Cost of Living Comparison Between Cricova and Balti Cost of Living Comparison Between Cricova and Balti

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,054 per month in Cricova vs $977 in Balti, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,880 per month in Cricova vs $1,405 in Balti, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,706 per month in Cricova vs $1,832 in Balti, rent included.

Cricova costs about 8% more than Balti, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cricova and Balti are more affordable than the global median – Cricova 21% lower, Balti 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.51 MDL 151

$8.14 MDL 145

4.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.14 MDL 500

$22.56 MDL 401

24.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 MDL 187

$10.40 MDL 185

1.15%

Cappuccino

$1.04 MDL 18.48

$1.78 MDL 31.53

-41.57%

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

$1.09 MDL 19.34

$1.10 MDL 19.59

-0.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 MDL 11.82

$0.69 MDL 12.18

-2.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 MDL 36.14

$1.11 MDL 19.71

82.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 MDL 39.75

$1.43 MDL 25.44

56.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 MDL 41.59

$1.26 MDL 22.46

85.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 MDL 8.84

$0.46 MDL 8.14

8.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 MDL 19.55

$1.60 MDL 28.41

-31.25%

Eggs

$1.25 MDL 22.27

$2.19 MDL 38.86

-42.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.62 MDL 118

$6.89 MDL 122

-3.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 MDL 82.7

$4.78 MDL 84.8

-2.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.19 MDL 216

$6.27 MDL 111

94.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 MDL 19.26

$1.02 MDL 18.12

5.88%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 MDL 14.43

$2.18 MDL 38.79

-62.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 MDL 18.59

$1.87 MDL 33.14

-43.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 MDL 19.46

$2.30 MDL 40.80

-52.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 MDL 12.93

$0.76 MDL 13.46

-3.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 MDL 18.62

$0.52 MDL 9.22

101.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 MDL 18.61

$0.46 MDL 8.25

128.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MDL 19.27

$0.54 MDL 9.67

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 MDL 60.4

$3.30 MDL 58.6

3.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.46 MDL 79.2

$4.36 MDL 77.5

2.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 MDL 45.26

$1.38 MDL 24.47

84.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 MDL 76.5

$1.99 MDL 35.33

116.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MDL 9.92

$0.33 MDL 5.82

69.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.18 MDL 394

$17.05 MDL 303

30.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MDL 19.49

$2.83 MDL 50.2

-61.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 MDL 4.22

$0.24 MDL 4.24

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 MDL 123

$5.63 MDL 100

23.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 MDL 24.41

$1.60 MDL 28.45

-14.37%

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

$29.8K MDL 528.9K

$33.2K MDL 588.8K

-10.17%

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

$24.0K MDL 426.5K

$24.0K MDL 425.8K

0.17%

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

$239 MDL 4,239

$228 MDL 4,045

4.79%

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

$7.95 MDL 141

$7.65 MDL 136

3.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.17 MDL 198

$11.35 MDL 202

-1.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 MDL 1,007

$36.50 MDL 648

55.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.26 MDL 200

$15.11 MDL 268

-25.48%

Cinema Ticket

$7.79 MDL 138

$7.73 MDL 137

0.78%

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

$112 MDL 1,997

$111 MDL 1,979

0.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,258 MDL 93.4K

$5,202 MDL 92.4K

1.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 MDL 1,006

$44.48 MDL 790

27.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 MDL 510

$33.04 MDL 587

-13.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 MDL 1,477

$55.2 MDL 981

50.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MDL 2,014

$51.0 MDL 906

122.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 MDL 16.3K

$390 MDL 6,929

135.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$223 MDL 3,957

$278 MDL 4,943

-19.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 MDL 25.0K

$674 MDL 12.0K

108.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 MDL 19.8K

$506 MDL 8,979

121.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,798 MDL 49.7K

$1,419 MDL 25.2K

97.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 MDL 35.1K

$999 MDL 17.7K

97.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$581 MDL 10.3K

$605 MDL 10.8K

-4.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-12.50%

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

Last update for Cricova: October 6, 2026

Last update for Balti: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $918 in Cricova versus $390 in Balti. 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 4% higher in Balti, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Cricova versus $23.00 in Balti. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $189 vs $164 – making Balti the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Cricova vs Balti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,054 in Cricova, $977 in Balti – roughly 8% apart. Cricova costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,580 per month in Cricova and $1,466 in Balti. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Balti, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $112 per month in Cricova and $111 in Balti. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Cricova, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Balti, where all-in costs run around $977, than in Cricova at $1,054. In Balti it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cricova it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Balti. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cricova makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.