Cost of Living Comparison Between Moldova and Australia Cost of Living Comparison Between Moldova and Australia

Name: Australia
Address: AU

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $715 per month in Moldova vs $2,184 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,115 per month in Moldova vs $3,219 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,514 per month in Moldova vs $4,253 in Australia, rent included.

Moldova is roughly 67% cheaper than Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Moldova sits 47% below the global median, while Australia is 63% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Both countries show comparable internal variation: Moldova spans $5.00–$1,200, Australia spans $1,592–$2,842. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.75 MDL 151

$16.44 A$23.33

-46.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.11 MDL 606

$78.1 A$111

-55.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 MDL 128

$9.94 A$14.11

-25.45%

Cappuccino

$1.78 MDL 30.73

$3.60 A$5.10

-50.56%

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

$0.89 MDL 15.42

$2.68 A$3.80

-66.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 MDL 10.97

$2.14 A$3.03

-70.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 MDL 31.08

$6.53 A$9.26

-72.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 MDL 39.45

$7.05 A$10.00

-67.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 MDL 21.43

$1.58 A$2.24

-21.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MDL 9.57

$2.53 A$3.59

-78.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MDL 24.84

$2.07 A$2.94

-30.43%

Eggs

$2.47 MDL 42.63

$4.30 A$6.11

-42.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 MDL 172

$9.03 A$12.81

9.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.39 MDL 93.0

$8.55 A$12.13

-36.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.41 MDL 145

$13.96 A$19.80

-39.76%

Apples (1kg)

$0.87 MDL 15.05

$3.18 A$4.51

-72.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MDL 30.86

$2.84 A$4.03

-36.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 MDL 29.41

$2.95 A$4.18

-42.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 MDL 34.81

$4.43 A$6.29

-54.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MDL 13.41

$2.46 A$3.48

-68.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 MDL 10.02

$2.17 A$3.08

-73.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MDL 23.50

$2.29 A$3.25

-40.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MDL 14.21

$1.57 A$2.23

-47.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 MDL 54.3

$30.87 A$43.79

-89.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.70 MDL 81.2

$14.06 A$19.94

-66.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 MDL 21.67

$4.55 A$6.45

-72.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 MDL 33.18

$4.81 A$6.83

-60.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MDL 6.29

$2.87 A$4.07

-87.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.91 MDL 240

$95.8 A$136

-85.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MDL 35.14

$3.65 A$5.17

-44.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 MDL 4.43

$1.76 A$2.50

-85.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 MDL 88.7

$38.27 A$54.3

-86.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 MDL 23.62

$1.15 A$1.63

19.13%

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

$32.1K MDL 554.9K

$28.4K A$40.3K

13.24%

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

$31.7K MDL 547.7K

$23.0K A$32.6K

37.89%

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

$173 MDL 2,994

$178 A$253

-2.58%

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

$8.02 MDL 138

$26.46 A$37.53

-69.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.07 MDL 191

$54.1 A$76.8

-79.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.91 MDL 706

$46.64 A$66.2

-12.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.80 MDL 342

$16.54 A$23.47

19.71%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MDL 122

$13.65 A$19.36

-48.42%

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

$381 MDL 6,579

$1,575 A$2,234

-75.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,468 MDL 129.0K

$12.7K A$18.0K

-41.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 MDL 1,105

$71.5 A$101

-10.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.07 MDL 830

$50.8 A$72.1

-5.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MDL 1,893

$100 A$142

9.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 MDL 2,032

$108 A$153

8.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 MDL 10.5K

$1,384 A$1,963

-56.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$435 MDL 7,506

$1,105 A$1,568

-60.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 MDL 20.7K

$2,298 A$3,260

-47.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$768 MDL 13.3K

$1,728 A$2,451

-55.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,577 MDL 44.5K

$7,610 A$10.8K

-66.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,820 MDL 31.4K

$5,504 A$7,808

-66.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$760 MDL 13.1K

$4,002 A$5,677

-81.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.18

6.35

44.57%

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

Last update for Moldova: June 8, 2026

Last update for Australia: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $204 in Moldova vs $1,232 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $654 in Chisinau and $1,568 in Canberra.

Average salary: $541 in Moldova vs $3,845 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 504% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 166% more in Australia.

Public transport is 2133% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 611% higher in Australia, giving Australia stronger purchasing power.

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

Moldova vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moldova is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 268% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Moldova, contributing to the overall 268% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Moldova, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Moldova is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.