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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,054 per month in Cricova vs $1,275 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,880 per month in Cricova vs $1,987 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,706 per month in Cricova vs $2,699 in Chisinau, rent included.

Cricova is about 17% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cricova and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Cricova 21% lower, Chisinau 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.51 MDL 151

$11.27 MDL 200

-24.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.14 MDL 500

$49.50 MDL 879

-43.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 MDL 187

$8.46 MDL 150

24.35%

Cappuccino

$1.04 MDL 18.48

$2.12 MDL 37.65

-50.94%

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

$1.09 MDL 19.34

$1.17 MDL 20.84

-6.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 MDL 11.82

$0.91 MDL 16.10

-26.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 MDL 36.14

$2.24 MDL 39.80

-9.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 MDL 39.75

$1.92 MDL 34.10

16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 MDL 41.59

$1.21 MDL 21.49

93.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 MDL 8.84

$0.69 MDL 12.24

-27.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 MDL 19.55

$1.37 MDL 24.32

-19.71%

Eggs

$1.25 MDL 22.27

$2.81 MDL 49.97

-55.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.62 MDL 118

$9.49 MDL 169

-30.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 MDL 82.7

$5.02 MDL 89.1

-7.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.19 MDL 216

$8.75 MDL 155

39.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 MDL 19.26

$0.97 MDL 17.31

11.34%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 MDL 14.43

$1.92 MDL 34.18

-57.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 MDL 18.59

$2.08 MDL 36.94

-49.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 MDL 19.46

$2.25 MDL 39.93

-51.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 MDL 12.93

$0.71 MDL 12.66

2.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 MDL 18.62

$0.56 MDL 9.98

87.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 MDL 18.61

$1.31 MDL 23.32

-19.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MDL 19.27

$0.88 MDL 15.58

22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 MDL 60.4

$3.37 MDL 59.8

0.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.46 MDL 79.2

$4.81 MDL 85.5

-7.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 MDL 45.26

$1.26 MDL 22.33

102.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 MDL 76.5

$1.87 MDL 33.18

129.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MDL 9.92

$0.37 MDL 6.63

51.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.18 MDL 394

$13.68 MDL 243

62.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MDL 19.49

$2.25 MDL 39.96

-51.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 MDL 4.22

$0.33 MDL 5.82

-27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 MDL 123

$5.07 MDL 90.0

36.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 MDL 24.41

$1.70 MDL 30.24

-19.41%

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

$29.8K MDL 528.9K

$29.4K MDL 521.5K

1.42%

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

$24.0K MDL 426.5K

$30.3K MDL 538.5K

-20.79%

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

$239 MDL 4,239

$244 MDL 4,327

-2.04%

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

$7.95 MDL 141

$9.64 MDL 171

-17.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.17 MDL 198

$10.72 MDL 190

4.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 MDL 1,007

$41.23 MDL 732

37.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.26 MDL 200

$20.17 MDL 358

-44.17%

Cinema Ticket

$7.79 MDL 138

$8.40 MDL 149

-7.26%

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

$112 MDL 1,997

$428 MDL 7,594

-73.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,258 MDL 93.4K

$5,887 MDL 104.6K

-10.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 MDL 1,006

$80.8 MDL 1,435

-29.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 MDL 510

$46.11 MDL 819

-37.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 MDL 1,477

$115 MDL 2,050

-27.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MDL 2,014

$114 MDL 2,023

-0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 MDL 16.3K

$678 MDL 12.0K

35.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$223 MDL 3,957

$439 MDL 7,805

-49.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 MDL 25.0K

$1,255 MDL 22.3K

12.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 MDL 19.8K

$829 MDL 14.7K

34.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,798 MDL 49.7K

$2,614 MDL 46.4K

7.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 MDL 35.1K

$1,988 MDL 35.3K

-0.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$581 MDL 10.3K

$867 MDL 15.4K

-32.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

-23.08%

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

Last update for Cricova: October 6, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $918 in Cricova versus $678 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 49% 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 $28.00 in Cricova versus $49.00 in Chisinau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $189 vs $190 – 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 21%, 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 $1,580 per month in Cricova and $1,912 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 $28.00 in Cricova and $49.00 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 $1,054, than in Chisinau at $1,275. 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.