Cost of Living Comparison Between Leova and Ialoveni Cost of Living Comparison Between Leova and Ialoveni

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,165 in Leova versus $781 in Ialoveni.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,989 in Leova versus $1,238 in Ialoveni.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,813 in Leova versus $1,695 in Ialoveni.

Living in Leova is roughly 49% more expensive than Ialoveni, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Leova 13% lower, Ialoveni 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.83 MDL 186

$8.56 MDL 147

26.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.13 MDL 603

$24.71 MDL 424

42.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 MDL 163

$7.52 MDL 129

26.46%

Cappuccino

$0.85 MDL 14.65

$1.87 MDL 32.16

-54.55%

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

$0.54 MDL 9.29

$0.98 MDL 16.90

-44.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MDL 6.71

$0.68 MDL 11.71

-42.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 MDL 46.43

$1.70 MDL 29.24

58.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 MDL 49.13

$2.30 MDL 39.52

24.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 MDL 30.24

$1.23 MDL 21.19

43.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 MDL 9.77

$0.51 MDL 8.82

11.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 MDL 23.57

$0.69 MDL 11.79

98.55%

Eggs

$1.42 MDL 24.44

$2.59 MDL 44.53

-45.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 MDL 253

$5.32 MDL 91.3

176.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.32 MDL 39.83

$5.36 MDL 92.0

-56.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.16 MDL 71.4

$5.10 MDL 87.6

-18.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 MDL 24.18

$0.88 MDL 15.15

60.23%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 MDL 15.65

$1.74 MDL 29.91

-47.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 MDL 16.35

$1.77 MDL 30.40

-46.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 MDL 20.36

$2.16 MDL 37.03

-44.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 MDL 26.34

$0.83 MDL 14.33

84.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 MDL 9.59

$0.59 MDL 10.10

-5.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 MDL 7.72

$1.36 MDL 23.29

-66.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MDL 18.47

$0.89 MDL 15.36

21.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.76 MDL 81.7

$3.18 MDL 54.6

49.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.26 MDL 262

$4.53 MDL 77.8

236.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 MDL 19.62

$1.28 MDL 21.92

-10.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 MDL 46.84

$1.92 MDL 33.04

42.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MDL 6.75

$0.34 MDL 5.83

14.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.55 MDL 507

$7.14 MDL 123

313.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 MDL 48.93

$2.03 MDL 34.80

40.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MDL 8.87

$0.27 MDL 4.66

92.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 MDL 61.0

$5.14 MDL 88.2

-30.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MDL 24.56

$1.37 MDL 23.60

4.38%

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

$35.6K MDL 611.8K

$32.3K MDL 554.3K

10.37%

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

$36.8K MDL 631.3K

$30.6K MDL 525.7K

20.09%

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

$193 MDL 3,316

$170 MDL 2,916

13.72%

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

$5.74 MDL 98.6

$7.35 MDL 126

-21.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.59 MDL 371

$11.00 MDL 189

96.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.70 MDL 596

$28.70 MDL 493

20.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.91 MDL 205

$11.57 MDL 199

2.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 MDL 80.7

$5.71 MDL 98.1

-17.69%

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

$397 MDL 6,813

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,468 MDL 128.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.8 MDL 1,491

$46.65 MDL 801

86.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.9 MDL 1,010

$28.99 MDL 498

103.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MDL 1,730

$87.0 MDL 1,494

15.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MDL 1,975

$99.0 MDL 1,700

16.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 MDL 14.8K

$177 MDL 3,041

387.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 MDL 6,227

$116 MDL 1,992

212.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 MDL 27.2K

$385 MDL 6,602

312.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 MDL 19.7K

$375 MDL 6,443

205.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,500 MDL 42.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,015 MDL 34.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$668 MDL 11.5K

$618 MDL 10.6K

8.21%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ialoveni: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $863 in Leova and $177 in Ialoveni. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leova pays 8% 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 $25.00 in Ialoveni for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $161 per month, with Ialoveni 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 Ialoveni: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ialoveni wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Leova. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ialoveni the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Leova pays 8% more on average, 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: $863 in Leova versus $177 in Ialoveni. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Leova. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,165 per month in Leova versus $781 in Ialoveni – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $781 in Ialoveni versus $1,165 in Leova, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ialoveni but tight or insufficient in Leova. The gap between the two cities makes Ialoveni 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 Ialoveni 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 Ialoveni gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Leova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.