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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,225 per month in Chisinau vs $986 in Tamarin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,820 per month in Chisinau vs $1,676 in Tamarin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,416 per month in Chisinau vs $2,366 in Tamarin, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 24% more than Tamarin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chisinau and Tamarin are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 8% lower, Tamarin 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.83 MDL 152

$6.48 MUR 303

36.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.23 MDL 642

$42.52 MUR 1,989

-12.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 MDL 127

$5.44 MUR 255

35.85%

Cappuccino

$1.83 MDL 31.55

$2.54 MUR 119

-27.95%

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

$0.94 MDL 16.18

$0.92 MUR 43.19

2.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.03

$0.55 MUR 25.79

27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 MDL 29.97

$1.69 MUR 79.2

2.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 MDL 41.56

$1.80 MUR 84.3

33.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.33

$1.49 MUR 69.8

-13.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 MDL 9.06

$0.37 MUR 17.13

43.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 25.92

$1.26 MUR 59.0

19.05%

Eggs

$2.49 MDL 42.91

$2.14 MUR 100

16.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 MDL 178

$5.59 MUR 262

84.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.55 MDL 95.8

$6.04 MUR 282

-8.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.69 MDL 150

$10.06 MUR 471

-13.62%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 MDL 15.71

$1.99 MUR 93.2

-54.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MDL 30.47

$2.02 MUR 94.7

-12.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 MDL 29.35

$1.43 MUR 66.9

18.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MDL 36.20

$2.70 MUR 126

-22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MDL 13.11

$1.01 MUR 47.48

-24.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 MDL 9.55

$1.00 MUR 46.96

-45.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MDL 23.45

$0.80 MUR 37.32

70.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MDL 14.52

$0.74 MUR 34.77

13.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 MDL 54.6

$6.41 MUR 300

-50.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.88 MDL 84.2

$8.81 MUR 412

-44.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 MDL 21.14

$1.74 MUR 81.6

-29.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 MDL 33.94

$1.70 MUR 79.4

15.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.85

$1.12 MUR 52.2

-69.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.53 MDL 233

$11.13 MUR 521

21.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 MDL 34.65

$4.32 MUR 202

-53.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.67

$2.62 MUR 123

-89.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 MDL 88.1

$6.73 MUR 315

-24.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MDL 23.90

$1.25 MUR 58.6

11.20%

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

$32.1K MDL 554.4K

$28.9K MUR 1.4M

11.38%

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

$30.7K MDL 528.8K

$27.4K MUR 1.3M

11.83%

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

$176 MDL 3,031

$48.56 MUR 2,272

261.80%

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

$7.68 MDL 133

$16.37 MUR 766

-53.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.98 MDL 189

$30.26 MUR 1,416

-63.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.02 MDL 742

$49.33 MUR 2,308

-12.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.11 MDL 381

$10.95 MUR 512

101.92%

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 MDL 130

$6.02 MUR 282

25.42%

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

$390 MDL 6,730

$150 MUR 7,004

160.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,672 MDL 132.3K

$3,109 MUR 145.5K

146.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 MDL 1,143

$58.1 MUR 2,716

14.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 MDL 913

$47.77 MUR 2,235

10.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,909

$86.8 MUR 4,061

27.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MDL 2,084

$58.1 MUR 2,717

108.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 MDL 11.7K

$756 MUR 35.3K

-10.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 MDL 7,943

$386 MUR 18.1K

19.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 MDL 21.6K

$1,426 MUR 66.7K

-12.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 MDL 13.8K

$921 MUR 43.1K

-13.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,645 MDL 45.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,885 MDL 32.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$831 MDL 14.3K

$861 MUR 40.3K

-3.49%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tamarin: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $677 in Chisinau versus $756 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 4% higher in Tamarin, 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 $43.00 in Tamarin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $198 – 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 24%, 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 $1,838 per month in Chisinau and $1,480 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 4% 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 $43.00 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 $986, than in Chisinau at $1,225. 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.