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: $1,411 in Leova versus $646 in Cahul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,121 in Leova versus $938 in Cahul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,832 in Leova versus $1,230 in Cahul.

Living in Leova is roughly 118% more expensive than in Cahul, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Leova is 3% above, Cahul is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 MDL 187

$8.56 MDL 148

26.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.27 MDL 594

$23.96 MDL 415

43.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 MDL 165

$10.90 MDL 189

-12.57%

Cappuccino

$0.83 MDL 14.37

$1.76 MDL 30.52

-52.84%

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

$0.53 MDL 9.23

$1.13 MDL 19.52

-53.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MDL 7.21

$0.60 MDL 10.39

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 MDL 45.99

$1.98 MDL 34.30

33.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 MDL 46.70

$1.80 MDL 31.23

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MDL 29.45

$1.29 MDL 22.33

31.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 MDL 26.29

$0.51 MDL 8.76

198.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 MDL 23.35

$1.59 MDL 27.52

-15.09%

Eggs

$1.36 MDL 23.51

$2.34 MDL 40.49

-41.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.12 MDL 245

$7.11 MDL 123

98.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.34 MDL 40.48

$4.83 MDL 83.6

-51.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.05 MDL 70.2

$6.26 MDL 109

-35.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.32 MDL 22.88

$1.02 MDL 17.74

29.41%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.36

$2.26 MDL 39.22

-63.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 MDL 16.58

$1.88 MDL 32.58

-48.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 MDL 19.50

$2.41 MDL 41.83

-53.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 MDL 27.75

$0.72 MDL 12.55

122.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 MDL 9.82

$0.50 MDL 8.59

14.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 MDL 7.59

$0.47 MDL 8.23

-6.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 MDL 17.77

$0.57 MDL 9.84

80.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 MDL 82.3

$3.55 MDL 61.6

33.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.71 MDL 272

$4.72 MDL 81.7

232.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MDL 19.41

$1.47 MDL 25.45

-23.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 MDL 45.73

$2.07 MDL 35.84

27.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 MDL 7.17

$0.28 MDL 4.82

46.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.23 MDL 507

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 MDL 50.8

$2.95 MDL 51.2

-0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 MDL 9.81

$0.25 MDL 4.31

128.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 MDL 60.2

$5.91 MDL 102

-41.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 MDL 24.39

$1.50 MDL 25.95

-6.00%

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

$34.6K MDL 599.7K

$35.1K MDL 608.1K

-1.38%

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

$35.8K MDL 620.7K

$24.8K MDL 429.6K

44.47%

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

$193 MDL 3,353

$234 MDL 4,048

-17.17%

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

$5.61 MDL 97.2

$7.85 MDL 136

-28.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.35 MDL 370

$11.46 MDL 199

86.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.0 MDL 1,525

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.62 MDL 201

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 MDL 77.9

$7.95 MDL 138

-43.52%

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

$117 MDL 2,021

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,445 MDL 94.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.8 MDL 1,505

$46.87 MDL 812

85.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 MDL 989

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 MDL 1,690

$56.9 MDL 987

71.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 MDL 2,002

$51.8 MDL 897

123.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 MDL 11.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 MDL 9,641

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,571 MDL 27.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 MDL 19.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,572 MDL 44.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,949 MDL 33.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$675 MDL 11.7K

$527 MDL 9,129

28.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.19

-10.12%

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

Last update for Leova: September 13, 2026

Last update for Cahul: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Leova pays 28% 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: $34.00 in Leova vs $24.00 in Cahul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $169 per month, with Cahul 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 118% 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 28% 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 $1,411 per month in Leova versus $646 in Cahul – a 118% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Leova. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $646 in Cahul versus $1,411 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 118% less than in Leova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.