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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $997 per month in Cotonou vs $1,231 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Cotonou vs $1,853 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,854 per month in Cotonou vs $2,475 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 25% lower, Chisinau 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 F CFA 1,967

$8.63 MDL 150

-59.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.77 F CFA 15.2K

$37.05 MDL 644

-27.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 F CFA 2,927

$7.65 MDL 133

-32.55%

Cappuccino

$5.56 F CFA 3,154

$1.88 MDL 32.61

195.74%

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

$0.86 F CFA 488

$0.92 MDL 15.96

-6.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 F CFA 446

$0.65 MDL 11.22

21.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 F CFA 794

$1.73 MDL 30.04

-19.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 F CFA 2,047

$2.37 MDL 41.13

52.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 F CFA 1,462

$1.29 MDL 22.34

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 F CFA 815

$0.56 MDL 9.67

157.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 F CFA 1,092

$1.45 MDL 25.25

32.41%

Eggs

$2.22 F CFA 1,263

$2.49 MDL 43.34

-10.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 F CFA 5,253

$10.52 MDL 183

-12.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 F CFA 2,869

$5.34 MDL 92.8

-5.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.16 F CFA 2,929

$8.61 MDL 150

-40.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 F CFA 2,202

$0.91 MDL 15.84

326.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 F CFA 779

$1.83 MDL 31.75

-25.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 F CFA 689

$1.72 MDL 29.94

-29.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 F CFA 988

$2.10 MDL 36.46

-17.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 761

$0.79 MDL 13.71

69.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 F CFA 853

$0.60 MDL 10.34

150.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 F CFA 291

$1.36 MDL 23.58

-62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 F CFA 700

$0.83 MDL 14.40

48.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 F CFA 1,332

$3.13 MDL 54.4

-24.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.28 F CFA 2,430

$4.59 MDL 79.8

-6.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 F CFA 681

$1.23 MDL 21.36

-2.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 F CFA 1,301

$1.91 MDL 33.27

19.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 F CFA 1,023

$0.34 MDL 5.90

429.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.44 MDL 234

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 F CFA 784

$2.00 MDL 34.73

-31.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 F CFA 707

$0.25 MDL 4.32

400.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 F CFA 988

$5.28 MDL 91.7

-67.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 F CFA 631

$1.43 MDL 24.85

-22.38%

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

$31.5K MDL 548.3K

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

$24.9K F CFA 14.1M

$31.5K MDL 547.3K

-21.00%

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

$266 F CFA 151.1K

$170 MDL 2,961

56.24%

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

$43.54 F CFA 24.7K

$7.57 MDL 132

475.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 F CFA 31.8K

$10.68 MDL 186

425.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 F CFA 33.4K

$43.05 MDL 748

36.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.40 F CFA 3,066

$22.19 MDL 386

-75.66%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 F CFA 4,266

$7.56 MDL 131

-0.66%

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

$185 F CFA 104.8K

$389 MDL 6,757

-52.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,379 F CFA 3.6M

$7,746 MDL 134.6K

-17.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.45 F CFA 9,907

$66.3 MDL 1,153

-73.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.70 F CFA 4,939

$53.0 MDL 921

-83.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$9.04 F CFA 5,134

$112 MDL 1,942

-91.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.16 F CFA 27.9K

$122 MDL 2,115

-59.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 F CFA 113.0K

$678 MDL 11.8K

-70.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 F CFA 84.6K

$467 MDL 8,112

-68.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 F CFA 324.3K

$1,244 MDL 21.6K

-54.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 F CFA 160.6K

$808 MDL 14.1K

-65.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,669 MDL 46.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,901 MDL 33.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 F CFA 97.3K

$843 MDL 14.7K

-79.68%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $199 in Cotonou versus $678 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 392% 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 $27.00 in Cotonou versus $37.00 in Chisinau. Groceries tell a different story – $209 in Cotonou vs $189 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 23%, 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 $1,496 per month in Cotonou and $1,846 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 $997 in Cotonou and $1,231 in Chisinau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $185 per month in Cotonou and $389 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 $997, than in Chisinau at $1,231. 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.