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: $1,159 in Leova versus $788 in Ialoveni.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,954 in Leova versus $1,249 in Ialoveni.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Leova versus $1,710 in Ialoveni.

Living in Leova is roughly 47% more expensive than in Ialoveni, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Leova 13% lower, Ialoveni 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 MDL 188

$8.64 MDL 150

25.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.04 MDL 610

$24.94 MDL 434

40.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.81 MDL 171

$7.40 MDL 129

32.57%

Cappuccino

$0.92 MDL 15.97

$1.80 MDL 31.40

-48.89%

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

$0.54 MDL 9.47

$0.94 MDL 16.32

-42.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MDL 6.83

$0.64 MDL 11.21

-39.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 MDL 46.90

$1.71 MDL 29.82

57.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 MDL 49.31

$2.31 MDL 40.14

22.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MDL 30.14

$1.28 MDL 22.34

35.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.73

$0.56 MDL 9.67

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 MDL 23.72

$0.73 MDL 12.71

86.30%

Eggs

$1.36 MDL 23.66

$2.64 MDL 45.91

-48.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.58 MDL 254

$5.40 MDL 94.0

170.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.39 MDL 41.62

$5.32 MDL 92.6

-55.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.28 MDL 74.5

$5.15 MDL 89.6

-16.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 MDL 24.54

$0.91 MDL 15.84

54.95%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.71

$1.74 MDL 30.32

-51.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 MDL 16.63

$1.70 MDL 29.67

-44.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 MDL 20.94

$2.15 MDL 37.42

-44.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 MDL 27.76

$0.78 MDL 13.49

103.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 MDL 10.46

$0.59 MDL 10.33

1.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 MDL 8.59

$1.31 MDL 22.85

-62.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 MDL 17.85

$0.82 MDL 14.33

25.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MDL 80.6

$3.25 MDL 56.6

42.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.44 MDL 269

$4.44 MDL 77.2

247.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MDL 20.82

$1.26 MDL 21.95

-4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 MDL 47.61

$1.93 MDL 33.58

41.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MDL 6.83

$0.33 MDL 5.82

18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.44 MDL 513

$7.19 MDL 125

309.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 MDL 51.2

$2.02 MDL 35.19

45.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MDL 9.09

$0.25 MDL 4.35

108.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 MDL 60.5

$5.24 MDL 91.2

-33.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MDL 24.99

$1.43 MDL 24.90

0.70%

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

$35.5K MDL 618.3K

$32.4K MDL 563.5K

9.73%

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

$36.5K MDL 634.6K

$30.9K MDL 537.5K

18.07%

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

$196 MDL 3,407

$171 MDL 2,976

14.48%

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

$6.00 MDL 105

$7.60 MDL 132

-21.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.72 MDL 378

$10.74 MDL 187

102.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.36 MDL 616

$29.42 MDL 512

20.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.72 MDL 204

$11.92 MDL 208

-1.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 MDL 79.1

$6.02 MDL 105

-24.58%

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

$396 MDL 6,890

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,479 MDL 130.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.0 MDL 1,531

$46.71 MDL 813

88.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.9 MDL 1,025

$28.87 MDL 503

103.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.2 MDL 1,727

$89.5 MDL 1,558

10.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 MDL 2,066

$97.9 MDL 1,705

21.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 MDL 15.0K

$177 MDL 3,086

387.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 MDL 6,426

$118 MDL 2,048

213.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 MDL 27.5K

$380 MDL 6,616

315.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,131 MDL 19.7K

$386 MDL 6,718

193.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,526 MDL 44.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,999 MDL 34.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$670 MDL 11.7K

$591 MDL 10.3K

13.35%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ialoveni: July 13, 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 13% 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 $160 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 47% 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 13% 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: $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 $1,159 per month in Leova versus $788 in Ialoveni – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $788 in Ialoveni versus $1,159 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 47% less than in Leova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.