Cost of Living Comparison Between Leova and Orhei Cost of Living Comparison Between Leova and Orhei

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,155 in Leova versus $683 in Orhei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,969 in Leova versus $1,076 in Orhei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,783 in Leova versus $1,470 in Orhei.

Living in Leova is roughly 69% more expensive than Orhei, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.59 MDL 183

$9.03 MDL 156

17.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.66 MDL 599

$35.89 MDL 620

-3.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 MDL 165

$7.64 MDL 132

24.74%

Cappuccino

$0.87 MDL 15.01

$1.81 MDL 31.32

-51.93%

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

$0.51 MDL 8.76

$0.98 MDL 16.94

-47.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MDL 7.28

$0.64 MDL 11.01

-34.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 MDL 45.09

$1.80 MDL 31.04

45.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 MDL 48.95

$2.27 MDL 39.26

24.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MDL 30.99

$1.22 MDL 21.13

46.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 MDL 10.36

$0.56 MDL 9.66

7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MDL 24.49

$1.47 MDL 25.33

-3.40%

Eggs

$1.37 MDL 23.58

$2.52 MDL 43.48

-45.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 MDL 247

$10.25 MDL 177

39.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.41 MDL 41.57

$5.57 MDL 96.2

-56.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.08 MDL 70.5

$8.66 MDL 150

-52.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 MDL 23.32

$0.91 MDL 15.76

48.35%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 MDL 15.53

$1.76 MDL 30.36

-48.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 MDL 16.45

$1.77 MDL 30.57

-46.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 MDL 20.52

$2.16 MDL 37.36

-44.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 MDL 27.79

$0.77 MDL 13.34

109.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.21

$0.58 MDL 10.08

1.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 MDL 7.87

$1.32 MDL 22.78

-65.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MDL 18.40

$0.84 MDL 14.47

27.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.80 MDL 82.8

$3.17 MDL 54.7

51.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.72 MDL 271

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 MDL 20.01

$1.27 MDL 22.01

-8.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 MDL 48.01

$1.98 MDL 34.17

40.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MDL 6.78

$0.16 MDL 2.68

143.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.96 MDL 517

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 MDL 49.50

$2.10 MDL 36.23

36.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MDL 8.87

$0.27 MDL 4.69

88.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 MDL 58.9

$5.25 MDL 90.7

-35.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MDL 25.67

$1.42 MDL 24.51

4.93%

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

$34.4K MDL 594.8K

$31.6K MDL 545.4K

9.05%

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

$35.6K MDL 614.7K

$30.9K MDL 533.6K

15.20%

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

$195 MDL 3,363

$171 MDL 2,955

13.81%

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

$5.81 MDL 100

$7.62 MDL 132

-23.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.97 MDL 379

$10.96 MDL 189

100.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.40 MDL 611

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.48 MDL 198

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 MDL 81.2

$7.49 MDL 129

-37.25%

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

$386 MDL 6,666

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,640 MDL 131.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 MDL 1,525

$65.2 MDL 1,127

35.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 MDL 1,008

$53.4 MDL 922

9.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 MDL 1,724

$114 MDL 1,967

-12.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 MDL 2,034

$124 MDL 2,139

-4.92%

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

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 Orhei: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $35.00 in Leova vs $36.00 in Orhei. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $181, with Orhei cheaper for home cooking.

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 Orhei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Orhei is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,733 in Leova and $1,024 in Orhei to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Leova. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Orhei – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $35.00 in Leova. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $683 in Orhei versus $1,155 in Leova, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Orhei but tight or insufficient in Leova. The gap between the two cities makes Orhei 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 Orhei 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 Orhei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Leova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.