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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,217 per month in Chisinau vs $928 in Ungheni, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,808 per month in Chisinau vs $1,683 in Ungheni, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,399 per month in Chisinau vs $2,439 in Ungheni, rent included.

Chisinau costs about 31% more than Ungheni, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chisinau and Ungheni are more affordable than the global median – Chisinau 9% lower, Ungheni 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.89 MDL 155

$7.39 MDL 129

20.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.83 MDL 641

$30.66 MDL 534

20.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 MDL 129

$5.99 MDL 104

23.21%

Cappuccino

$1.89 MDL 32.91

$1.50 MDL 26.12

26.00%

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

$0.92 MDL 16.08

$0.70 MDL 12.20

31.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.14

$0.43 MDL 7.41

62.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 MDL 31.13

$1.42 MDL 24.70

26.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 MDL 40.48

$1.49 MDL 26.00

56.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.21

$1.25 MDL 21.72

2.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.79

$0.45 MDL 7.88

24.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MDL 26.00

$1.00 MDL 17.39

49.00%

Eggs

$2.61 MDL 45.51

$2.28 MDL 39.63

14.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 MDL 183

$7.70 MDL 134

36.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 MDL 93.3

$4.03 MDL 70.2

33.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 MDL 155

$6.84 MDL 119

29.97%

Apples (1kg)

$0.85 MDL 14.79

$0.55 MDL 9.51

54.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MDL 31.57

$1.49 MDL 25.90

21.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 MDL 30.81

$1.68 MDL 29.27

5.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 MDL 37.42

$1.28 MDL 22.31

67.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MDL 13.56

$0.55 MDL 9.54

41.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.31

$0.34 MDL 5.87

73.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 MDL 23.34

$1.35 MDL 23.57

-0.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MDL 15.63

$0.52 MDL 9.03

73.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 MDL 57.0

$3.05 MDL 53.1

7.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.59 MDL 80.0

$4.34 MDL 75.6

5.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 21.12

$1.19 MDL 20.69

1.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 MDL 34.57

$1.29 MDL 22.39

54.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MDL 6.29

$0.37 MDL 6.39

-2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.82 MDL 241

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MDL 36.50

$1.73 MDL 30.14

21.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.70

$0.27 MDL 4.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.17 MDL 90.0

$4.45 MDL 77.5

16.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 MDL 24.06

$1.28 MDL 22.20

7.81%

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

$31.9K MDL 555.7K

$32.2K MDL 560.1K

-0.78%

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

$31.5K MDL 548.8K

$31.0K MDL 539.2K

1.78%

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

$170 MDL 2,954

$162 MDL 2,826

4.52%

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

$7.34 MDL 128

$7.51 MDL 131

-2.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.78 MDL 188

$10.77 MDL 187

0.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.85 MDL 763

$20.57 MDL 358

113.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.97 MDL 383

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 MDL 130

$4.15 MDL 72.3

79.52%

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

$391 MDL 6,800

$397 MDL 6,920

-1.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,516 MDL 130.9K

$7,518 MDL 130.9K

-0.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 MDL 1,166

$44.37 MDL 772

50.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MDL 943

$21.61 MDL 376

150.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MDL 1,923

$40.25 MDL 701

174.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MDL 2,132

$110 MDL 1,912

11.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 MDL 11.7K

$963 MDL 16.8K

-30.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MDL 8,146

$365 MDL 6,350

28.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MDL 21.6K

$1,508 MDL 26.3K

-17.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$822 MDL 14.3K

$1,280 MDL 22.3K

-35.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,599 MDL 45.2K

$2,307 MDL 40.2K

12.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,879 MDL 32.7K

$1,693 MDL 29.5K

10.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$867 MDL 15.1K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ungheni: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $673 in Chisinau versus $963 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: $192 vs $150 – 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 31%, 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 $1,826 per month in Chisinau and $1,392 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 $1,217 in Chisinau and $928 in Ungheni. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $391 per month in Chisinau and $397 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 $928, than in Chisinau at $1,217. 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.