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 $1,200 per month in Chisinau vs $1,061 in Targu Mures, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,843 per month in Chisinau vs $1,549 in Targu Mures, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,485 per month in Chisinau vs $2,037 in Targu Mures, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 13% more than Targu Mures, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chisinau and Targu Mures are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 11% lower, Targu Mures 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.87 MDL 153

$8.79 RON 39.91

0.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.12 MDL 640

$40.85 RON 185

-9.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 MDL 130

$8.78 RON 39.86

-14.12%

Cappuccino

$1.80 MDL 31.03

$2.28 RON 10.35

-21.05%

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

$0.98 MDL 16.87

$1.26 RON 5.72

-22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.01

$1.15 RON 5.24

-39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 29.84

$2.16 RON 9.81

-19.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 MDL 39.47

$2.72 RON 12.34

-15.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.04

$1.60 RON 7.27

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.68

$1.21 RON 5.51

-53.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 25.80

$1.59 RON 7.20

-5.66%

Eggs

$2.53 MDL 43.60

$2.98 RON 13.53

-15.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 MDL 176

$8.87 RON 40.26

15.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 MDL 95.1

$6.91 RON 31.36

-20.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.74 MDL 151

$12.30 RON 55.9

-28.94%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 MDL 15.29

$0.97 RON 4.41

-8.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MDL 30.31

$1.32 RON 6.01

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 MDL 30.41

$1.49 RON 6.74

18.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MDL 35.94

$1.91 RON 8.68

8.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.48

$0.87 RON 3.97

-3.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 MDL 9.64

$0.89 RON 4.02

-37.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 MDL 22.55

$0.79 RON 3.58

65.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 MDL 14.35

$0.81 RON 3.66

2.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 MDL 56.9

$6.06 RON 27.52

-45.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 MDL 81.9

$7.80 RON 35.41

-39.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MDL 21.06

$1.04 RON 4.74

17.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 MDL 33.19

$1.68 RON 7.62

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MDL 6.26

$0.59 RON 2.70

-38.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.74 MDL 237

$14.77 RON 67.1

-6.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MDL 34.44

$0.88 RON 4.01

127.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.27

$0.71 RON 3.24

-64.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 MDL 91.6

$7.50 RON 34.06

-29.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 MDL 24.52

$1.52 RON 6.91

-6.58%

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

$32.4K MDL 559.6K

$27.5K RON 124.8K

18.03%

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

$30.9K MDL 532.9K

$27.9K RON 126.8K

10.60%

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

$173 MDL 2,982

$169 RON 766

2.49%

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

$7.57 MDL 131

$8.60 RON 39.05

-11.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.65 MDL 184

$9.90 RON 44.96

7.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.21 MDL 745

$46.97 RON 213

-8.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.02 MDL 380

$18.22 RON 82.7

20.86%

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 MDL 132

$5.67 RON 25.73

34.92%

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

$397 MDL 6,846

$1,378 RON 6,254

-71.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,753 MDL 133.7K

$6,946 RON 31.5K

11.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.3 MDL 1,126

$72.2 RON 328

-9.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 MDL 911

$32.87 RON 149

60.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,921

$72.3 RON 328

54.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 MDL 2,145

$81.8 RON 371

52.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 MDL 11.3K

$440 RON 1,996

48.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 MDL 7,961

$312 RON 1,415

48.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 MDL 21.6K

$567 RON 2,576

120.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$819 MDL 14.1K

$399 RON 1,810

105.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,583 MDL 44.5K

$2,355 RON 10.7K

9.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,942 MDL 33.5K

$1,505 RON 6,830

29.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$856 MDL 14.8K

$1,066 RON 4,840

-19.69%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Targu Mures: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $654 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 25% 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 $41.00 in Targu Mures. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 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 13%, 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 $1,800 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 $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 $1,061, than in Chisinau at $1,200. 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.