Cost of Living Comparison Between Leova and Cahul Cost of Living Comparison Between Leova and Cahul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,161 in Leova versus $686 in Cahul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,992 in Leova versus $1,082 in Cahul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,823 in Leova versus $1,478 in Cahul.

Living in Leova is roughly 69% more expensive than Cahul, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Leova 13% lower, Cahul 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.90 MDL 188

$8.73 MDL 151

24.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.31 MDL 609

$36.23 MDL 625

-2.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.76 MDL 168

$7.53 MDL 130

29.61%

Cappuccino

$0.86 MDL 14.76

$1.88 MDL 32.44

-54.26%

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

$0.52 MDL 8.94

$0.91 MDL 15.70

-42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MDL 7.29

$0.70 MDL 12.07

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 MDL 46.62

$1.71 MDL 29.52

57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 MDL 48.25

$2.31 MDL 39.82

21.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MDL 30.83

$1.29 MDL 22.17

38.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 MDL 10.37

$0.52 MDL 8.99

15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 MDL 23.64

$1.52 MDL 26.19

-9.87%

Eggs

$1.42 MDL 24.55

$2.63 MDL 45.35

-46.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.90 MDL 257

$10.41 MDL 180

43.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.37 MDL 40.95

$5.32 MDL 91.8

-55.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.10 MDL 70.7

$9.09 MDL 157

-54.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 MDL 24.29

$0.86 MDL 14.76

63.95%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 MDL 14.96

$1.80 MDL 31.09

-51.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 MDL 16.90

$1.73 MDL 29.79

-43.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 MDL 19.70

$2.16 MDL 37.18

-47.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 MDL 27.47

$0.76 MDL 13.11

109.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.25

$0.59 MDL 10.18

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 MDL 8.30

$1.32 MDL 22.75

-63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MDL 17.66

$0.87 MDL 15.02

17.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.66 MDL 80.4

$3.31 MDL 57.0

40.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 MDL 264

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 MDL 19.83

$1.21 MDL 20.87

-4.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 MDL 47.15

$1.99 MDL 34.41

37.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 MDL 7.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.05 MDL 501

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 MDL 50.7

$2.08 MDL 35.81

41.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MDL 9.70

$0.25 MDL 4.27

124.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 MDL 58.8

$5.20 MDL 89.7

-34.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 MDL 24.45

$1.44 MDL 24.82

-1.39%

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

$35.5K MDL 612.5K

$32.0K MDL 552.4K

10.89%

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

$36.6K MDL 631.8K

$31.0K MDL 534.7K

18.17%

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

$198 MDL 3,416

$172 MDL 2,967

15.12%

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

$5.76 MDL 99.4

$7.65 MDL 132

-24.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.25 MDL 367

$10.92 MDL 188

94.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.52 MDL 613

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.59 MDL 200

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 MDL 80.1

$7.66 MDL 132

-39.43%

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

$384 MDL 6,626

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,684 MDL 132.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.3 MDL 1,489

$65.5 MDL 1,129

31.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.1 MDL 1,019

$54.7 MDL 943

8.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 MDL 1,710

$112 MDL 1,939

-11.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 MDL 2,004

$122 MDL 2,098

-4.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 MDL 14.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 MDL 6,320

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 MDL 27.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MDL 19.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,504 MDL 43.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,008 MDL 34.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$662 MDL 11.4K

$524 MDL 9,036

26.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.19

9.24

-22.19%

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

Last update for Leova: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cahul: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Leova pays 26% 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: $35.00 in Leova vs $36.00 in Cahul. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $182, with Cahul cheaper for home cooking.

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

Leova vs Cahul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cahul wins on cost – living expenses run 69% lower than in Leova. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cahul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Leova pays 26% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

All in, you'll spend $1,161 per month in Leova versus $686 in Cahul – a 69% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Leova. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $686 in Cahul versus $1,161 in Leova, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cahul but tight or insufficient in Leova. The gap between the two cities makes Cahul 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.

Safety-wise, Leova and Cahul are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cahul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Leova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.