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: $1,411 in Leova versus $828 in Ialoveni.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,121 in Leova versus $1,338 in Ialoveni.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,832 in Leova versus $1,849 in Ialoveni.

Living in Leova is roughly 70% more expensive than in Ialoveni, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Leova is 3% above, Ialoveni is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 MDL 188

$8.51 MDL 148

27.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.27 MDL 596

$30.38 MDL 529

12.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 MDL 166

$10.77 MDL 187

-11.51%

Cappuccino

$0.83 MDL 14.43

$2.23 MDL 38.73

-62.78%

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

$0.53 MDL 9.27

$1.26 MDL 21.84

-57.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MDL 7.24

$0.83 MDL 14.40

-49.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 MDL 46.18

$2.32 MDL 40.40

14.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 MDL 46.89

$2.27 MDL 39.49

18.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MDL 29.56

$1.30 MDL 22.66

30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 MDL 26.39

$0.66 MDL 11.41

130.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 MDL 23.44

$0.72 MDL 12.52

87.50%

Eggs

$1.36 MDL 23.61

$2.80 MDL 48.70

-51.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.12 MDL 246

$6.86 MDL 119

105.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.34 MDL 40.65

$5.40 MDL 94.0

-56.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.05 MDL 70.4

$5.04 MDL 87.8

-19.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.32 MDL 22.97

$1.01 MDL 17.53

30.69%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.41

$1.93 MDL 33.62

-56.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 MDL 16.65

$2.06 MDL 35.78

-53.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 MDL 19.58

$2.42 MDL 42.09

-53.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 MDL 27.86

$0.75 MDL 13.03

113.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 MDL 9.86

$0.58 MDL 10.02

-1.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 MDL 7.62

$1.39 MDL 24.17

-68.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 MDL 17.84

$0.93 MDL 16.13

10.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 MDL 82.7

$3.42 MDL 59.5

38.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.71 MDL 273

$4.83 MDL 84.1

225.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MDL 19.49

$1.30 MDL 22.66

-13.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 MDL 45.91

$1.90 MDL 33.08

38.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 MDL 7.20

$0.37 MDL 6.38

10.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.23 MDL 509

$7.05 MDL 123

314.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 MDL 51.0

$2.28 MDL 39.71

28.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 MDL 9.85

$0.25 MDL 4.34

128.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 MDL 60.4

$5.13 MDL 89.2

-32.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 MDL 24.49

$1.53 MDL 26.60

-7.84%

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

$34.6K MDL 602.1K

$29.6K MDL 515.5K

16.79%

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

$35.8K MDL 623.2K

$24.5K MDL 426.4K

46.16%

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

$193 MDL 3,367

$193 MDL 3,363

0.12%

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

$5.61 MDL 97.6

$9.83 MDL 171

-42.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.35 MDL 372

$11.49 MDL 200

85.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.0 MDL 1,531

$28.65 MDL 499

207.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.62 MDL 202

$11.43 MDL 199

1.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 MDL 78.2

$7.69 MDL 134

-41.61%

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

$114 MDL 1,978

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,284 MDL 91.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.8 MDL 1,511

$46.60 MDL 811

86.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 MDL 993

$28.76 MDL 500

98.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 MDL 1,697

$87.1 MDL 1,516

11.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 MDL 2,010

$97.3 MDL 1,693

18.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 MDL 11.3K

$174 MDL 3,027

274.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 MDL 9,680

$117 MDL 2,041

374.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,571 MDL 27.3K

$377 MDL 6,565

316.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 MDL 19.3K

$371 MDL 6,447

199.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,572 MDL 44.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,949 MDL 33.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$675 MDL 11.7K

$601 MDL 10.5K

12.38%

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 Ialoveni: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $652 in Leova and $174 in Ialoveni. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leova pays 12% 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 $30.00 in Ialoveni for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $173 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 70% 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.

Average pay runs 12% 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: $652 in Leova versus $174 in Ialoveni. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Leova. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,411 per month in Leova versus $828 in Ialoveni – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $828 in Ialoveni versus $1,411 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 70% less than in Leova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.