Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Selangor Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Selangor

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,231 per month in Chisinau vs $1,008 in Selangor, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,813 per month in Chisinau vs $1,449 in Selangor, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,394 per month in Chisinau vs $1,890 in Selangor, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 22% more than Selangor, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chisinau and Selangor are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 8% lower, Selangor 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.53 MDL 147

$2.56 MYR 10.16

233.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 MDL 638

$23.14 MYR 91.7

60.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 MDL 130

$3.74 MYR 14.84

101.34%

Cappuccino

$1.87 MDL 32.22

$2.23 MYR 8.83

-16.14%

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

$0.99 MDL 17.03

$0.77 MYR 3.06

28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.01

$0.33 MYR 1.32

112.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 MDL 29.89

$4.19 MYR 16.62

-58.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 MDL 39.41

$5.33 MYR 21.15

-57.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.16

$1.83 MYR 7.26

-29.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 8.98

$1.01 MYR 4.00

-48.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MDL 25.03

$1.45 MYR 5.74

0.69%

Eggs

$2.62 MDL 44.99

$1.83 MYR 7.24

43.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 MDL 176

$14.43 MYR 57.2

-29.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 MDL 92.0

$4.66 MYR 18.46

14.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.69 MDL 149

$9.83 MYR 38.98

-11.60%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.40

$2.87 MYR 11.37

-70.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MDL 31.29

$1.64 MYR 6.52

10.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 MDL 30.52

$2.69 MYR 10.65

-33.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MDL 37.27

$1.51 MYR 5.98

43.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 MDL 13.93

$1.27 MYR 5.03

-36.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 MDL 9.31

$0.99 MYR 3.93

-45.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MDL 22.40

$1.08 MYR 4.28

20.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MDL 15.47

$0.54 MYR 2.15

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 MDL 56.4

$4.32 MYR 17.12

-24.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.73 MDL 81.4

$19.54 MYR 77.5

-75.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 20.84

$3.37 MYR 13.35

-64.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MDL 32.83

$4.26 MYR 16.88

-55.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MDL 5.75

$0.74 MYR 2.94

-55.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.47 MDL 232

$11.61 MYR 46.04

16.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.07 MDL 35.61

$1.21 MYR 4.79

71.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.29

$1.10 MYR 4.38

-77.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 MDL 91.7

$4.38 MYR 17.39

21.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MDL 24.76

$0.46 MYR 1.84

213.04%

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

$32.7K MDL 561.9K

$39.3K MYR 155.8K

-16.82%

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

$31.5K MDL 540.7K

$31.9K MYR 126.5K

-1.40%

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

$174 MDL 2,991

$65.4 MYR 259

165.99%

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

$7.38 MDL 127

$9.48 MYR 37.59

-22.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.98 MDL 189

$25.69 MYR 102

-57.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.14 MDL 742

$38.55 MYR 153

11.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.18 MDL 381

$7.29 MYR 28.90

204.25%

Cinema Ticket

$7.63 MDL 131

$5.20 MYR 20.62

46.73%

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

$388 MDL 6,663

$117 MYR 462

232.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,708 MDL 132.5K

$4,384 MYR 17.4K

75.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 MDL 1,123

$59.8 MYR 237

9.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 MDL 934

$36.96 MYR 147

46.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,911

$75.1 MYR 298

48.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 MDL 2,071

$78.9 MYR 313

52.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$668 MDL 11.5K

$441 MYR 1,749

51.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MDL 8,048

$348 MYR 1,379

34.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MDL 21.4K

$849 MYR 3,365

46.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$798 MDL 13.7K

$472 MYR 1,871

69.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,649 MDL 45.5K

$1,659 MYR 6,577

59.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,901 MDL 32.7K

$726 MYR 2,878

161.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 MDL 14.9K

$1,004 MYR 3,980

-13.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

3.96

133.33%

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

Last update for Chisinau: June 1, 2026

Last update for Selangor: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $668 in Chisinau versus $441 in Selangor. 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 16% higher in Selangor, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Chisinau versus $23.00 in Selangor. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Chisinau vs $261 in Selangor – 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 Selangor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 22%, 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 $1,846 per month in Chisinau and $1,511 in Selangor. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 38% 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 $23.00 in Selangor. 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 Selangor, where all-in costs run around $1,008, than in Chisinau at $1,231. In Selangor it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Selangor – 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 Selangor. 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.