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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,340 per month in Chisinau vs $1,029 in Selangor, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,023 per month in Chisinau vs $1,494 in Selangor, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,705 per month in Chisinau vs $1,960 in Selangor, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 30% more than Selangor, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chisinau and Selangor are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 2% lower, Selangor 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.65 MDL 199

$4.39 MYR 17.76

165.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 MDL 860

$20.22 MYR 81.8

148.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 MDL 151

$4.06 MYR 16.43

117.98%

Cappuccino

$2.19 MDL 37.47

$2.24 MYR 9.06

-2.23%

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

$1.30 MDL 22.25

$0.84 MYR 3.41

54.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 MDL 15.31

$0.43 MYR 1.73

106.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 MDL 39.49

$4.50 MYR 18.19

-48.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 MDL 35.73

$4.97 MYR 20.09

-57.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 MDL 21.53

$1.88 MYR 7.62

-32.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MDL 11.91

$1.11 MYR 4.49

-36.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MDL 24.85

$1.49 MYR 6.02

-2.68%

Eggs

$2.83 MDL 48.42

$2.01 MYR 8.14

40.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.38 MDL 178

$16.12 MYR 65.2

-35.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 MDL 93.1

$4.89 MYR 19.79

11.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.23 MDL 158

$9.92 MYR 40.10

-6.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 MDL 17.87

$3.36 MYR 13.58

-69.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MDL 34.43

$1.84 MYR 7.45

9.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 MDL 37.41

$2.35 MYR 9.51

-7.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MDL 40.20

$1.66 MYR 6.69

41.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 MDL 11.65

$1.34 MYR 5.41

-49.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 MDL 9.76

$1.05 MYR 4.24

-45.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 MDL 25.45

$1.17 MYR 4.74

27.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 MDL 15.18

$0.58 MYR 2.36

53.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 MDL 58.3

$4.57 MYR 18.46

-25.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.71 MDL 80.6

$19.08 MYR 77.2

-75.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 MDL 22.55

$3.39 MYR 13.69

-61.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 MDL 33.51

$5.07 MYR 20.49

-61.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 MDL 7.23

$1.25 MYR 5.07

-66.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.75 MDL 235

$12.60 MYR 50.9

9.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 MDL 39.70

$1.22 MYR 4.95

90.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 MDL 5.77

$1.26 MYR 5.10

-73.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 MDL 91.6

$4.47 MYR 18.05

19.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 MDL 28.14

$0.69 MYR 2.77

137.68%

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

$30.5K MDL 522.2K

$42.9K MYR 173.5K

-28.93%

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

$31.2K MDL 534.8K

$35.5K MYR 143.5K

-11.99%

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

$256 MDL 4,386

$65.6 MYR 265

290.86%

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

$9.82 MDL 168

$9.42 MYR 38.10

4.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.05 MDL 189

$26.41 MYR 107

-58.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.19 MDL 757

$40.52 MYR 164

9.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.05 MDL 360

$7.09 MYR 28.68

196.90%

Cinema Ticket

$8.72 MDL 149

$5.43 MYR 21.96

60.59%

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

$437 MDL 7,477

$123 MYR 499

253.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,037 MDL 103.3K

$7,417 MYR 30.0K

-18.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 MDL 1,389

$71.3 MYR 288

13.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.11 MDL 841

$43.00 MYR 174

14.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 MDL 2,103

$79.0 MYR 319

55.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MDL 1,997

$82.5 MYR 333

41.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 MDL 12.1K

$509 MYR 2,057

38.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 MDL 7,591

$348 MYR 1,405

27.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 MDL 22.2K

$911 MYR 3,685

42.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 MDL 14.8K

$489 MYR 1,977

76.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,775 MDL 47.5K

$1,618 MYR 6,540

71.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,007 MDL 34.4K

$711 MYR 2,874

182.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$919 MDL 15.7K

$1,060 MYR 4,285

-13.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.41

3.96

137.63%

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

Last update for Chisinau: August 29, 2026

Last update for Selangor: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $706 in Chisinau versus $509 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 15% 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 $50.0 in Chisinau versus $20.00 in Selangor. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Chisinau vs $275 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 30%, 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 $2,010 per month in Chisinau and $1,543 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 37% 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 $50.0 in Chisinau and $20.00 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 $1,029, than in Chisinau at $1,340. 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.