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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $705 per month in Dubasari vs $995 in Balti, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,096 per month in Dubasari vs $1,243 in Balti, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,486 per month in Dubasari vs $1,490 in Balti, rent included.

Dubasari is about 29% cheaper than Balti, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Dubasari and Balti are more affordable than the global median – Dubasari 48% lower, Balti 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.78 MDL 152

$8.35 MDL 144

5.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.93 MDL 620

$36.34 MDL 628

-1.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 MDL 129

$7.48 MDL 129

0.27%

Cappuccino

$1.82 MDL 31.50

$1.64 MDL 28.27

10.98%

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

$0.97 MDL 16.73

$0.91 MDL 15.77

6.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 12.01

$0.69 MDL 11.96

1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 MDL 30.44

$1.80 MDL 31.05

-2.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 MDL 41.16

$2.21 MDL 38.16

7.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.08

$1.24 MDL 21.50

3.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.75

$0.39 MDL 6.75

43.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MDL 25.07

$1.50 MDL 25.96

-3.33%

Eggs

$2.55 MDL 44.01

$1.56 MDL 27.02

63.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 MDL 181

$9.11 MDL 157

14.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.37 MDL 92.7

$4.64 MDL 80.1

15.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.80 MDL 152

$8.74 MDL 151

0.69%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 MDL 15.41

$0.89 MDL 15.42

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MDL 29.99

$1.83 MDL 31.57

-4.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 MDL 29.62

$1.47 MDL 25.37

17.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MDL 36.21

$2.13 MDL 36.85

-1.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 MDL 14.11

$0.70 MDL 12.05

17.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 MDL 10.29

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 MDL 23.33

$1.29 MDL 22.34

4.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 MDL 15.24

$0.84 MDL 14.58

4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 MDL 56.8

$3.24 MDL 55.9

1.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.50 MDL 77.7

$4.71 MDL 81.4

-4.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MDL 21.03

$1.22 MDL 21.13

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 MDL 33.39

$1.92 MDL 33.22

0.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MDL 5.77

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 MDL 35.92

$2.02 MDL 34.97

2.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.68

$0.27 MDL 4.69

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MDL 92.6

$5.29 MDL 91.3

1.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MDL 23.99

$1.36 MDL 23.47

2.21%

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

$32.1K MDL 554.8K

$31.9K MDL 550.9K

0.71%

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

$31.4K MDL 541.5K

$30.6K MDL 528.8K

2.40%

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

$176 MDL 3,031

$170 MDL 2,931

3.42%

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

$7.65 MDL 132

$4.59 MDL 79.2

66.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.99 MDL 190

$10.74 MDL 185

2.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.88 MDL 706

Cinema Ticket

$7.76 MDL 134

$4.64 MDL 80.1

67.24%

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

$383 MDL 6,622

$118 MDL 2,039

224.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,645 MDL 132.0K

$5,548 MDL 95.8K

37.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.6 MDL 1,150

$65.4 MDL 1,129

1.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 MDL 942

$53.5 MDL 924

1.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MDL 1,979

$111 MDL 1,914

3.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MDL 2,127

$121 MDL 2,093

1.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 MDL 6,987

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 MDL 4,978

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,442 MDL 24.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$989 MDL 17.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$435 MDL 7,517

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Balti: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Dubasari versus $36.00 in Balti. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Dubasari vs $175 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: $705 in Dubasari, $995 in Balti – roughly 41% apart. Balti costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,058 per month in Dubasari and $1,492 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 $36.00 in Balti. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Balti – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dubasari, where all-in costs run around $705, than in Balti at $995. In Dubasari it covers expenses comfortably, while in Balti it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.