Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Soroca Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Soroca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,231 per month in Chisinau vs $699 in Soroca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,813 per month in Chisinau vs $1,077 in Soroca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,394 per month in Chisinau vs $1,455 in Soroca, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 76% more than Soroca, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chisinau and Soroca are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 8% lower, Soroca 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.53 MDL 147

$8.66 MDL 149

-1.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 MDL 638

$36.01 MDL 619

3.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 MDL 130

$7.79 MDL 134

-3.34%

Cappuccino

$1.87 MDL 32.22

$1.79 MDL 30.69

4.47%

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

$0.99 MDL 17.03

$0.94 MDL 16.09

5.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.01

$0.69 MDL 11.85

1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 MDL 29.89

$1.73 MDL 29.68

0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 MDL 39.41

$2.39 MDL 41.02

-4.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.16

$1.25 MDL 21.48

3.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 8.98

$0.55 MDL 9.51

-5.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MDL 25.03

$1.44 MDL 24.70

1.39%

Eggs

$2.62 MDL 44.99

$2.64 MDL 45.30

-0.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 MDL 176

$10.24 MDL 176

-0.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 MDL 92.0

$5.34 MDL 91.7

0.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.69 MDL 149

$9.05 MDL 156

-3.98%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.40

$0.90 MDL 15.41

-6.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MDL 31.29

$1.74 MDL 29.93

4.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 MDL 30.52

$1.75 MDL 30.15

1.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MDL 37.27

$2.08 MDL 35.71

4.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 MDL 13.93

$0.83 MDL 14.34

-2.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 MDL 9.31

$0.55 MDL 9.48

-1.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MDL 22.40

$1.36 MDL 23.45

-4.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MDL 15.47

$0.89 MDL 15.24

1.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 MDL 56.4

$3.16 MDL 54.3

3.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.73 MDL 81.4

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 20.84

$1.21 MDL 20.89

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MDL 32.83

$1.93 MDL 33.17

-1.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MDL 5.75

$0.28 MDL 4.79

17.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.47 MDL 232

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.07 MDL 35.61

$1.99 MDL 34.29

4.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 MDL 91.7

$5.32 MDL 91.5

0.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MDL 24.76

$1.37 MDL 23.51

5.11%

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

$32.7K MDL 561.9K

$32.5K MDL 559.0K

0.51%

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

$31.5K MDL 540.7K

$30.7K MDL 527.4K

2.53%

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

$174 MDL 2,991

$175 MDL 3,006

-0.49%

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

$7.38 MDL 127

$7.39 MDL 127

-0.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.98 MDL 189

$10.95 MDL 188

0.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.14 MDL 742

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.18 MDL 381

Cinema Ticket

$7.63 MDL 131

$7.62 MDL 131

0.13%

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

$388 MDL 6,663

$385 MDL 6,622

0.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,708 MDL 132.5K

$7,749 MDL 133.2K

-0.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 MDL 1,123

$65.7 MDL 1,129

-0.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 MDL 934

$53.4 MDL 918

1.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,911

$113 MDL 1,938

-1.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 MDL 2,071

$122 MDL 2,095

-1.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$668 MDL 11.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MDL 8,048

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MDL 21.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$798 MDL 13.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,649 MDL 45.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,901 MDL 32.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 MDL 14.9K

$517 MDL 8,885

67.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

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

Last update for Chisinau: June 1, 2026

Last update for Soroca: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 67% 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 $36.00 in Soroca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $181 – making Soroca the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Soroca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 76%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. 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 $1,048 in Soroca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,231 in Chisinau and $699 in Soroca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $388 per month in Chisinau and $385 in Soroca. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Soroca, where all-in costs run around $699, than in Chisinau at $1,231. In Soroca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Soroca – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Soroca. 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.