🙂A single person spends $978 per month in Cotonou vs $1,225 in Chisinau, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,407 per month in Cotonou vs $1,820 in Chisinau, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Cotonou vs $2,416 in Chisinau, rent included.
🙂Cotonou is about 20% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Cotonou and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Cotonou27% lower, Chisinau8% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Cotonou
Chisinau
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.47F CFA 1,946
$8.83MDL 153
-60.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$26.93F CFA 15.1K
$37.23MDL 644
-27.67%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.24F CFA 2,937
$7.39MDL 128
-29.09%
Cappuccino
$5.52F CFA 3,093
$1.83MDL 31.66
201.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86F CFA 483
$0.94MDL 16.23
-8.51%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78F CFA 435
$0.70MDL 12.07
11.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.45F CFA 813
$1.74MDL 30.08
-16.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.49F CFA 1,954
$2.41MDL 41.71
44.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cotonou
Chisinau
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$2.65F CFA 1,484
$1.29MDL 22.41
105.43%
White Bread(500g)
$1.38F CFA 773
$0.53MDL 9.09
160.38%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.85F CFA 1,035
$1.50MDL 26.01
23.33%
Eggs
$2.18F CFA 1,220
$2.49MDL 43.06
-12.45%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.23F CFA 5,173
$10.29MDL 178
-10.30%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.93F CFA 2,760
$5.55MDL 96.1
-11.17%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$5.13F CFA 2,874
$8.69MDL 150
-40.97%
Apples(1kg)
$3.89F CFA 2,181
$0.91MDL 15.76
327.47%
Banana(1kg)
$1.37F CFA 770
$1.77MDL 30.57
-22.60%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.27F CFA 709
$1.70MDL 29.45
-25.29%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.77F CFA 989
$2.10MDL 36.32
-15.71%
Potato(1kg)
$1.41F CFA 788
$0.76MDL 13.16
85.53%
Onion(1kg)
$1.45F CFA 810
$0.55MDL 9.59
163.64%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.48F CFA 266
$1.36MDL 23.54
-64.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28F CFA 717
$0.84MDL 14.57
52.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33F CFA 1,307
$3.17MDL 54.8
-26.50%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.52F CFA 3,655
$4.88MDL 84.5
33.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.24F CFA 697
$1.23MDL 21.21
0.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28F CFA 1,279
$1.97MDL 34.06
15.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Cotonou
Chisinau
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.80F CFA 1,011
$0.34MDL 5.87
429.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$13.53MDL 234
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44F CFA 809
$2.01MDL 34.77
-28.36%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.26F CFA 704
$0.27MDL 4.69
366.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.79F CFA 1,004
$5.11MDL 88.4
-64.97%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.06F CFA 595
$1.39MDL 23.99
-23.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$32.1KMDL 556.3K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.3KF CFA 13.6M
$30.7KMDL 530.6K
-20.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cotonou
Chisinau
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$269F CFA 150.7K
$176MDL 3,041
53.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$44.80F CFA 25.1K
$7.68MDL 133
483.33%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.5F CFA 31.1K
$10.98MDL 190
405.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cotonou
Chisinau
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$58.9F CFA 33.0K
$43.02MDL 745
36.94%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.44F CFA 3,047
$22.11MDL 383
-75.40%
Cinema Ticket
$7.53F CFA 4,217
$7.55MDL 131
-0.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cotonou
Chisinau
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$189F CFA 106.0K
$390MDL 6,754
-51.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,522F CFA 3.7M
$7,672MDL 132.8K
-14.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cotonou
Chisinau
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.58F CFA 9,851
$66.2MDL 1,147
-73.46%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$8.64F CFA 4,840
$52.9MDL 916
-83.68%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$9.04F CFA 5,064
$111MDL 1,915
-91.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$49.26F CFA 27.6K
$121MDL 2,091
-59.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cotonou
Chisinau
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$202F CFA 113.1K
$677MDL 11.7K
-70.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$149F CFA 83.5K
$460MDL 7,971
-67.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$577F CFA 323.3K
$1,252MDL 21.7K
-53.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$285F CFA 159.5K
$801MDL 13.9K
-64.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,645MDL 45.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,885MDL 32.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cotonou
Chisinau
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$831MDL 14.4K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
9.24
-45.89%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Cotonou: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Chisinau: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $202 in Cotonou versus $677 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 $27.00 in Cotonou versus $37.00 in Chisinau. Groceries tell a different story – $214 in Cotonou vs $190 in Chisinau – so Chisinau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Cotonou vs Chisinau: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Chisinau cheaper than Cotonou?
Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,467 per month in Cotonou and $1,838 in Chisinau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Cotonou vs Chisinau?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $978 in Cotonou and $1,225 in Chisinau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $189 per month in Cotonou and $390 in Chisinau. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Cotonou or Chisinau?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cotonou, where all-in costs run around $978, than in Chisinau at $1,225. In Cotonou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Cotonou or Chisinau more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.
Cotonou vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado