Cost of Living Comparison Between Izhevsk and Chisinau Cost of Living Comparison Between Izhevsk and Chisinau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $993 per month in Izhevsk vs $1,200 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,589 per month in Izhevsk vs $1,843 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,186 per month in Izhevsk vs $2,485 in Chisinau, rent included.

Izhevsk is about 17% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Izhevsk and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Izhevsk 26% lower, Chisinau 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.53 ₽618

$8.87 MDL 153

-3.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.54 ₽2,793

$37.12 MDL 641

3.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.35 ₽316

$7.54 MDL 130

-42.31%

Cappuccino

$2.38 ₽172

$1.80 MDL 31.07

32.22%

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

$1.33 ₽96.1

$0.98 MDL 16.89

35.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₽28.66

$0.70 MDL 12.02

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.83 ₽205

$1.73 MDL 29.87

63.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₽181

$2.29 MDL 39.52

9.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 ₽73.5

$1.28 MDL 22.06

-21.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 ₽50.2

$0.56 MDL 9.69

23.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 ₽123

$1.50 MDL 25.83

13.33%

Eggs

$1.75 ₽127

$2.53 MDL 43.65

-30.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.99 ₽1,014

$10.22 MDL 177

36.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 ₽281

$5.51 MDL 95.2

-29.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.75 ₽634

$8.74 MDL 151

0.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 ₽129

$0.89 MDL 15.31

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₽138

$1.76 MDL 30.35

7.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 ₽96.4

$1.76 MDL 30.44

-24.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.84 ₽205

$2.08 MDL 35.98

36.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 ₽77.4

$0.84 MDL 14.50

27.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ₽66.2

$0.56 MDL 9.65

62.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 ₽111

$1.31 MDL 22.57

16.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₽46.67

$0.83 MDL 14.37

-22.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 ₽220

$3.30 MDL 57.0

-7.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.15 ₽591

$4.75 MDL 82.0

71.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₽62.3

$1.22 MDL 21.08

-29.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₽134

$1.92 MDL 33.23

-3.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₽33.21

$0.36 MDL 6.27

27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.28 ₽1,832

$13.74 MDL 237

83.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ₽225

$2.00 MDL 34.48

55.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ₽22.65

$0.25 MDL 4.28

24.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.56 ₽548

$5.31 MDL 91.8

42.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 ₽53.5

$1.42 MDL 24.55

-47.89%

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

$31.9K ₽2.3M

$32.4K MDL 560.3K

-1.70%

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

$31.9K ₽2.3M

$30.9K MDL 533.5K

3.10%

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

$98.4 ₽7,127

$173 MDL 2,986

-43.11%

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

$4.84 ₽351

$7.57 MDL 131

-36.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.79 ₽492

$10.65 MDL 184

-36.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.63 ₽2,727

$43.21 MDL 746

-12.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.41 ₽1,624

$22.02 MDL 380

1.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 ₽363

$7.65 MDL 132

-34.51%

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

$322 ₽23.3K

$397 MDL 6,854

-18.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,969 ₽505.0K

$7,753 MDL 133.9K

-10.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.0 ₽5,147

$65.3 MDL 1,127

8.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.69 ₽3,166

$52.8 MDL 912

-17.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₽8,358

$111 MDL 1,923

3.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₽7,662

$124 MDL 2,147

-14.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$419 ₽30.4K

$654 MDL 11.3K

-35.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ₽22.4K

$462 MDL 7,970

-32.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 ₽54.6K

$1,252 MDL 21.6K

-39.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$592 ₽42.9K

$819 MDL 14.1K

-27.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,776 ₽201.2K

$2,583 MDL 44.6K

7.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,382 ₽100.1K

$1,942 MDL 33.5K

-28.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$985 ₽71.3K

$856 MDL 14.8K

14.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.33

9.24

76.73%

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

Last update for Izhevsk: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $419 in Izhevsk versus $654 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 15% higher in Izhevsk, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Izhevsk versus $37.00 in Chisinau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $201 vs $190 – making Chisinau the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Izhevsk vs Chisinau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,489 per month in Izhevsk and $1,800 in Chisinau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Izhevsk, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Chisinau – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Izhevsk and $37.00 in Chisinau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Izhevsk, where all-in costs run around $993, than in Chisinau at $1,200. In Izhevsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Izhevsk – 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 Izhevsk. 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.