Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Ungheni Cost of Living Comparison Between Chisinau and Ungheni

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,304 per month in Chisinau vs $670 in Ungheni, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,008 per month in Chisinau vs $1,033 in Ungheni, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,713 per month in Chisinau vs $1,396 in Ungheni, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 95% more than Ungheni, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chisinau and Ungheni are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 5% lower, Ungheni 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 MDL 200

$7.44 MDL 129

54.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.3 MDL 892

$22.58 MDL 393

127.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.72 MDL 152

$7.06 MDL 123

23.51%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MDL 38.72

$1.40 MDL 24.40

59.29%

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

$1.24 MDL 21.55

$0.72 MDL 12.47

72.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MDL 15.81

$0.44 MDL 7.64

106.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 MDL 40.88

$1.02 MDL 17.66

130.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 MDL 34.31

$1.41 MDL 24.46

39.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 MDL 22.75

$1.70 MDL 29.55

-22.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MDL 12.01

$0.33 MDL 5.83

109.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MDL 25.47

$0.90 MDL 15.70

62.22%

Eggs

$2.93 MDL 51.0

$1.95 MDL 33.94

50.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MDL 178

$10.58 MDL 184

-3.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 MDL 91.2

$4.02 MDL 69.9

30.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.94 MDL 156

$8.67 MDL 151

3.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MDL 17.69

$0.44 MDL 7.63

131.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 MDL 33.36

$1.23 MDL 21.46

56.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MDL 35.71

$1.07 MDL 18.61

91.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MDL 37.84

$1.12 MDL 19.42

93.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 MDL 12.01

$0.44 MDL 7.61

56.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 MDL 9.30

$0.37 MDL 6.39

43.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MDL 25.10

$2.27 MDL 39.57

-36.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 MDL 16.20

$0.84 MDL 14.63

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 MDL 61.6

$3.39 MDL 59.0

4.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.80 MDL 83.6

$4.26 MDL 74.1

12.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 MDL 22.27

$1.45 MDL 25.29

-11.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 MDL 34.68

$1.70 MDL 29.66

17.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 MDL 7.13

$0.37 MDL 6.36

10.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.22 MDL 230

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 MDL 40.94

$1.76 MDL 30.57

33.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MDL 6.28

$0.39 MDL 6.78

-7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 MDL 90.6

$3.83 MDL 66.6

36.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 MDL 29.55

$1.46 MDL 25.36

16.44%

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

$29.1K MDL 506.9K

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

$31.2K MDL 543.6K

$20.7K MDL 361.0K

50.58%

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

$251 MDL 4,372

$143 MDL 2,489

75.68%

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

$9.43 MDL 164

$11.71 MDL 204

-19.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.03 MDL 192

$16.09 MDL 280

-31.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 MDL 747

$14.61 MDL 254

193.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.33 MDL 371

Cinema Ticket

$8.49 MDL 148

$4.04 MDL 70.3

110.15%

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

$439 MDL 7,644

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,932 MDL 103.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.6 MDL 1,350

$49.48 MDL 861

56.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.65 MDL 829

$17.06 MDL 297

179.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 MDL 2,085

$34.05 MDL 592

251.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MDL 2,000

$69.1 MDL 1,202

66.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 MDL 12.1K

$262 MDL 4,552

165.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 MDL 7,714

$115 MDL 2,000

285.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MDL 21.7K

$342 MDL 5,959

264.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$817 MDL 14.2K

$293 MDL 5,100

178.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,752 MDL 47.9K

$2,309 MDL 40.2K

19.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,957 MDL 34.1K

$1,719 MDL 29.9K

13.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$925 MDL 16.1K

$572 MDL 9,948

61.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.41

17.63%

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

Last update for Chisinau: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ungheni: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Chisinau versus $262 in Ungheni. 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 62% higher in Chisinau, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Chisinau versus $23.00 in Ungheni. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $169 – making Ungheni 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 Ungheni: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 95%, 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 $1,956 per month in Chisinau and $1,004 in Ungheni. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 16% more in Chisinau, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Chisinau and $23.00 in Ungheni. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ungheni, where all-in costs run around $670, than in Chisinau at $1,304. In Ungheni it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ungheni – 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 Ungheni. 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.