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: $1,161 in Leova versus $677 in Orhei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,992 in Leova versus $1,063 in Orhei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,823 in Leova versus $1,449 in Orhei.

Living in Leova is roughly 71% more expensive than Orhei, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Leova 13% lower, Orhei 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.90 MDL 188

$8.65 MDL 149

26.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.31 MDL 609

$36.24 MDL 625

-2.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.76 MDL 168

$7.43 MDL 128

31.36%

Cappuccino

$0.86 MDL 14.76

$1.87 MDL 32.34

-54.01%

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

$0.52 MDL 8.94

$0.93 MDL 16.08

-44.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MDL 7.29

$0.65 MDL 11.15

-35.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 MDL 46.62

$1.73 MDL 29.92

56.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 MDL 48.25

$2.40 MDL 41.33

16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MDL 30.83

$1.29 MDL 22.26

38.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 MDL 10.37

$0.52 MDL 9.03

15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 MDL 23.64

$1.46 MDL 25.18

-6.16%

Eggs

$1.42 MDL 24.55

$2.59 MDL 44.71

-45.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.90 MDL 257

$10.56 MDL 182

41.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.37 MDL 40.95

$5.49 MDL 94.6

-56.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.10 MDL 70.7

$8.73 MDL 151

-53.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 MDL 24.29

$0.90 MDL 15.61

56.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 MDL 14.96

$1.84 MDL 31.76

-52.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 MDL 16.90

$1.72 MDL 29.68

-43.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 MDL 19.70

$2.06 MDL 35.61

-44.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 MDL 27.47

$0.84 MDL 14.45

89.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.25

$0.56 MDL 9.65

5.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 MDL 8.30

$1.31 MDL 22.60

-63.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MDL 17.66

$0.83 MDL 14.34

22.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.66 MDL 80.4

$3.20 MDL 55.2

45.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 MDL 264

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 MDL 19.83

$1.20 MDL 20.78

-4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 MDL 47.15

$1.99 MDL 34.31

37.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 MDL 7.31

$0.18 MDL 3.05

133.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.05 MDL 501

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 MDL 50.7

$2.01 MDL 34.70

46.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MDL 9.70

$0.25 MDL 4.28

124.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 MDL 58.8

$5.28 MDL 91.0

-35.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 MDL 24.45

$1.42 MDL 24.43

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

$35.5K MDL 612.5K

$32.5K MDL 560.0K

9.39%

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

$36.6K MDL 631.8K

$31.4K MDL 542.4K

16.48%

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

$198 MDL 3,416

$173 MDL 2,979

14.67%

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

$5.76 MDL 99.4

$7.41 MDL 128

-22.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.25 MDL 367

$10.68 MDL 184

98.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.52 MDL 613

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.59 MDL 200

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 MDL 80.1

$7.43 MDL 128

-37.55%

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

$389 MDL 6,706

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,585 MDL 130.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.3 MDL 1,489

$66.9 MDL 1,154

29.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.1 MDL 1,019

$53.1 MDL 916

11.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 MDL 1,710

$114 MDL 1,966

-13.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 MDL 2,004

$121 MDL 2,089

-4.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 MDL 14.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 MDL 6,320

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 MDL 27.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MDL 19.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,504 MDL 43.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,008 MDL 34.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$662 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Orhei: April 25, 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 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,741 in Leova and $1,016 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 $677 in Orhei versus $1,161 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 71% less than in Leova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.