Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Chisinau Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Chisinau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,016 per month in Lima vs $1,340 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,623 per month in Lima vs $2,023 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,229 per month in Lima vs $2,705 in Chisinau, rent included.

Lima is about 24% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lima and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Lima 26% lower, Chisinau 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 PEN 14.62

$11.65 MDL 199

-62.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.17 PEN 108

$50.2 MDL 860

-35.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 PEN 23.64

$8.85 MDL 151

-20.56%

Cappuccino

$3.23 PEN 10.87

$2.19 MDL 37.47

47.49%

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

$1.13 PEN 3.80

$1.30 MDL 22.25

-13.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.08

$0.89 MDL 15.31

-30.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 PEN 9.02

$2.31 MDL 39.49

16.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 PEN 15.23

$2.09 MDL 35.73

116.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 PEN 5.51

$1.26 MDL 21.53

30.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 PEN 8.75

$0.70 MDL 11.91

271.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 PEN 4.51

$1.45 MDL 24.85

-7.59%

Eggs

$3.05 PEN 10.27

$2.83 MDL 48.42

7.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 PEN 30.30

$10.38 MDL 178

-13.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.93 PEN 19.93

$5.44 MDL 93.1

9.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.80 PEN 32.95

$9.23 MDL 158

6.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 PEN 7.04

$1.04 MDL 17.87

101.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.54

$2.01 MDL 34.43

-47.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 PEN 4.88

$2.18 MDL 37.41

-33.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 PEN 5.04

$2.35 MDL 40.20

-36.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 PEN 3.11

$0.68 MDL 11.65

36.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 PEN 3.17

$0.57 MDL 9.76

64.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 PEN 3.00

$1.49 MDL 25.45

-40.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 PEN 3.20

$0.89 MDL 15.18

6.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.82 PEN 19.55

$3.40 MDL 58.3

71.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 PEN 30.34

$4.71 MDL 80.6

91.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 PEN 6.52

$1.32 MDL 22.55

46.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 PEN 10.85

$1.96 MDL 33.51

64.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 PEN 2.31

$0.42 MDL 7.23

64.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.19 PEN 91.4

$13.75 MDL 235

97.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 PEN 13.11

$2.32 MDL 39.70

68.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 PEN 6.83

$0.34 MDL 5.77

497.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 PEN 25.04

$5.35 MDL 91.6

39.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 PEN 5.77

$1.64 MDL 28.14

4.27%

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

$22.2K PEN 74.6K

$30.5K MDL 522.2K

-27.24%

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

$26.7K PEN 89.9K

$31.2K MDL 534.8K

-14.44%

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

$71.1 PEN 239

$256 MDL 4,386

-72.26%

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

$16.93 PEN 56.9

$9.82 MDL 168

72.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 PEN 95.1

$11.05 MDL 189

156.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.80 PEN 114

$44.19 MDL 757

-23.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.96 PEN 67.1

$21.05 MDL 360

-5.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.23 PEN 24.29

$8.72 MDL 149

-17.09%

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

$181 PEN 607

$437 MDL 7,477

-58.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K PEN 45.2K

$6,037 MDL 103.3K

122.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 PEN 182

$81.1 MDL 1,389

-33.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.57 PEN 120

$49.11 MDL 841

-27.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 PEN 289

$123 MDL 2,103

-30.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.0 PEN 272

$117 MDL 1,997

-30.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 PEN 2,550

$706 MDL 12.1K

7.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 PEN 1,165

$443 MDL 7,591

-21.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 PEN 4,216

$1,297 MDL 22.2K

-3.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 PEN 2,171

$862 MDL 14.8K

-25.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,479 PEN 8,335

$2,775 MDL 47.5K

-10.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,391 PEN 4,676

$2,007 MDL 34.4K

-30.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$669 PEN 2,248

$919 MDL 15.7K

-27.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

9.41

-4.99%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lima: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $759 in Lima versus $706 in Chisinau. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 37% higher in Chisinau, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Lima versus $50.0 in Chisinau. Groceries tell a different story – $230 in Lima vs $200 in Chisinau – so Chisinau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Lima vs Chisinau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,524 per month in Lima and $2,010 in Chisinau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lima, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Chisinau – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Lima and $50.0 in Chisinau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lima, where all-in costs run around $1,016, than in Chisinau at $1,340. In Lima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lima – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Lima. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chisinau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.