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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,053 per month in Cricova vs $1,022 in Balti, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,939 per month in Cricova vs $1,467 in Balti, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,825 per month in Cricova vs $1,911 in Balti, rent included.

Cricova costs about 3% more than Balti, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cricova and Balti are more affordable than the global median – Cricova 23% lower, Balti 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.56 MDL 145

$8.41 MDL 143

1.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.10 MDL 494

$22.95 MDL 390

26.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 MDL 185

$10.79 MDL 183

0.93%

Cappuccino

$1.08 MDL 18.32

$1.78 MDL 30.17

-39.33%

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

$1.09 MDL 18.47

$1.15 MDL 19.50

-5.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 MDL 12.35

$0.69 MDL 11.67

5.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 MDL 34.27

$1.15 MDL 19.52

75.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 MDL 38.68

$1.50 MDL 25.45

52.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 MDL 42.60

$1.32 MDL 22.36

90.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 8.89

$0.51 MDL 8.73

1.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 MDL 18.49

$1.66 MDL 28.21

-34.34%

Eggs

$1.30 MDL 22.06

$2.28 MDL 38.72

-42.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.95 MDL 118

$7.01 MDL 119

-0.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 MDL 80.0

$4.90 MDL 83.2

-3.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.59 MDL 214

$6.29 MDL 107

100.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 MDL 19.31

$1.03 MDL 17.44

10.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.15

$2.26 MDL 38.39

-63.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 MDL 19.09

$1.90 MDL 32.29

-41.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 MDL 19.36

$2.37 MDL 40.21

-51.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MDL 12.84

$0.74 MDL 12.50

2.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 MDL 19.36

$0.53 MDL 9.05

115.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 MDL 18.57

$0.46 MDL 7.80

136.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MDL 18.42

$0.56 MDL 9.59

92.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 MDL 57.4

$3.30 MDL 56.0

2.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.73 MDL 80.2

$4.79 MDL 81.3

-1.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MDL 45.17

$1.43 MDL 24.26

86.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 MDL 76.2

$2.02 MDL 34.31

122.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MDL 10.27

$0.33 MDL 5.68

81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.42 MDL 398

$17.25 MDL 293

35.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 MDL 19.21

$2.89 MDL 48.99

-60.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.63

$0.27 MDL 4.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.90 MDL 117

$5.73 MDL 97.4

20.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 MDL 23.20

$1.58 MDL 26.78

-13.29%

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

$30.3K MDL 514.0K

$35.0K MDL 593.9K

-13.46%

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

$25.2K MDL 427.1K

$24.9K MDL 422.6K

1.05%

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

$249 MDL 4,235

$236 MDL 4,007

5.68%

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

$8.20 MDL 139

$8.27 MDL 140

-0.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.79 MDL 200

$11.74 MDL 199

0.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 MDL 998

$37.38 MDL 635

57.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.72 MDL 199

$15.74 MDL 267

-25.54%

Cinema Ticket

$7.96 MDL 135

$7.68 MDL 130

3.65%

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

$119 MDL 2,015

$116 MDL 1,975

2.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,386 MDL 91.5K

$5,484 MDL 93.1K

-1.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.4 MDL 974

$47.21 MDL 802

21.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.86 MDL 490

$34.35 MDL 583

-15.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 MDL 1,472

$59.3 MDL 1,006

46.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MDL 1,949

$51.6 MDL 876

122.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$936 MDL 15.9K

$409 MDL 6,942

129.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 MDL 3,881

$285 MDL 4,847

-19.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,446 MDL 24.6K

$699 MDL 11.9K

107.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 MDL 19.8K

$521 MDL 8,840

124.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,942 MDL 50.0K

$1,428 MDL 24.3K

105.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,013 MDL 34.2K

$1,024 MDL 17.4K

96.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$584 MDL 9,924

$635 MDL 10.8K

-7.90%

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: August 16, 2026

Last update for Balti: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $936 in Cricova versus $409 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 9% 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 $29.00 in Cricova versus $23.00 in Balti. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $169 – 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: $1,053 in Cricova, $1,022 in Balti – roughly 3% apart. Cricova costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,579 per month in Cricova and $1,534 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 $119 per month in Cricova and $116 in Balti. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $1,022, than in Cricova at $1,053. 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.