Cost of Living Comparison Between Cricova and Bender Cost of Living Comparison Between Cricova and Bender

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,054 per month in Cricova vs $677 in Bender, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,880 per month in Cricova vs $989 in Bender, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,706 per month in Cricova vs $1,301 in Bender, rent included.

Cricova costs about 56% more than Bender, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Cricova and Bender are more affordable than the global median – Cricova 21% lower, Bender 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.51 MDL 151

$6.32 MDL 112

34.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.14 MDL 500

$18.10 MDL 321

55.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 MDL 187

$5.64 MDL 100

86.52%

Cappuccino

$1.04 MDL 18.48

$1.19 MDL 21.13

-12.61%

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

$1.09 MDL 19.34

$1.04 MDL 18.41

4.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 MDL 11.82

$0.49 MDL 8.66

36.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 MDL 36.14

$0.88 MDL 15.71

130.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 MDL 39.75

$1.68 MDL 29.86

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 MDL 41.59

$0.94 MDL 16.66

148.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 MDL 8.84

$0.50 MDL 8.87

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 MDL 19.55

$1.38 MDL 24.46

-20.29%

Eggs

$1.25 MDL 22.27

$1.94 MDL 34.48

-35.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.62 MDL 118

$4.06 MDL 72.1

63.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 MDL 82.7

$4.31 MDL 76.5

8.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.19 MDL 216

$5.30 MDL 94.1

130.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 MDL 19.26

$0.89 MDL 15.83

21.35%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 MDL 14.43

$1.86 MDL 32.97

-56.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 MDL 18.59

$1.81 MDL 32.23

-41.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 MDL 19.46

$1.81 MDL 32.07

-39.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 MDL 12.93

$0.72 MDL 12.77

1.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 MDL 18.62

$0.53 MDL 9.38

98.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 MDL 18.61

$0.55 MDL 9.75

90.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MDL 19.27

$0.83 MDL 14.66

30.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 MDL 60.4

$2.81 MDL 49.95

21.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.46 MDL 79.2

$2.57 MDL 45.69

73.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 MDL 45.26

$0.60 MDL 10.59

325.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 MDL 76.5

$1.90 MDL 33.70

126.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MDL 9.92

$0.38 MDL 6.79

47.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.18 MDL 394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MDL 19.49

$2.24 MDL 39.75

-50.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 MDL 4.22

$0.29 MDL 5.19

-17.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 MDL 123

$5.18 MDL 92.0

33.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 MDL 24.41

$1.39 MDL 24.71

-1.44%

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

$29.8K MDL 528.9K

$28.8K MDL 510.8K

3.55%

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

$24.0K MDL 426.5K

$30.7K MDL 545.5K

-21.81%

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

$239 MDL 4,239

$243 MDL 4,318

-1.81%

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

$7.95 MDL 141

$9.27 MDL 165

-14.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.17 MDL 198

$10.59 MDL 188

5.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 MDL 1,007

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.26 MDL 200

Cinema Ticket

$7.79 MDL 138

$8.74 MDL 155

-10.87%

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

$112 MDL 1,997

$427 MDL 7,585

-73.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,258 MDL 93.4K

$5,883 MDL 104.5K

-10.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 MDL 1,006

$77.2 MDL 1,371

-26.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 MDL 510

$46.68 MDL 829

-38.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 MDL 1,477

$118 MDL 2,088

-29.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MDL 2,014

$112 MDL 1,984

1.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 MDL 16.3K

$303 MDL 5,383

202.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$223 MDL 3,957

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 MDL 25.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 MDL 19.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,798 MDL 49.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 MDL 35.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$581 MDL 10.3K

$312 MDL 5,541

86.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.41

-25.61%

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

Last update for Cricova: October 6, 2026

Last update for Bender: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $918 in Cricova versus $303 in Bender. 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 86% higher in Cricova, 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 $28.00 in Cricova versus $18.00 in Bender. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $189 vs $136 – making Bender 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 Bender: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cricova is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,580 per month in Cricova and $1,016 in Bender. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Cricova and $18.00 in Bender. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bender, where all-in costs run around $677, than in Cricova at $1,054. In Bender it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cricova it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bender – 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 Bender. 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.