Cost of Living Comparison Between Leova and Cricova Cost of Living Comparison Between Leova and Cricova

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,425 in Leova versus $1,053 in Cricova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,183 in Leova versus $1,939 in Cricova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,940 in Leova versus $2,825 in Cricova.

Living in Leova is roughly 35% more expensive than in Cricova, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Leova is 4% above, Cricova is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.93 MDL 186

$8.56 MDL 145

27.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.17 MDL 597

$29.10 MDL 494

20.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 MDL 167

$10.89 MDL 185

-9.73%

Cappuccino

$0.89 MDL 15.07

$1.08 MDL 18.32

-17.59%

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

$0.54 MDL 9.12

$1.09 MDL 18.47

-50.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MDL 6.78

$0.73 MDL 12.35

-45.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 MDL 45.20

$2.02 MDL 34.27

31.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 MDL 48.56

$2.28 MDL 38.68

25.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MDL 30.44

$2.51 MDL 42.60

-28.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 MDL 27.03

$0.52 MDL 8.89

205.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 MDL 23.17

$1.09 MDL 18.49

24.77%

Eggs

$1.39 MDL 23.57

$1.30 MDL 22.06

6.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.35 MDL 244

$6.95 MDL 118

106.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.38 MDL 40.46

$4.71 MDL 80.0

-49.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.27 MDL 72.5

$12.59 MDL 214

-66.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 MDL 23.80

$1.14 MDL 19.31

22.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 MDL 15.14

$0.83 MDL 14.15

7.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 MDL 17.33

$1.12 MDL 19.09

-8.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 MDL 19.52

$1.14 MDL 19.36

0.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 MDL 26.35

$0.76 MDL 12.84

103.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 MDL 10.22

$1.14 MDL 19.36

-47.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 MDL 7.69

$1.09 MDL 18.57

-58.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MDL 17.36

$1.08 MDL 18.42

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.66 MDL 79.1

$3.38 MDL 57.4

37.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 MDL 267

$4.73 MDL 80.2

232.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MDL 19.22

$2.66 MDL 45.17

-57.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 MDL 47.88

$4.49 MDL 76.2

-37.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 MDL 6.74

$0.60 MDL 10.27

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.23 MDL 496

$23.42 MDL 398

24.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 MDL 47.97

$1.13 MDL 19.21

150.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 MDL 9.38

$0.27 MDL 4.63

103.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 MDL 60.7

$6.90 MDL 117

-48.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MDL 24.36

$1.37 MDL 23.20

4.38%

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

$34.9K MDL 592.5K

$30.3K MDL 514.0K

15.29%

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

$35.9K MDL 609.3K

$25.2K MDL 427.1K

42.67%

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

$191 MDL 3,250

$249 MDL 4,235

-23.26%

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

$5.68 MDL 96.5

$8.20 MDL 139

-30.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.93 MDL 372

$11.79 MDL 200

86.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.7 MDL 1,455

$58.8 MDL 998

45.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.80 MDL 200

$11.72 MDL 199

0.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 MDL 77.4

$7.96 MDL 135

-42.71%

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

$119 MDL 2,015

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,386 MDL 91.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.0 MDL 1,478

$57.4 MDL 974

51.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.7 MDL 980

$28.86 MDL 490

99.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 MDL 1,686

$86.7 MDL 1,472

14.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MDL 1,957

$115 MDL 1,949

0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$649 MDL 11.0K

$936 MDL 15.9K

-30.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 MDL 9,346

$229 MDL 3,881

140.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,563 MDL 26.5K

$1,446 MDL 24.6K

8.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,158 MDL 19.7K

$1,168 MDL 19.8K

-0.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,600 MDL 44.2K

$2,942 MDL 50.0K

-11.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,007 MDL 34.1K

$2,013 MDL 34.2K

-0.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$676 MDL 11.5K

$584 MDL 9,924

15.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.19

2.71%

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

Last update for Leova: August 16, 2026

Last update for Cricova: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $649 in Leova and $936 in Cricova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leova pays 16% 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 $29.00 in Cricova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $197 per month, with Cricova 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 Cricova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Leova and Cricova differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,425 vs $1,053 including rent). Cricova is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 16% higher in Leova, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $649 in Leova versus $936 in Cricova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Leova. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,425 per month in Leova versus $1,053 in Cricova – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,053 in Cricova versus $1,425 in Leova, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cricova but tight or insufficient in Leova. The gap between the two cities makes Cricova 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.

Expats usually find Cricova gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Leova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.