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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $963 per month in Cotonou vs $1,200 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Cotonou vs $1,843 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Cotonou vs $2,485 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 – Cotonou 28% lower, Chisinau 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 F CFA 2,029

$8.87 MDL 153

-59.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.52 F CFA 15.0K

$37.12 MDL 641

-28.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 F CFA 3,000

$7.54 MDL 130

-29.58%

Cappuccino

$5.58 F CFA 3,150

$1.80 MDL 31.07

210.00%

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

$0.92 F CFA 522

$0.98 MDL 16.89

-6.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 F CFA 436

$0.70 MDL 12.02

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 F CFA 811

$1.73 MDL 29.87

-16.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 F CFA 1,975

$2.29 MDL 39.52

52.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.60 F CFA 1,469

$1.28 MDL 22.06

103.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 F CFA 805

$0.56 MDL 9.69

155.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 F CFA 1,084

$1.50 MDL 25.83

28.00%

Eggs

$2.27 F CFA 1,282

$2.53 MDL 43.65

-10.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 F CFA 5,249

$10.22 MDL 177

-9.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 F CFA 2,864

$5.51 MDL 95.2

-7.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 F CFA 2,875

$8.74 MDL 151

-41.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 F CFA 2,271

$0.89 MDL 15.31

351.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 F CFA 810

$1.76 MDL 30.35

-18.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 F CFA 711

$1.76 MDL 30.44

-28.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 F CFA 998

$2.08 MDL 35.98

-14.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 F CFA 763

$0.84 MDL 14.50

60.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 F CFA 808

$0.56 MDL 9.65

155.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 F CFA 294

$1.31 MDL 22.57

-60.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 F CFA 724

$0.83 MDL 14.37

54.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 F CFA 1,309

$3.30 MDL 57.0

-29.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.34 F CFA 2,454

$4.75 MDL 82.0

-8.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 F CFA 669

$1.22 MDL 21.08

-3.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 F CFA 1,248

$1.92 MDL 33.23

15.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 F CFA 971

$0.36 MDL 6.27

377.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.74 MDL 237

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 F CFA 811

$2.00 MDL 34.48

-28.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 F CFA 734

$0.25 MDL 4.28

420.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 F CFA 978

$5.31 MDL 91.8

-67.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 F CFA 624

$1.42 MDL 24.55

-22.54%

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

$32.4K MDL 560.3K

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

$24.8K F CFA 14.0M

$30.9K MDL 533.5K

-19.63%

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

$261 F CFA 147.7K

$173 MDL 2,986

51.26%

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

$44.50 F CFA 25.1K

$7.57 MDL 131

487.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 F CFA 32.4K

$10.65 MDL 184

438.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 F CFA 34.2K

$43.21 MDL 746

39.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.37 F CFA 3,035

$22.02 MDL 380

-75.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.37 F CFA 4,162

$7.65 MDL 132

-3.66%

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

$189 F CFA 106.9K

$397 MDL 6,854

-52.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,558 F CFA 3.7M

$7,753 MDL 133.9K

-15.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.48 F CFA 9,870

$65.3 MDL 1,127

-73.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.70 F CFA 4,912

$52.8 MDL 912

-83.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$9.04 F CFA 5,106

$111 MDL 1,923

-91.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.05 F CFA 27.1K

$124 MDL 2,147

-61.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 F CFA 113.5K

$654 MDL 11.3K

-69.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 F CFA 83.0K

$462 MDL 7,970

-68.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 F CFA 334.5K

$1,252 MDL 21.6K

-52.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 F CFA 161.4K

$819 MDL 14.1K

-65.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,583 MDL 44.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,942 MDL 33.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$856 MDL 14.8K

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 8, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $201 in Cotonou versus $654 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 – $212 in Cotonou vs $190 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 25%, 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 $1,445 per month in Cotonou and $1,800 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 $963 in Cotonou and $1,200 in Chisinau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $189 per month in Cotonou and $397 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 $963, than in Chisinau at $1,200. 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.