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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $672 per month in Dubasari vs $1,006 in Balti, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,068 per month in Dubasari vs $1,265 in Balti, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,464 per month in Dubasari vs $1,524 in Balti, rent included.

Dubasari is about 33% cheaper than Balti, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Dubasari and Balti are more affordable than the global median – Dubasari 50% lower, Balti 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.02 MDL 156

$8.35 MDL 144

8.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.35 MDL 627

$37.00 MDL 638

-1.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.44 MDL 128

$7.54 MDL 130

-1.33%

Cappuccino

$1.80 MDL 31.06

$1.60 MDL 27.66

12.50%

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

$0.92 MDL 15.84

$0.91 MDL 15.68

1.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 MDL 11.31

$0.65 MDL 11.18

1.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 MDL 30.54

$1.73 MDL 29.84

2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 MDL 39.57

$2.18 MDL 37.57

5.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.19

$1.23 MDL 21.28

4.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 MDL 8.85

$0.43 MDL 7.42

18.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 25.81

$1.51 MDL 26.05

-0.66%

Eggs

$2.49 MDL 42.88

$1.58 MDL 27.23

57.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 MDL 176

$9.61 MDL 166

6.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.48 MDL 94.6

$4.44 MDL 76.5

23.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.82 MDL 152

$8.75 MDL 151

0.80%

Apples (1kg)

$0.85 MDL 14.68

$0.91 MDL 15.71

-6.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MDL 31.33

$1.82 MDL 31.44

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 MDL 29.83

$1.52 MDL 26.26

13.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MDL 35.51

$2.07 MDL 35.69

-0.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.25

$0.69 MDL 11.90

20.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 MDL 10.32

$0.60 MDL 10.28

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 MDL 22.68

$1.30 MDL 22.50

0.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 MDL 15.43

$0.89 MDL 15.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 MDL 54.2

$3.31 MDL 57.2

-5.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 MDL 81.9

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MDL 21.94

$1.26 MDL 21.81

0.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MDL 33.41

$1.90 MDL 32.76

2.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MDL 6.34

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 MDL 36.13

$2.01 MDL 34.60

3.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.27

$0.27 MDL 4.69

-7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MDL 91.8

$5.20 MDL 89.7

2.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MDL 23.54

$1.36 MDL 23.45

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

$32.2K MDL 555.1K

$32.1K MDL 554.4K

0.13%

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

$30.6K MDL 527.6K

$30.8K MDL 531.3K

-0.69%

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

$174 MDL 2,993

$172 MDL 2,973

0.68%

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

$7.63 MDL 132

$4.60 MDL 79.3

65.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.76 MDL 186

$10.70 MDL 185

0.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.27 MDL 695

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 MDL 131

$4.71 MDL 81.2

60.93%

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

$389 MDL 6,708

$117 MDL 2,026

231.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,473 MDL 128.9K

$5,367 MDL 92.6K

39.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 MDL 1,141

$67.0 MDL 1,155

-1.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 MDL 939

$54.1 MDL 934

0.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 MDL 1,955

$114 MDL 1,962

-0.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MDL 2,110

$124 MDL 2,143

-1.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 MDL 7,096

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 MDL 5,054

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,458 MDL 25.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,025 MDL 17.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$432 MDL 7,452

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

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

Last update for Dubasari: April 27, 2026

Last update for Balti: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Dubasari versus $37.00 in Balti. Groceries tell a different story – $181 in Dubasari vs $177 in Balti – so Balti wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $672 in Dubasari, $1,006 in Balti – roughly 50% apart. Balti costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,008 per month in Dubasari and $1,509 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 $36.00 in Dubasari and $37.00 in Balti. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% 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 $672 in Dubasari and $1,006 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.