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: $1,155 in Leova versus $687 in Cahul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,969 in Leova versus $1,083 in Cahul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,783 in Leova versus $1,480 in Cahul.

Living in Leova is roughly 68% more expensive than Cahul, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Leova 14% lower, Cahul 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.59 MDL 183

$8.83 MDL 152

19.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.66 MDL 599

$37.13 MDL 641

-6.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 MDL 165

$7.49 MDL 129

27.24%

Cappuccino

$0.87 MDL 15.01

$1.80 MDL 31.11

-51.67%

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

$0.51 MDL 8.76

$0.96 MDL 16.65

-46.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MDL 7.28

$0.69 MDL 11.98

-39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 MDL 45.09

$1.73 MDL 29.88

50.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 MDL 48.95

$2.31 MDL 39.89

22.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MDL 30.99

$1.27 MDL 21.96

40.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 MDL 10.36

$0.56 MDL 9.63

7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MDL 24.49

$1.49 MDL 25.75

-4.70%

Eggs

$1.37 MDL 23.58

$2.49 MDL 42.93

-44.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 MDL 247

$10.29 MDL 178

39.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.41 MDL 41.57

$5.34 MDL 92.2

-54.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.08 MDL 70.5

$8.69 MDL 150

-53.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 MDL 23.32

$0.83 MDL 14.29

62.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 MDL 15.53

$1.80 MDL 31.09

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 MDL 16.45

$1.78 MDL 30.69

-46.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 MDL 20.52

$2.06 MDL 35.58

-42.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 MDL 27.79

$0.82 MDL 14.09

96.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.21

$0.58 MDL 10.08

1.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 MDL 7.87

$1.36 MDL 23.47

-66.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MDL 18.40

$0.84 MDL 14.55

27.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.80 MDL 82.8

$3.29 MDL 56.8

45.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.72 MDL 271

$4.51 MDL 77.9

248.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 MDL 20.01

$1.22 MDL 21.11

-4.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 MDL 48.01

$1.93 MDL 33.35

44.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MDL 6.78

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.96 MDL 517

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 MDL 49.50

$2.01 MDL 34.72

42.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MDL 8.87

$0.27 MDL 4.70

88.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 MDL 58.9

$5.30 MDL 91.5

-35.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MDL 25.67

$1.41 MDL 24.40

5.67%

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

$34.4K MDL 594.8K

$31.6K MDL 546.2K

8.88%

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

$35.6K MDL 614.7K

$31.2K MDL 538.8K

14.10%

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

$195 MDL 3,363

$169 MDL 2,918

15.24%

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

$5.81 MDL 100

$7.50 MDL 130

-22.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.97 MDL 379

$10.66 MDL 184

106.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.40 MDL 611

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.48 MDL 198

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 MDL 81.2

$7.79 MDL 135

-39.67%

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

$396 MDL 6,833

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,663 MDL 132.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 MDL 1,525

$66.5 MDL 1,148

32.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 MDL 1,008

$54.0 MDL 932

8.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 MDL 1,724

$114 MDL 1,972

-12.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 MDL 2,034

$120 MDL 2,081

-2.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$864 MDL 14.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 MDL 6,449

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 MDL 26.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,160 MDL 20.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,523 MDL 43.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,978 MDL 34.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 MDL 11.4K

$518 MDL 8,941

28.02%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Cahul: June 6, 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: $35.00 in Leova vs $37.00 in Cahul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $188 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 68% 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 28% 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 $1,155 per month in Leova versus $687 in Cahul – a 68% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Leova pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $687 in Cahul versus $1,155 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 68% less than in Leova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.