Cost of Living Comparison Between Cricova and Chisinau Cost of Living Comparison Between Cricova and Chisinau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,053 per month in Cricova vs $1,318 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,939 per month in Cricova vs $2,016 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,825 per month in Cricova vs $2,713 in Chisinau, rent included.

Cricova is about 20% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cricova and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Cricova 23% lower, Chisinau 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.56 MDL 145

$11.51 MDL 195

-25.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.10 MDL 494

$50.3 MDL 855

-42.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 MDL 185

$8.88 MDL 151

22.64%

Cappuccino

$1.08 MDL 18.32

$2.27 MDL 38.52

-52.42%

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

$1.09 MDL 18.47

$1.23 MDL 20.84

-11.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 MDL 12.35

$0.91 MDL 15.45

-19.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 MDL 34.27

$2.37 MDL 40.30

-14.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 MDL 38.68

$2.06 MDL 35.04

10.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 MDL 42.60

$1.27 MDL 21.52

97.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 8.89

$0.74 MDL 12.64

-29.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 MDL 18.49

$1.49 MDL 25.36

-26.85%

Eggs

$1.30 MDL 22.06

$2.87 MDL 48.72

-54.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.95 MDL 118

$10.23 MDL 174

-32.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 MDL 80.0

$5.45 MDL 92.5

-13.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.59 MDL 214

$9.40 MDL 160

33.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 MDL 19.31

$0.98 MDL 16.67

16.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.15

$1.99 MDL 33.75

-58.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 MDL 19.09

$1.97 MDL 33.38

-43.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 MDL 19.36

$2.20 MDL 37.39

-48.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MDL 12.84

$0.72 MDL 12.29

5.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 MDL 19.36

$0.60 MDL 10.11

90.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 MDL 18.57

$1.44 MDL 24.48

-24.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MDL 18.42

$0.91 MDL 15.51

18.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 MDL 57.4

$3.41 MDL 58.0

-0.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.73 MDL 80.2

$4.69 MDL 79.7

0.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MDL 45.17

$1.26 MDL 21.41

111.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 MDL 76.2

$1.94 MDL 32.98

131.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MDL 10.27

$0.42 MDL 7.17

42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.42 MDL 398

$13.36 MDL 227

75.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 MDL 19.21

$2.39 MDL 40.53

-52.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.63

$0.34 MDL 5.76

-20.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.90 MDL 117

$5.40 MDL 91.6

27.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 MDL 23.20

$1.69 MDL 28.76

-18.93%

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

$30.3K MDL 514.0K

$29.5K MDL 500.3K

2.73%

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

$25.2K MDL 427.1K

$31.5K MDL 535.5K

-20.25%

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

$249 MDL 4,235

$244 MDL 4,136

2.39%

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

$8.20 MDL 139

$9.73 MDL 165

-15.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.79 MDL 200

$10.77 MDL 183

9.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 MDL 998

$43.86 MDL 745

33.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.72 MDL 199

$20.91 MDL 355

-43.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.96 MDL 135

$8.48 MDL 144

-6.13%

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

$119 MDL 2,015

$443 MDL 7,517

-73.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,386 MDL 91.5K

$6,066 MDL 103.0K

-11.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.4 MDL 974

$77.9 MDL 1,323

-26.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.86 MDL 490

$47.93 MDL 814

-39.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 MDL 1,472

$123 MDL 2,094

-29.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MDL 1,949

$115 MDL 1,950

-0.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$936 MDL 15.9K

$721 MDL 12.2K

29.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 MDL 3,881

$459 MDL 7,797

-50.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,446 MDL 24.6K

$1,339 MDL 22.7K

7.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 MDL 19.8K

$812 MDL 13.8K

43.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,942 MDL 50.0K

$2,678 MDL 45.5K

9.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,013 MDL 34.2K

$1,988 MDL 33.8K

1.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$584 MDL 9,924

$908 MDL 15.4K

-35.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.3

-24.73%

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

Last update for Cricova: August 16, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $936 in Cricova versus $721 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 55% 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 $29.00 in Cricova versus $50.0 in Chisinau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $199 – making Cricova 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 Chisinau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,579 per month in Cricova and $1,977 in Chisinau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 1% more in Chisinau, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Cricova and $50.0 in Chisinau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cricova, where all-in costs run around $1,053, than in Chisinau at $1,318. In Cricova it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cricova – 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 Cricova. 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.