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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $969 per month in Cotonou vs $1,199 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,393 per month in Cotonou vs $1,816 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Cotonou vs $2,433 in Chisinau, rent included.

Cotonou is about 19% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cotonou and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Cotonou 27% lower, Chisinau 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 F CFA 2,017

$8.73 MDL 151

-59.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.18 F CFA 14.8K

$36.61 MDL 632

-28.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 F CFA 3,053

$7.40 MDL 128

-26.89%

Cappuccino

$5.62 F CFA 3,171

$1.88 MDL 32.48

198.94%

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

$0.92 F CFA 522

$0.92 MDL 15.89

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 F CFA 404

$0.65 MDL 11.22

10.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 F CFA 809

$1.70 MDL 29.32

-15.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 F CFA 1,976

$2.41 MDL 41.59

45.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.66 F CFA 1,504

$1.28 MDL 22.05

107.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 F CFA 803

$0.56 MDL 9.73

153.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 F CFA 1,086

$1.46 MDL 25.13

31.51%

Eggs

$2.24 F CFA 1,266

$2.54 MDL 43.91

-11.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.36 F CFA 5,284

$10.19 MDL 176

-8.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 F CFA 2,737

$5.53 MDL 95.4

-12.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.96 F CFA 2,797

$8.98 MDL 155

-44.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 F CFA 2,269

$0.84 MDL 14.48

378.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 F CFA 815

$1.83 MDL 31.64

-21.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 F CFA 709

$1.76 MDL 30.34

-28.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 F CFA 1,028

$2.13 MDL 36.84

-14.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 756

$0.82 MDL 14.19

63.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 F CFA 837

$0.59 MDL 10.23

150.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 F CFA 270

$1.30 MDL 22.40

-63.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 F CFA 693

$0.89 MDL 15.44

38.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 F CFA 1,307

$3.18 MDL 54.9

-27.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.53 F CFA 2,556

$4.59 MDL 79.3

-1.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 F CFA 701

$1.27 MDL 21.86

-2.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 F CFA 1,249

$1.89 MDL 32.65

16.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 F CFA 1,021

$0.34 MDL 5.86

432.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.84 MDL 239

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 F CFA 778

$2.00 MDL 34.47

-31.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 F CFA 737

$0.27 MDL 4.67

385.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 F CFA 970

$5.19 MDL 89.5

-66.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 F CFA 626

$1.43 MDL 24.69

-22.38%

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

$32.0K MDL 552.8K

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

$24.4K F CFA 13.8M

$31.0K MDL 534.4K

-21.24%

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

$269 F CFA 152.0K

$172 MDL 2,974

56.22%

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

$44.74 F CFA 25.3K

$7.34 MDL 127

509.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 F CFA 31.6K

$11.00 MDL 190

408.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 F CFA 33.9K

$43.87 MDL 757

36.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.40 F CFA 3,046

$21.72 MDL 375

-75.14%

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 F CFA 4,356

$7.82 MDL 135

-1.28%

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

$190 F CFA 107.3K

$388 MDL 6,704

-51.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,481 F CFA 3.7M

$7,651 MDL 132.1K

-15.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.36 F CFA 9,797

$65.5 MDL 1,130

-73.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.01 F CFA 5,087

$53.9 MDL 930

-83.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$8.61 F CFA 4,862

$115 MDL 1,984

-92.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.92 F CFA 27.0K

$121 MDL 2,082

-60.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$200 F CFA 113.0K

$669 MDL 11.6K

-70.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 F CFA 83.8K

$464 MDL 8,004

-68.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 F CFA 329.4K

$1,226 MDL 21.2K

-52.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 F CFA 159.7K

$827 MDL 14.3K

-65.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,578 MDL 44.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,887 MDL 32.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$865 MDL 14.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

-45.89%

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

Last update for Cotonou: June 14, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $200 in Cotonou versus $669 in Chisinau. 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 $26.00 in Cotonou versus $37.00 in Chisinau. Groceries tell a different story – $211 in Cotonou vs $191 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 24%, 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 $1,454 per month in Cotonou and $1,798 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 $969 in Cotonou and $1,199 in Chisinau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $190 per month in Cotonou and $388 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 $969, than in Chisinau at $1,199. 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.