Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubasari and Balti Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubasari and Balti

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $651 per month in Dubasari vs $1,023 in Balti, rent included.

A couple spends around $988 per month in Dubasari vs $1,479 in Balti, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,325 per month in Dubasari vs $1,936 in Balti, rent included.

Dubasari is about 36% cheaper than Balti, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Dubasari and Balti are more affordable than the global median – Dubasari 52% lower, Balti 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.40 MDL 146

$8.73 MDL 152

-3.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.67 MDL 534

$23.08 MDL 402

32.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MDL 184

$10.88 MDL 189

-2.67%

Cappuccino

$1.81 MDL 31.46

$1.74 MDL 30.33

4.02%

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

$1.13 MDL 19.74

$1.10 MDL 19.05

2.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 MDL 11.68

$0.67 MDL 11.67

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 MDL 35.86

$1.18 MDL 20.56

74.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 MDL 40.35

$1.42 MDL 24.64

63.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 MDL 21.65

$1.30 MDL 22.63

-4.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 MDL 8.95

$0.48 MDL 8.34

6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 MDL 27.81

$1.57 MDL 27.37

1.91%

Eggs

$2.29 MDL 39.93

$2.27 MDL 39.46

0.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.78 MDL 118

$6.81 MDL 118

-0.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 MDL 82.0

$4.70 MDL 81.7

0.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.23 MDL 108

$6.52 MDL 113

-4.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MDL 18.63

$1.05 MDL 18.30

1.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 MDL 40.31

$2.25 MDL 39.23

3.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 MDL 32.28

$1.88 MDL 32.63

-1.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MDL 41.91

$2.32 MDL 40.35

3.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MDL 13.62

$0.72 MDL 12.56

8.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 MDL 8.62

$0.53 MDL 9.30

-5.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 MDL 8.25

$0.47 MDL 8.21

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MDL 10.43

$0.54 MDL 9.39

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 MDL 59.2

$3.39 MDL 59.1

0.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.73 MDL 82.3

$4.48 MDL 78.0

5.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 MDL 24.86

$1.42 MDL 24.76

0.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 MDL 35.90

$2.00 MDL 34.85

3.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MDL 5.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.26 MDL 300

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 MDL 49.47

$2.90 MDL 50.4

-2.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.73

$0.27 MDL 4.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 MDL 101

$5.83 MDL 101

-0.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MDL 26.48

$1.56 MDL 27.14

-2.56%

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

$34.1K MDL 593.8K

$34.9K MDL 607.9K

-2.32%

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

$25.4K MDL 441.5K

$25.1K MDL 437.4K

0.93%

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

$231 MDL 4,019

$232 MDL 4,042

-0.56%

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

$8.25 MDL 144

$7.91 MDL 138

4.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.45 MDL 199

$11.69 MDL 203

-2.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.48 MDL 200

$36.77 MDL 640

-68.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.64 MDL 272

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 MDL 138

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

$115 MDL 1,993

$114 MDL 1,981

0.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,283 MDL 91.9K

$5,449 MDL 94.8K

-3.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.29 MDL 788

$46.49 MDL 809

-2.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.15 MDL 612

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.1 MDL 1,011

$57.4 MDL 998

1.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.0 MDL 905

$51.4 MDL 894

1.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 MDL 6,980

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 MDL 5,027

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$688 MDL 12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 MDL 9,135

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,451 MDL 25.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,008 MDL 17.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$636 MDL 11.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Dubasari: September 14, 2026

Last update for Balti: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Dubasari versus $23.00 in Balti. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $168 vs $166 – 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

Dubasari vs Balti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $651 in Dubasari, $1,023 in Balti – roughly 57% apart. Balti costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $977 per month in Dubasari and $1,534 in Balti. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Dubasari and $23.00 in Balti. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Balti – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $651 in Dubasari and $1,023 in Balti, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Dubasari – 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 Dubasari. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Balti makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.