Cost of Living Comparison Between Cotonou and Chisinau Cost of Living Comparison Between Cotonou and Chisinau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $946 per month in Cotonou vs $1,304 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,477 per month in Cotonou vs $2,008 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,009 per month in Cotonou vs $2,713 in Chisinau, rent included.

Cotonou is about 27% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cotonou and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Cotonou 31% lower, Chisinau 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 F CFA 3,052

$11.49 MDL 199

-53.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.50 F CFA 20.9K

$51.3 MDL 889

-28.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 F CFA 5,668

$8.72 MDL 151

13.76%

Cappuccino

$5.12 F CFA 2,927

$2.23 MDL 38.56

129.60%

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

$1.05 F CFA 599

$1.24 MDL 21.46

-15.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 F CFA 519

$0.91 MDL 15.74

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.86 F CFA 491

$2.35 MDL 40.71

-63.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 F CFA 1,538

$1.97 MDL 34.18

36.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.17 F CFA 1,814

$1.31 MDL 22.65

141.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 F CFA 731

$0.69 MDL 11.96

85.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 F CFA 1,074

$1.46 MDL 25.37

28.77%

Eggs

$2.81 F CFA 1,605

$2.93 MDL 50.8

-4.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.66 F CFA 5,522

$10.20 MDL 177

-5.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.66 F CFA 3,232

$5.24 MDL 90.8

8.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.19 F CFA 2,963

$8.94 MDL 155

-41.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 F CFA 2,466

$1.02 MDL 17.62

323.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 F CFA 1,105

$1.92 MDL 33.23

0.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 764

$2.05 MDL 35.56

-34.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 F CFA 1,590

$2.17 MDL 37.69

28.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 F CFA 741

$0.69 MDL 11.96

88.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 F CFA 1,031

$0.53 MDL 9.26

239.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 F CFA 257

$1.44 MDL 25.00

-68.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 F CFA 663

$0.93 MDL 16.14

24.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 F CFA 1,963

$3.54 MDL 61.4

-2.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.29 F CFA 2,451

$4.80 MDL 83.3

-10.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 F CFA 695

$1.28 MDL 22.18

-4.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 F CFA 1,079

$1.99 MDL 34.55

-5.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 F CFA 776

$0.41 MDL 7.11

231.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.22 MDL 229

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 F CFA 788

$2.35 MDL 40.78

-41.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 F CFA 821

$0.36 MDL 6.25

300.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 MDL 90.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 F CFA 701

$1.70 MDL 29.43

-27.65%

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

$29.1K MDL 504.9K

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

$25.1K F CFA 14.3M

$31.2K MDL 541.5K

-19.69%

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

$151 F CFA 86.1K

$251 MDL 4,354

-40.07%

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

$35.44 F CFA 20.2K

$9.43 MDL 163

275.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.28 F CFA 28.2K

$11.03 MDL 191

346.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.48 F CFA 28.3K

$42.92 MDL 744

15.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.54 F CFA 2,025

$21.33 MDL 370

-83.40%

Cinema Ticket

$8.86 F CFA 5,061

$8.49 MDL 147

4.36%

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

$137 F CFA 78.0K

$439 MDL 7,614

-68.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,660 F CFA 3.2M

$5,932 MDL 102.8K

-4.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.92 F CFA 14.8K

$77.6 MDL 1,345

-66.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.65 MDL 826

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.87 F CFA 19.9K

$120 MDL 2,076

-70.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 F CFA 40.3K

$115 MDL 1,992

-38.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$182 F CFA 103.9K

$693 MDL 12.0K

-73.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 F CFA 99.8K

$443 MDL 7,683

-60.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 F CFA 351.0K

$1,247 MDL 21.6K

-50.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 F CFA 245.2K

$817 MDL 14.2K

-47.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,752 MDL 47.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,957 MDL 33.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$261 F CFA 149.2K

$925 MDL 16.0K

-71.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.41

-57.49%

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

Last update for Cotonou: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $182 in Cotonou versus $693 in Chisinau. 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 254% 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 $37.00 in Cotonou versus $51.0 in Chisinau. Groceries tell a different story – $230 in Cotonou vs $197 in Chisinau – 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

Cotonou vs Chisinau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 38%, 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 $1,418 per month in Cotonou and $1,956 in Chisinau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cotonou, 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 $946 in Cotonou and $1,304 in Chisinau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $137 per month in Cotonou and $439 in Chisinau. 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 Cotonou, where all-in costs run around $946, than in Chisinau at $1,304. In Cotonou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cotonou – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Cotonou. 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.