Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Targu Mures Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Targu Mures

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,219 per month in Chisinau vs $1,061 in Targu Mures, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,808 per month in Chisinau vs $1,549 in Targu Mures, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,397 per month in Chisinau vs $2,036 in Targu Mures, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 15% more than Targu Mures, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chisinau and Targu Mures are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 9% lower, Targu Mures 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.02 MDL 158

$8.46 RON 38.78

6.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.02 MDL 648

$39.85 RON 183

-7.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.69 MDL 135

$8.79 RON 40.30

-12.51%

Cappuccino

$1.80 MDL 31.49

$2.19 RON 10.05

-17.81%

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

$0.99 MDL 17.34

$1.32 RON 6.03

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 MDL 11.38

$1.15 RON 5.26

-43.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 MDL 31.25

$2.25 RON 10.32

-20.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 MDL 40.16

$2.78 RON 12.75

-17.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 MDL 21.85

$1.62 RON 7.41

-22.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.89

$1.22 RON 5.59

-54.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MDL 25.37

$1.59 RON 7.31

-8.81%

Eggs

$2.50 MDL 43.86

$2.92 RON 13.40

-14.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 MDL 179

$8.68 RON 39.78

18.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 MDL 94.2

$6.94 RON 31.83

-22.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.74 MDL 153

$12.63 RON 57.9

-30.80%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 MDL 15.56

$1.02 RON 4.66

-12.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MDL 31.77

$1.32 RON 6.04

37.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 MDL 30.67

$1.52 RON 6.97

15.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 MDL 37.32

$1.97 RON 9.03

8.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 MDL 13.47

$0.91 RON 4.15

-15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.25

$0.93 RON 4.28

-36.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MDL 23.78

$0.78 RON 3.58

74.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MDL 14.39

$0.80 RON 3.65

2.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 MDL 56.8

$6.25 RON 28.67

-48.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.69 MDL 82.2

$7.39 RON 33.89

-36.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 MDL 22.09

$1.05 RON 4.81

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MDL 33.94

$1.61 RON 7.40

20.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MDL 6.32

$0.56 RON 2.58

-35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.75 MDL 241

$15.04 RON 68.9

-8.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 MDL 36.36

$0.90 RON 4.13

131.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.35

$0.72 RON 3.29

-65.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MDL 94.8

$7.52 RON 34.47

-27.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 MDL 24.11

$1.61 RON 7.39

-14.29%

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

$32.0K MDL 560.9K

$27.8K RON 127.6K

15.09%

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

$31.2K MDL 545.5K

$28.5K RON 130.8K

9.24%

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

$175 MDL 3,057

$167 RON 765

4.66%

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

$7.58 MDL 133

$8.53 RON 39.09

-11.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.71 MDL 188

$10.05 RON 46.10

6.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.78 MDL 749

$46.19 RON 212

-7.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.19 MDL 388

$18.49 RON 84.8

20.01%

Cinema Ticket

$7.66 MDL 134

$5.83 RON 26.73

31.39%

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

$387 MDL 6,781

$1,378 RON 6,320

-71.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,503 MDL 131.4K

$7,028 RON 32.2K

6.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 MDL 1,146

$72.9 RON 334

-10.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.8 MDL 959

$31.90 RON 146

71.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 MDL 1,971

$73.9 RON 339

52.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MDL 2,148

$80.2 RON 368

53.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 MDL 11.8K

$440 RON 2,019

52.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 MDL 8,039

$315 RON 1,445

45.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,234 MDL 21.6K

$559 RON 2,563

120.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$822 MDL 14.4K

$407 RON 1,864

102.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,652 MDL 46.4K

$2,294 RON 10.5K

15.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,882 MDL 32.9K

$1,504 RON 6,898

25.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$875 MDL 15.3K

$1,062 RON 4,869

-17.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

8.17

13.10%

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

Last update for Chisinau: July 22, 2026

Last update for Targu Mures: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $673 in Chisinau versus $440 in Targu Mures. 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 21% higher in Targu Mures, 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 $40.00 in Targu Mures. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $189 vs $214 – 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 Targu Mures: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 15%, 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 $1,829 per month in Chisinau and $1,592 in Targu Mures. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% 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 $40.00 in Targu Mures. 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 Targu Mures, where all-in costs run around $1,061, than in Chisinau at $1,219. In Targu Mures it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Targu Mures – 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 Targu Mures. 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.