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: $1,171 in Leova versus $685 in Cahul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,958 in Leova versus $1,084 in Cahul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,745 in Leova versus $1,482 in Cahul.

Living in Leova is roughly 71% more expensive than in Cahul, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Leova 12% lower, Cahul 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 MDL 188

$8.86 MDL 154

21.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.77 MDL 604

$36.06 MDL 627

-3.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 MDL 171

$7.71 MDL 134

27.76%

Cappuccino

$0.84 MDL 14.68

$1.87 MDL 32.46

-55.08%

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

$0.52 MDL 8.96

$0.98 MDL 16.95

-46.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MDL 7.38

$0.65 MDL 11.34

-35.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 MDL 45.55

$1.73 MDL 30.10

51.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 MDL 50.3

$2.33 MDL 40.42

24.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 MDL 30.19

$1.24 MDL 21.52

40.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 MDL 9.82

$0.52 MDL 9.03

9.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 MDL 23.95

$1.47 MDL 25.51

-6.12%

Eggs

$1.37 MDL 23.87

$2.59 MDL 44.96

-47.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.54 MDL 253

$10.46 MDL 182

39.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.36 MDL 41.04

$5.53 MDL 96.1

-57.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.10 MDL 71.2

$8.67 MDL 151

-52.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 MDL 24.12

$0.84 MDL 14.57

65.48%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 MDL 15.47

$1.82 MDL 31.70

-51.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 MDL 17.56

$1.71 MDL 29.71

-40.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 MDL 20.11

$2.16 MDL 37.49

-46.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 MDL 28.19

$0.82 MDL 14.33

97.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 MDL 9.87

$0.59 MDL 10.31

-3.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 MDL 7.91

$1.29 MDL 22.50

-65.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MDL 17.99

$0.84 MDL 14.67

23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 MDL 81.3

$3.30 MDL 57.4

41.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 MDL 265

$4.57 MDL 79.4

234.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MDL 20.51

$1.27 MDL 22.07

-7.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 MDL 48.80

$2.00 MDL 34.77

40.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 MDL 6.89

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.04 MDL 505

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 MDL 51.9

$2.01 MDL 35.00

48.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MDL 9.21

$0.25 MDL 4.34

112.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 MDL 60.8

$5.31 MDL 92.2

-34.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 MDL 26.06

$1.44 MDL 25.02

4.17%

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

$34.8K MDL 605.6K

$32.5K MDL 565.0K

7.19%

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

$35.9K MDL 624.6K

$31.6K MDL 549.3K

13.70%

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

$197 MDL 3,416

$174 MDL 3,027

12.86%

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

$5.72 MDL 99.4

$7.66 MDL 133

-25.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.71 MDL 377

$10.73 MDL 186

102.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.74 MDL 621

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.73 MDL 204

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 MDL 79.2

$7.79 MDL 135

-41.46%

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

$395 MDL 6,868

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,490 MDL 130.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.9 MDL 1,511

$66.6 MDL 1,158

30.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 MDL 1,031

$54.1 MDL 940

9.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MDL 1,739

$112 MDL 1,939

-10.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 MDL 2,061

$123 MDL 2,146

-3.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 MDL 15.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 MDL 6,259

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 MDL 26.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,138 MDL 19.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,554 MDL 44.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,972 MDL 34.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MDL 11.6K

$507 MDL 8,819

31.47%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Cahul: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Leova pays 31% 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 for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $190 per month, with Leova cheaper across the board.

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 71% 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.

Average pay runs 31% higher in Leova, 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 $1,171 per month in Leova versus $685 in Cahul – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Leova pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $685 in Cahul versus $1,171 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 71% less than in Leova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.