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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,200 per month in Chisinau vs $779 in Sale, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,843 per month in Chisinau vs $1,232 in Sale, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,485 per month in Chisinau vs $1,684 in Sale, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 54% more than Sale, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chisinau and Sale are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 11% lower, Sale 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.87 MDL 153

$4.55 MAD 42.09

94.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.12 MDL 641

$32.89 MAD 304

12.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 MDL 130

$6.80 MAD 62.9

10.88%

Cappuccino

$1.80 MDL 31.07

$1.98 MAD 18.35

-9.09%

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

$0.98 MDL 16.89

$0.69 MAD 6.36

42.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.02

$0.40 MAD 3.73

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 29.87

$5.42 MAD 50.2

-68.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 MDL 39.52

$4.20 MAD 38.88

-45.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.06

$0.95 MAD 8.79

34.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.69

$0.57 MAD 5.31

-1.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 25.83

$1.87 MAD 17.26

-19.79%

Eggs

$2.53 MDL 43.65

$1.96 MAD 18.17

29.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 MDL 177

$13.06 MAD 121

-21.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 MDL 95.2

$6.01 MAD 55.6

-8.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.74 MDL 151

$12.03 MAD 111

-27.35%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 MDL 15.31

$1.52 MAD 14.06

-41.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MDL 30.35

$1.32 MAD 12.23

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 MDL 30.44

$0.92 MAD 8.50

91.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MDL 35.98

$0.89 MAD 8.21

133.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.50

$0.80 MAD 7.38

5.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 MDL 9.65

$0.80 MAD 7.45

-30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 MDL 22.57

$0.39 MAD 3.62

235.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 MDL 14.37

$0.59 MAD 5.44

40.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 MDL 57.0

$4.36 MAD 40.30

-24.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 MDL 82.0

$4.84 MAD 44.74

-1.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MDL 21.08

$2.72 MAD 25.20

-55.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 MDL 33.23

$2.47 MAD 22.86

-22.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MDL 6.27

$0.57 MAD 5.27

-36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.74 MDL 237

$25.11 MAD 232

-45.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MDL 34.48

$0.53 MAD 4.86

277.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.28

$0.48 MAD 4.40

-47.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 MDL 91.8

$4.32 MAD 39.93

22.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 MDL 24.55

$1.52 MAD 14.04

-6.58%

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

$32.4K MDL 560.3K

$37.3K MAD 344.9K

-13.00%

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

$30.9K MDL 533.5K

$29.6K MAD 273.8K

4.37%

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

$173 MDL 2,986

$32.93 MAD 305

424.99%

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

$7.57 MDL 131

$11.00 MAD 102

-31.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.65 MDL 184

$45.34 MAD 419

-76.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.21 MDL 746

$14.22 MAD 132

203.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.02 MDL 380

$23.46 MAD 217

-6.14%

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 MDL 132

$6.41 MAD 59.3

19.34%

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

$397 MDL 6,854

$113 MAD 1,044

251.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,753 MDL 133.9K

$6,442 MAD 59.6K

20.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.3 MDL 1,127

$43.49 MAD 402

50.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 MDL 912

$50.8 MAD 470

4.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,923

$107 MAD 994

3.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 MDL 2,147

$98.8 MAD 914

25.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 MDL 11.3K

$282 MAD 2,611

131.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 MDL 7,970

$175 MAD 1,619

163.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 MDL 21.6K

$511 MAD 4,724

145.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$819 MDL 14.1K

$303 MAD 2,800

170.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,583 MDL 44.6K

$1,208 MAD 11.2K

113.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,942 MDL 33.5K

$880 MAD 8,143

120.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$856 MDL 14.8K

$533 MAD 4,934

60.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

4.81

92.10%

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

Last update for Chisinau: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sale: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $654 in Chisinau versus $282 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 61% 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 $33.00 in Sale. Groceries tell a different story – $190 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 54%, 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 $1,169 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 6% 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 $33.00 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 $779, than in Chisinau at $1,200. 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.