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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,199 per month in Chisinau vs $1,018 in Tamarin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,816 per month in Chisinau vs $1,707 in Tamarin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,433 per month in Chisinau vs $2,397 in Tamarin, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 18% more than Tamarin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chisinau and Tamarin are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 10% lower, Tamarin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.73 MDL 151

$6.65 MUR 317

31.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.61 MDL 633

$41.62 MUR 1,986

-12.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.40 MDL 128

$5.55 MUR 265

33.33%

Cappuccino

$1.88 MDL 32.52

$2.54 MUR 121

-25.98%

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

$0.92 MDL 15.91

$0.85 MUR 40.71

8.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 MDL 11.23

$0.56 MUR 26.71

16.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 MDL 29.36

$1.61 MUR 76.9

5.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 MDL 41.64

$1.71 MUR 81.5

40.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.08

$1.53 MUR 73.2

-16.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.74

$0.36 MUR 17.32

55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MDL 25.16

$1.31 MUR 62.7

11.45%

Eggs

$2.54 MDL 43.96

$2.19 MUR 104

15.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 MDL 176

$5.65 MUR 269

80.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 MDL 95.5

$6.37 MUR 304

-13.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 MDL 155

$9.98 MUR 476

-10.02%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.49

$2.07 MUR 98.7

-59.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MDL 31.68

$2.04 MUR 97.2

-10.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 MDL 30.37

$1.50 MUR 71.6

17.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 MDL 36.88

$2.65 MUR 126

-19.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 MDL 14.21

$1.00 MUR 47.88

-18.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.25

$0.94 MUR 44.87

-37.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MDL 22.43

$0.83 MUR 39.77

56.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 MDL 15.45

$0.80 MUR 38.18

11.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 MDL 55.0

$6.62 MUR 316

-51.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.59 MDL 79.4

$8.57 MUR 409

-46.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MDL 21.88

$1.75 MUR 83.4

-27.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 MDL 32.69

$1.61 MUR 76.7

17.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.87

$1.12 MUR 53.6

-69.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.84 MDL 239

$10.80 MUR 515

28.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MDL 34.51

$4.46 MUR 213

-55.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.68

$2.74 MUR 131

-90.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 MDL 89.6

$6.43 MUR 307

-19.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MDL 24.71

$1.26 MUR 60.0

13.49%

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

$32.0K MDL 553.4K

$28.8K MUR 1.4M

11.26%

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

$31.0K MDL 535.0K

$27.0K MUR 1.3M

14.59%

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

$172 MDL 2,978

$49.19 MUR 2,347

250.34%

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

$7.34 MDL 127

$15.94 MUR 760

-53.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.00 MDL 190

$29.84 MUR 1,423

-63.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.87 MDL 758

$51.1 MUR 2,436

-14.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.72 MDL 375

$10.99 MUR 524

97.63%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 MDL 135

$6.22 MUR 297

25.72%

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

$388 MDL 6,712

$154 MUR 7,333

152.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,651 MDL 132.2K

$3,195 MUR 152.4K

139.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 MDL 1,132

$58.8 MUR 2,807

11.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 MDL 931

$48.23 MUR 2,301

11.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MDL 1,986

$88.3 MUR 4,210

30.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MDL 2,084

$57.9 MUR 2,764

108.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 MDL 11.6K

$776 MUR 37.0K

-13.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MDL 8,013

$388 MUR 18.5K

19.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 MDL 21.2K

$1,449 MUR 69.1K

-15.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 MDL 14.3K

$941 MUR 44.9K

-12.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,578 MDL 44.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,887 MDL 32.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$865 MDL 14.9K

$854 MUR 40.8K

1.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

54.00%

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

Last update for Chisinau: June 13, 2026

Last update for Tamarin: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $669 in Chisinau versus $776 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 1% 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 $42.00 in Tamarin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $191 vs $200 – making Chisinau 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 Tamarin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 18%, 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 $1,798 per month in Chisinau and $1,527 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% 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 $42.00 in Tamarin. 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 Tamarin, where all-in costs run around $1,018, than in Chisinau at $1,199. 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.