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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $999 per month in Lima vs $1,217 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,561 per month in Lima vs $1,808 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,124 per month in Lima vs $2,399 in Chisinau, rent included.

Lima is about 18% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lima and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Lima 25% lower, Chisinau 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 PEN 13.76

$8.89 MDL 155

-54.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.99 PEN 115

$36.83 MDL 641

-7.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.74 PEN 22.85

$7.38 MDL 129

-8.67%

Cappuccino

$2.52 PEN 8.55

$1.89 MDL 32.91

33.33%

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

$0.94 PEN 3.18

$0.92 MDL 16.08

2.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PEN 2.21

$0.70 MDL 12.14

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 PEN 7.34

$1.79 MDL 31.13

21.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 PEN 13.38

$2.33 MDL 40.48

69.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 PEN 4.78

$1.28 MDL 22.21

10.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 PEN 9.21

$0.56 MDL 9.79

385.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.64

$1.49 MDL 26.00

-8.05%

Eggs

$2.94 PEN 9.98

$2.61 MDL 45.51

12.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 PEN 26.85

$10.51 MDL 183

-24.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.76 PEN 19.53

$5.36 MDL 93.3

7.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.71 PEN 36.29

$8.89 MDL 155

20.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 PEN 6.71

$0.85 MDL 14.79

132.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.66

$1.81 MDL 31.57

-40.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 PEN 3.72

$1.77 MDL 30.81

-37.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.05

$2.15 MDL 37.42

-44.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 PEN 3.51

$0.78 MDL 13.56

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$0.59 MDL 10.31

69.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 PEN 2.93

$1.34 MDL 23.34

-35.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.93

$0.90 MDL 15.63

-4.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 PEN 18.95

$3.28 MDL 57.0

70.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.99 PEN 30.49

$4.59 MDL 80.0

95.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 PEN 5.98

$1.21 MDL 21.12

46.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 PEN 10.41

$1.99 MDL 34.57

54.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 PEN 2.29

$0.36 MDL 6.29

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.68 PEN 107

$13.82 MDL 241

129.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 PEN 11.42

$2.10 MDL 36.50

60.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 PEN 7.53

$0.27 MDL 4.70

722.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.26 PEN 27.98

$5.17 MDL 90.0

59.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PEN 4.58

$1.38 MDL 24.06

-2.17%

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

$19.4K PEN 65.8K

$31.9K MDL 555.7K

-39.21%

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

$24.3K PEN 82.2K

$31.5K MDL 548.8K

-23.04%

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

$56.4 PEN 191

$170 MDL 2,954

-66.73%

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

$12.57 PEN 42.60

$7.34 MDL 128

71.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.66 PEN 80.2

$10.78 MDL 188

119.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.04 PEN 105

$43.85 MDL 763

-29.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 PEN 63.4

$21.97 MDL 383

-14.93%

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 PEN 23.16

$7.45 MDL 130

-8.32%

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

$219 PEN 742

$391 MDL 6,800

-43.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,096 PEN 27.4K

$7,516 MDL 130.9K

7.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.58 PEN 168

$67.0 MDL 1,166

-25.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.59 PEN 121

$54.2 MDL 943

-34.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 PEN 303

$110 MDL 1,923

-19.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 PEN 301

$122 MDL 2,132

-27.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$623 PEN 2,113

$673 MDL 11.7K

-7.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 PEN 1,167

$468 MDL 8,146

-26.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 PEN 3,482

$1,243 MDL 21.6K

-17.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 PEN 2,096

$822 MDL 14.3K

-24.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,315 PEN 7,846

$2,599 MDL 45.2K

-10.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,395 PEN 4,730

$1,879 MDL 32.7K

-25.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 PEN 2,119

$867 MDL 15.1K

-27.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

9.24

9.42%

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

Last update for Lima: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $623 in Lima versus $673 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 39% 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 $34.00 in Lima versus $37.00 in Chisinau. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Lima vs $192 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 22%, 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 $1,498 per month in Lima and $1,826 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 16% 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 $34.00 in Lima and $37.00 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 $999, than in Chisinau at $1,217. 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.