Cost of Living Comparison Between Leova and Ungheni Cost of Living Comparison Between Leova and Ungheni

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,355 in Leova versus $660 in Ungheni.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,116 in Leova versus $1,027 in Ungheni.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Leova versus $1,394 in Ungheni.

Living in Leova is roughly 105% more expensive than in Ungheni, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Leova is 1% above, Ungheni is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.65 MDL 189

$7.46 MDL 133

42.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.19 MDL 607

$22.41 MDL 398

52.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.46 MDL 168

$6.56 MDL 116

44.21%

Cappuccino

$0.86 MDL 15.30

$1.42 MDL 25.29

-39.44%

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

$0.49 MDL 8.79

$0.72 MDL 12.77

-31.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MDL 6.85

$0.47 MDL 8.30

-17.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 MDL 46.45

$0.99 MDL 17.52

164.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 MDL 48.69

$1.44 MDL 25.51

90.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 MDL 30.98

$1.72 MDL 30.61

1.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 MDL 27.50

$0.33 MDL 5.80

369.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 MDL 23.81

$0.82 MDL 14.58

63.41%

Eggs

$1.33 MDL 23.64

$1.87 MDL 33.25

-28.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.92 MDL 247

$9.95 MDL 177

39.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.28 MDL 40.48

$3.85 MDL 68.5

-40.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.02 MDL 71.4

$8.22 MDL 146

-51.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.36 MDL 24.22

$0.43 MDL 7.62

216.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 MDL 15.64

$1.21 MDL 21.54

-27.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 MDL 17.42

$1.03 MDL 18.32

-4.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 MDL 19.72

$1.14 MDL 20.29

-2.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 26.71

$0.47 MDL 8.38

219.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.52

$0.33 MDL 5.79

78.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 MDL 7.76

$2.17 MDL 38.55

-79.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 MDL 17.61

$0.80 MDL 14.23

23.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.74 MDL 84.1

$3.27 MDL 58.1

44.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 MDL 270

$4.13 MDL 73.4

268.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 MDL 20.55

$1.43 MDL 25.47

-18.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 MDL 47.99

$1.64 MDL 29.19

64.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 MDL 7.33

$0.33 MDL 5.86

24.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.96 MDL 514

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 MDL 49.48

$1.66 MDL 29.45

68.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 MDL 9.70

$0.40 MDL 7.17

37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 MDL 60.0

$3.60 MDL 64.0

-6.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 MDL 24.39

$1.43 MDL 25.40

-4.20%

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

$33.7K MDL 598.0K

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

$35.4K MDL 628.1K

$20.1K MDL 356.4K

76.21%

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

$189 MDL 3,365

$139 MDL 2,468

36.35%

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

$5.80 MDL 103

$11.12 MDL 198

-47.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.20 MDL 377

$15.74 MDL 280

34.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.8 MDL 1,488

$14.04 MDL 249

496.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.12 MDL 198

Cinema Ticket

$4.66 MDL 82.7

$3.92 MDL 69.6

18.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.3 MDL 1,515

$48.19 MDL 856

76.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MDL 983

$16.61 MDL 295

233.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 MDL 1,739

$34.04 MDL 605

187.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MDL 2,042

$68.1 MDL 1,210

68.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 MDL 11.6K

$252 MDL 4,480

159.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 MDL 9,672

$112 MDL 1,988

386.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 MDL 26.8K

$333 MDL 5,906

353.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,102 MDL 19.6K

$281 MDL 4,998

291.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,533 MDL 45.0K

$2,267 MDL 40.3K

11.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,920 MDL 34.1K

$1,649 MDL 29.3K

16.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$653 MDL 11.6K

$569 MDL 10.1K

14.70%

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: October 4, 2026

Last update for Ungheni: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $654 in Leova and $252 in Ungheni. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leova pays 15% 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 $22.00 in Ungheni for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $163 per month, with Ungheni 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 Ungheni: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ungheni is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 15% 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: $654 in Leova versus $252 in Ungheni. 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.

Dining out is cheaper in Ungheni – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $34.00 in Leova. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $660 in Ungheni versus $1,355 in Leova, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ungheni but tight or insufficient in Leova. The gap between the two cities makes Ungheni 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 Ungheni 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 Ungheni gentler on the wallet – expenses run 105% less than in Leova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.