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 $1,346 per month in Chisinau vs $993 in Targu Mures, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,052 per month in Chisinau vs $1,532 in Targu Mures, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,758 per month in Chisinau vs $2,071 in Targu Mures, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 36% more than Targu Mures, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chisinau and Targu Mures are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 2% lower, Targu Mures 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.69 MDL 200

$9.12 RON 41.16

28.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MDL 881

$45.14 RON 204

14.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.58 MDL 147

$8.66 RON 39.09

-0.92%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MDL 38.08

$2.40 RON 10.83

-7.08%

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

$1.25 MDL 21.41

$1.58 RON 7.15

-20.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 MDL 15.13

$1.29 RON 5.83

-31.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 MDL 39.04

$1.95 RON 8.81

17.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 MDL 33.67

$2.49 RON 11.24

-20.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 MDL 22.15

$1.42 RON 6.41

-8.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 MDL 12.29

$1.12 RON 5.04

-35.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MDL 25.52

$1.53 RON 6.93

-2.61%

Eggs

$2.97 MDL 50.7

$2.99 RON 13.49

-0.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 MDL 173

$8.50 RON 38.36

19.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 MDL 90.2

$6.24 RON 28.18

-15.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 MDL 150

$10.62 RON 47.96

-17.33%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MDL 16.61

$1.03 RON 4.65

-5.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 MDL 32.53

$1.34 RON 6.03

41.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MDL 35.06

$1.46 RON 6.61

40.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 MDL 37.83

$1.90 RON 8.57

16.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 MDL 11.66

$0.76 RON 3.42

-10.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 MDL 9.65

$0.56 RON 2.54

1.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MDL 24.85

$0.86 RON 3.89

69.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 MDL 15.95

$0.75 RON 3.39

24.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 MDL 60.9

$6.22 RON 28.10

-42.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.03 MDL 86.0

$7.95 RON 35.88

-36.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MDL 21.64

$1.12 RON 5.06

13.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MDL 33.20

$1.64 RON 7.42

18.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MDL 6.70

$0.64 RON 2.88

-39.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.83 MDL 236

$27.06 RON 122

-48.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 MDL 40.35

$0.90 RON 4.07

162.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 MDL 6.28

$0.91 RON 4.10

-59.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 MDL 86.7

$8.08 RON 36.46

-37.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 MDL 29.13

$1.87 RON 8.43

-8.56%

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

$29.9K MDL 510.9K

$29.8K RON 134.6K

0.35%

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

$30.5K MDL 520.6K

$26.6K RON 120.2K

14.51%

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

$254 MDL 4,344

$106 RON 477

140.60%

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

$9.44 MDL 161

$9.81 RON 44.29

-3.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.75 MDL 184

$8.36 RON 37.73

28.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.83 MDL 732

$43.43 RON 196

-1.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.23 MDL 363

$19.34 RON 87.3

9.77%

Cinema Ticket

$8.60 MDL 147

$6.76 RON 30.53

27.22%

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

$445 MDL 7,598

$1,374 RON 6,203

-67.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,089 MDL 104.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.4 MDL 1,339

$56.3 RON 254

39.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.80 MDL 816

$31.54 RON 142

51.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 MDL 2,041

$80.9 RON 365

47.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MDL 1,936

$81.7 RON 369

38.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 MDL 12.1K

$444 RON 2,004

60.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 MDL 7,778

$307 RON 1,386

48.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 MDL 21.5K

$667 RON 3,010

88.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$821 MDL 14.0K

$505 RON 2,281

62.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,781 MDL 47.5K

$2,388 RON 10.8K

16.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,997 MDL 34.1K

$1,511 RON 6,820

32.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$922 MDL 15.7K

$1,042 RON 4,704

-11.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.41

7.47

25.97%

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

Last update for Chisinau: September 5, 2026

Last update for Targu Mures: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $711 in Chisinau versus $444 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 13% 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 $52.0 in Chisinau versus $45.00 in Targu Mures. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Chisinau vs $201 in Targu Mures – so Chisinau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 36%, 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 $2,019 per month in Chisinau and $1,489 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 2% 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 $52.0 in Chisinau and $45.00 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 $993, than in Chisinau at $1,346. 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.