,529

205.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,781 MDL 47.7K

$1,161 MAD 10.9K

139.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,997 MDL 34.3K

$862 MAD 8,101

131.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$922 MDL 15.8K

$538 MAD 5,058

71.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.41

88.20%

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

Last update for Chisinau: September 5, 2026

Last update for Sale: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $711 in Chisinau versus $216 in Sale. 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 71% 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 $19.00 in Sale. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Chisinau vs $200 in Sale – 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 Sale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 108%, 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 $972 in Sale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% 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 $19.00 in Sale. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sale, where all-in costs run around $648, than in Chisinau at $1,346. In Sale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sale – 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 Sale. 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.