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 $1,244 per month in Chisinau vs $1,077 in Targu Mures, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,834 per month in Chisinau vs $1,554 in Targu Mures, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,424 per month in Chisinau vs $2,031 in Targu Mures, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 16% more than Targu Mures, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chisinau and Targu Mures are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 7% lower, Targu Mures 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.95 MDL 154

$8.54 RON 37.04

4.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.07 MDL 639

$41.00 RON 178

-9.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 MDL 135

$9.00 RON 39.05

-13.11%

Cappuccino

$1.89 MDL 32.64

$2.30 RON 9.97

-17.83%

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

$0.98 MDL 16.83

$1.32 RON 5.71

-25.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 MDL 11.89

$1.15 RON 5.00

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 MDL 30.92

$2.13 RON 9.24

-15.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 MDL 39.52

$2.83 RON 12.26

-19.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.12

$1.55 RON 6.75

-17.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MDL 9.48

$1.21 RON 5.25

-54.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 MDL 26.14

$1.64 RON 7.12

-7.32%

Eggs

$2.52 MDL 43.50

$3.07 RON 13.31

-17.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 MDL 177

$8.82 RON 38.29

16.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.61 MDL 96.6

$7.21 RON 31.27

-22.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 MDL 157

$12.69 RON 55.1

-28.21%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.46

$0.98 RON 4.25

-14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MDL 31.58

$1.31 RON 5.70

39.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 MDL 29.11

$1.53 RON 6.62

10.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MDL 35.45

$1.95 RON 8.45

5.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 MDL 13.58

$0.93 RON 4.04

-15.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 MDL 9.34

$0.92 RON 4.00

-41.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MDL 22.33

$0.79 RON 3.45

64.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 MDL 14.38

$0.80 RON 3.48

3.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 MDL 55.0

$6.28 RON 27.26

-49.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.85 MDL 83.6

$8.11 RON 35.20

-40.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 20.88

$1.07 RON 4.66

13.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MDL 32.91

$1.65 RON 7.14

15.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MDL 6.30

$0.56 RON 2.43

-33.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.52 MDL 233

$14.85 RON 64.5

-8.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 MDL 34.73

$0.96 RON 4.16

110.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.30

$0.73 RON 3.17

-65.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 MDL 90.1

$7.25 RON 31.45

-27.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 MDL 23.73

$1.61 RON 7.00

-14.29%

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

$31.7K MDL 546.2K

$28.1K RON 121.9K

12.82%

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

$31.4K MDL 540.4K

$28.2K RON 122.4K

11.21%

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

$175 MDL 3,012

$172 RON 745

1.80%

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

$7.64 MDL 132

$8.68 RON 37.67

-11.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.99 MDL 189

$9.64 RON 41.84

14.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.74 MDL 754

$46.95 RON 204

-6.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.22 MDL 383

$18.68 RON 81.1

18.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 MDL 134

$5.93 RON 25.72

31.03%

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

$387 MDL 6,676

$1,387 RON 6,019

-72.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,477 MDL 128.8K

$6,872 RON 29.8K

8.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 MDL 1,144

$71.1 RON 308

-6.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 MDL 931

$31.67 RON 137

70.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MDL 1,979

$74.4 RON 323

54.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MDL 2,104

$81.9 RON 355

49.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$667 MDL 11.5K

$445 RON 1,930

49.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MDL 7,994

$312 RON 1,354

48.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 MDL 21.1K

$567 RON 2,459

116.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$806 MDL 13.9K

$412 RON 1,788

95.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,714 MDL 46.8K

$2,379 RON 10.3K

14.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,848 MDL 31.8K

$1,556 RON 6,754

18.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$857 MDL 14.8K

$1,123 RON 4,872

-23.62%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Targu Mures: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $667 in Chisinau versus $445 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 31% 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 in Chisinau versus $41 in Targu Mures. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $191 vs $218 – 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 16%, 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 $1,866 per month in Chisinau and $1,616 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 14% 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 $41.00 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 $1,077, than in Chisinau at $1,244. 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.