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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,231 per month in Chisinau vs $776 in Sale, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,853 per month in Chisinau vs $1,256 in Sale, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,475 per month in Chisinau vs $1,736 in Sale, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 59% more than Sale, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chisinau and Sale are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 8% lower, Sale 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.63 MDL 151

$4.59 MAD 43.10

88.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.05 MDL 650

$32.67 MAD 307

13.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 MDL 134

$6.88 MAD 64.6

11.19%

Cappuccino

$1.88 MDL 32.92

$2.05 MAD 19.21

-8.29%

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

$0.92 MDL 16.11

$0.65 MAD 6.07

41.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 MDL 11.33

$0.40 MAD 3.77

62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 30.32

$5.42 MAD 50.9

-68.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 MDL 41.51

$4.13 MAD 38.78

-42.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.55

$0.89 MAD 8.37

44.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.76

$0.55 MAD 5.14

1.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MDL 25.49

$1.94 MAD 18.19

-25.26%

Eggs

$2.49 MDL 43.74

$2.07 MAD 19.39

20.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 MDL 185

$12.87 MAD 121

-18.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 MDL 93.6

$6.26 MAD 58.8

-14.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 MDL 151

$11.61 MAD 109

-25.84%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 MDL 15.99

$1.57 MAD 14.73

-42.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MDL 32.05

$1.33 MAD 12.51

37.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 MDL 30.22

$0.94 MAD 8.84

82.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MDL 36.80

$0.89 MAD 8.39

135.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 MDL 13.84

$0.75 MAD 7.03

5.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 MDL 10.44

$0.76 MAD 7.13

-21.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MDL 23.80

$0.43 MAD 4.00

216.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 MDL 14.53

$0.64 MAD 6.01

29.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 MDL 54.9

$4.29 MAD 40.30

-27.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.59 MDL 80.5

$4.80 MAD 45.00

-4.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 MDL 21.56

$2.74 MAD 25.66

-55.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MDL 33.58

$2.47 MAD 23.21

-22.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.96

$0.53 MAD 5.02

-35.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.44 MDL 236

$24.24 MAD 227

-44.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MDL 35.05

$0.54 MAD 5.07

270.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.36

$0.52 MAD 4.88

-51.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MDL 92.6

$4.29 MAD 40.27

23.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MDL 25.08

$1.53 MAD 14.32

-6.54%

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

$31.5K MDL 553.4K

$37.6K MAD 353.2K

-16.19%

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

$31.5K MDL 552.4K

$29.8K MAD 279.5K

5.72%

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

$170 MDL 2,989

$33.53 MAD 315

408.11%

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

$7.57 MDL 133

$11.05 MAD 104

-31.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.68 MDL 187

$46.02 MAD 432

-76.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.05 MDL 755

$14.63 MAD 137

194.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.19 MDL 389

$22.77 MAD 214

-2.55%

Cinema Ticket

$7.56 MDL 133

$6.51 MAD 61.1

16.13%

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

$389 MDL 6,820

$111 MAD 1,046

248.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,746 MDL 135.9K

$6,308 MAD 59.2K

22.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 MDL 1,164

$41.92 MAD 393

58.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.0 MDL 930

$50.7 MAD 476

4.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MDL 1,961

$106 MAD 998

5.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MDL 2,134

$98.0 MAD 919

24.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 MDL 11.9K

$286 MAD 2,681

137.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MDL 8,187

$177 MAD 1,659

163.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 MDL 21.8K

$505 MAD 4,739

146.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$808 MDL 14.2K

$302 MAD 2,836

167.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,669 MDL 46.8K

$1,198 MAD 11.2K

122.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,901 MDL 33.4K

$853 MAD 8,002

122.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$843 MDL 14.8K

$541 MAD 5,078

55.77%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Sale: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $678 in Chisinau versus $286 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 56% 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 – $189 in Chisinau vs $201 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 59%, 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 $1,846 per month in Chisinau and $1,165 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 $776, than in Chisinau at $1,231. 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.