Cost of Living Comparison Between Cricova and Leova Cost of Living Comparison Between Cricova and Leova

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,053 in Cricova versus $1,425 in Leova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,939 in Cricova versus $2,183 in Leova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,825 in Cricova versus $2,940 in Leova.

Living in Cricova costs roughly 26% less than in Leova, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cricova is 23% below, Leova is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.56 MDL 145

$10.93 MDL 186

-21.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.10 MDL 494

$35.17 MDL 597

-17.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 MDL 185

$9.83 MDL 167

10.78%

Cappuccino

$1.08 MDL 18.32

$0.89 MDL 15.07

21.35%

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

$1.09 MDL 18.47

$0.54 MDL 9.12

101.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 MDL 12.35

$0.40 MDL 6.78

82.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 MDL 34.27

$2.66 MDL 45.20

-24.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 MDL 38.68

$2.86 MDL 48.56

-20.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 MDL 42.60

$1.79 MDL 30.44

40.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 8.89

$1.59 MDL 27.03

-67.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 MDL 18.49

$1.36 MDL 23.17

-19.85%

Eggs

$1.30 MDL 22.06

$1.39 MDL 23.57

-6.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.95 MDL 118

$14.35 MDL 244

-51.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 MDL 80.0

$2.38 MDL 40.46

97.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.59 MDL 214

$4.27 MDL 72.5

194.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 MDL 19.31

$1.40 MDL 23.80

-18.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.15

$0.89 MDL 15.14

-6.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 MDL 19.09

$1.02 MDL 17.33

9.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 MDL 19.36

$1.15 MDL 19.52

-0.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MDL 12.84

$1.55 MDL 26.35

-50.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 MDL 19.36

$0.60 MDL 10.22

90.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 MDL 18.57

$0.45 MDL 7.69

142.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MDL 18.42

$1.02 MDL 17.36

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 MDL 57.4

$4.66 MDL 79.1

-27.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.73 MDL 80.2

$15.73 MDL 267

-69.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MDL 45.17

$1.13 MDL 19.22

135.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 MDL 76.2

$2.82 MDL 47.88

59.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MDL 10.27

$0.40 MDL 6.74

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.42 MDL 398

$29.23 MDL 496

-19.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 MDL 19.21

$2.83 MDL 47.97

-60.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.63

$0.55 MDL 9.38

-50.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.90 MDL 117

$3.57 MDL 60.7

93.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 MDL 23.20

$1.43 MDL 24.36

-4.20%

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

$30.3K MDL 514.0K

$34.9K MDL 592.5K

-13.26%

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

$25.2K MDL 427.1K

$35.9K MDL 609.3K

-29.91%

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

$249 MDL 4,235

$191 MDL 3,250

30.30%

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

$8.20 MDL 139

$5.68 MDL 96.5

44.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.79 MDL 200

$21.93 MDL 372

-46.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 MDL 998

$85.7 MDL 1,455

-31.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.72 MDL 199

$11.80 MDL 200

-0.68%

Cinema Ticket

$7.96 MDL 135

$4.56 MDL 77.4

74.56%

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

$119 MDL 2,015

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,386 MDL 91.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.4 MDL 974

$87.0 MDL 1,478

-34.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.86 MDL 490

$57.7 MDL 980

-49.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 MDL 1,472

$99.3 MDL 1,686

-12.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MDL 1,949

$115 MDL 1,957

-0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$936 MDL 15.9K

$649 MDL 11.0K

44.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 MDL 3,881

$550 MDL 9,346

-58.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,446 MDL 24.6K

$1,563 MDL 26.5K

-7.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 MDL 19.8K

$1,158 MDL 19.7K

0.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,942 MDL 50.0K

$2,600 MDL 44.2K

13.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,013 MDL 34.2K

$2,007 MDL 34.1K

0.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$584 MDL 9,924

$676 MDL 11.5K

-13.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.19

-2.64%

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

Last update for Cricova: August 16, 2026

Last update for Leova: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $936 in Cricova and $649 in Leova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leova pays 16% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $29.00 in Cricova vs $35.00 in Leova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $198 per month, with Cricova cheaper across the board.

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 Leova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cricova and Leova differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,053 vs $1,425 including rent). Cricova is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Leova. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $936 in Cricova versus $649 in Leova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Leova. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,053 per month in Cricova versus $1,425 in Leova – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,053 in Cricova versus $1,425 in Leova, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cricova but tight or insufficient in Leova. The gap between the two cities makes Cricova the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Cricova gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Leova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.