Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Tamarin Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Tamarin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,318 per month in Chisinau vs $959 in Tamarin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Chisinau vs $1,658 in Tamarin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,713 per month in Chisinau vs $2,356 in Tamarin, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 37% more than Tamarin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chisinau and Tamarin are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 4% lower, Tamarin 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.51 MDL 195

$6.35 MUR 295

81.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 MDL 855

$38.71 MUR 1,800

30.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 MDL 151

$7.16 MUR 333

24.02%

Cappuccino

$2.27 MDL 38.52

$2.63 MUR 122

-13.69%

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

$1.23 MDL 20.84

$1.02 MUR 47.55

20.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MDL 15.45

$0.54 MUR 25.21

68.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 MDL 40.30

$2.59 MUR 120

-8.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 MDL 35.04

$1.68 MUR 78.0

22.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 MDL 21.52

$1.51 MUR 70.1

-15.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 MDL 12.64

$0.22 MUR 10.24

236.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MDL 25.36

$1.17 MUR 54.5

27.35%

Eggs

$2.87 MDL 48.72

$2.51 MUR 117

14.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.23 MDL 174

$3.77 MUR 175

171.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.45 MDL 92.5

$6.26 MUR 291

-12.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.40 MDL 160

$11.56 MUR 537

-18.69%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 MDL 16.67

$2.12 MUR 98.6

-53.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 MDL 33.75

$2.21 MUR 103

-9.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 MDL 33.38

$1.46 MUR 67.8

34.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 MDL 37.39

$2.94 MUR 137

-25.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MDL 12.29

$0.96 MUR 44.62

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 MDL 10.11

$0.96 MUR 44.40

-37.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MDL 24.48

$0.75 MUR 35.03

92.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 MDL 15.51

$0.84 MUR 39.03

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 MDL 58.0

$6.21 MUR 289

-45.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.69 MDL 79.7

$8.75 MUR 407

-46.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 MDL 21.41

$1.69 MUR 78.5

-25.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MDL 32.98

$1.94 MUR 90.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 MDL 7.17

$0.87 MUR 40.45

-51.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.36 MDL 227

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 MDL 40.53

$4.33 MUR 201

-44.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 MDL 5.76

$3.27 MUR 152

-89.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 MDL 91.6

$6.24 MUR 290

-13.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 MDL 28.76

$1.34 MUR 62.3

26.12%

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

$29.5K MDL 500.3K

$30.0K MUR 1.4M

-1.68%

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

$31.5K MDL 535.5K

$31.3K MUR 1.5M

0.86%

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

$244 MDL 4,136

$45.56 MUR 2,118

434.59%

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

$9.73 MDL 165

$10.52 MUR 489

-7.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.77 MDL 183

$29.66 MUR 1,379

-63.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.86 MDL 745

$42.13 MUR 1,959

4.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.91 MDL 355

Cinema Ticket

$8.48 MDL 144

$6.48 MUR 301

30.86%

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

$443 MDL 7,517

$128 MUR 5,929

247.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,066 MDL 103.0K

$3,045 MUR 141.6K

99.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.9 MDL 1,323

$56.4 MUR 2,622

38.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.93 MDL 814

$46.87 MUR 2,179

2.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 MDL 2,094

$84.5 MUR 3,927

45.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MDL 1,950

$59.5 MUR 2,764

93.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 MDL 12.2K

$745 MUR 34.6K

-3.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 MDL 7,797

$371 MUR 17.2K

23.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 MDL 22.7K

$1,401 MUR 65.1K

-4.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$812 MDL 13.8K

$917 MUR 42.6K

-11.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,678 MDL 45.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,988 MDL 33.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$908 MDL 15.4K

$863 MUR 40.1K

5.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.3

6.67

39.43%

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

Last update for Chisinau: August 16, 2026

Last update for Tamarin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $721 in Chisinau versus $745 in Tamarin. 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 5% 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 $50.0 in Chisinau versus $39.00 in Tamarin. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in Chisinau vs $201 in Tamarin – 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 Tamarin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,977 per month in Chisinau and $1,439 in Tamarin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,318 in Chisinau and $959 in Tamarin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $443 per month in Chisinau and $128 in Tamarin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tamarin, where all-in costs run around $959, than in Chisinau at $1,318. In Tamarin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tamarin – 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 Tamarin. 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.