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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,231 per month in Chisinau vs $923 in Ungheni, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,813 per month in Chisinau vs $1,666 in Ungheni, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,394 per month in Chisinau vs $2,409 in Ungheni, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 33% more than Ungheni, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chisinau and Ungheni are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 8% lower, Ungheni 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.53 MDL 147

$7.16 MDL 123

19.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 MDL 638

$30.56 MDL 525

21.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 MDL 130

$5.76 MDL 99.0

30.73%

Cappuccino

$1.87 MDL 32.22

$1.47 MDL 25.32

27.21%

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

$0.99 MDL 17.03

$0.71 MDL 12.20

39.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.01

$0.39 MDL 6.78

79.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 MDL 29.89

$1.44 MDL 24.69

20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 MDL 39.41

$1.43 MDL 24.57

60.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.16

$1.29 MDL 22.15

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 8.98

$0.45 MDL 7.69

15.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MDL 25.03

$1.00 MDL 17.20

46.00%

Eggs

$2.62 MDL 44.99

$2.16 MDL 37.20

21.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 MDL 176

$7.55 MDL 130

35.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 MDL 92.0

$3.98 MDL 68.4

34.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.69 MDL 149

$6.76 MDL 116

28.55%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.40

$0.56 MDL 9.54

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MDL 31.29

$1.50 MDL 25.84

21.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 MDL 30.52

$1.73 MDL 29.81

2.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MDL 37.27

$1.36 MDL 23.31

59.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 MDL 13.93

$0.54 MDL 9.36

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 MDL 9.31

$0.33 MDL 5.74

63.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MDL 22.40

$1.36 MDL 23.31

-4.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MDL 15.47

$0.48 MDL 8.19

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 MDL 56.4

$3.15 MDL 54.1

4.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.73 MDL 81.4

$4.38 MDL 75.4

7.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 20.84

$1.14 MDL 19.67

6.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MDL 32.83

$1.35 MDL 23.24

41.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MDL 5.75

$0.34 MDL 5.77

-2.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.47 MDL 232

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.07 MDL 35.61

$1.71 MDL 29.48

21.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.29

$0.25 MDL 4.27

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 MDL 91.7

$4.49 MDL 77.3

18.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MDL 24.76

$1.24 MDL 21.27

16.13%

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

$32.7K MDL 561.9K

$32.6K MDL 559.8K

0.38%

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

$31.5K MDL 540.7K

$30.9K MDL 531.6K

1.72%

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

$174 MDL 2,991

$167 MDL 2,865

4.42%

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

$7.38 MDL 127

$7.73 MDL 133

-4.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.98 MDL 189

$10.66 MDL 183

3.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.14 MDL 742

$20.83 MDL 358

107.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.18 MDL 381

Cinema Ticket

$7.63 MDL 131

$4.03 MDL 69.3

89.33%

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

$388 MDL 6,663

$395 MDL 6,786

-1.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,708 MDL 132.5K

$7,623 MDL 131.0K

1.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 MDL 1,123

$43.67 MDL 751

49.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 MDL 934

$21.84 MDL 376

148.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,911

$39.71 MDL 683

180.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 MDL 2,071

$110 MDL 1,887

9.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$668 MDL 11.5K

$940 MDL 16.2K

-28.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MDL 8,048

$367 MDL 6,302

27.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MDL 21.4K

$1,488 MDL 25.6K

-16.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$798 MDL 13.7K

$1,247 MDL 21.4K

-35.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,649 MDL 45.5K

$2,361 MDL 40.6K

12.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,901 MDL 32.7K

$1,752 MDL 30.1K

8.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 MDL 14.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

15.50%

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

Last update for Chisinau: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ungheni: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $668 in Chisinau versus $940 in Ungheni. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Chisinau versus $31.00 in Ungheni. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $149 – 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 33%, 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 $1,846 per month in Chisinau and $1,384 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,231 in Chisinau and $923 in Ungheni. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $388 per month in Chisinau and $395 in Ungheni. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ungheni, where all-in costs run around $923, than in Chisinau at $1,231. 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.