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 $716 per month in Moldova vs $2,181 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,116 per month in Moldova vs $3,218 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,515 per month in Moldova vs $4,254 in Australia, rent included.

The cost of living in Moldova is roughly 67% lower than in Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Moldova sits 46% below the global median, while Australia is 64% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Cost ranges are similar: Moldova spans $5.00–$1,231, Australia $1,595–$2,799. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.72 MDL 153

$15.97 A$22.93

-45.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.41 MDL 621

$79.0 A$113

-55.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 MDL 129

$9.68 A$13.91

-23.76%

Cappuccino

$1.70 MDL 29.83

$3.58 A$5.15

-52.51%

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

$0.91 MDL 15.89

$2.56 A$3.68

-64.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MDL 10.51

$2.22 A$3.19

-72.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 MDL 30.13

$6.34 A$9.10

-72.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 MDL 39.99

$6.95 A$9.98

-67.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 MDL 21.84

$1.56 A$2.25

-19.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 MDL 9.90

$2.53 A$3.63

-77.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 MDL 25.97

$2.00 A$2.87

-26.00%

Eggs

$2.44 MDL 42.77

$4.26 A$6.12

-42.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.00 MDL 175

$8.75 A$12.57

14.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.42 MDL 95.2

$8.23 A$11.83

-34.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.87 MDL 156

$14.15 A$20.33

-37.31%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.71

$3.26 A$4.69

-74.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MDL 32.18

$2.81 A$4.04

-34.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 MDL 30.26

$3.00 A$4.31

-42.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 MDL 36.27

$4.31 A$6.19

-51.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 MDL 14.10

$2.55 A$3.67

-68.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 MDL 10.48

$2.16 A$3.10

-72.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 MDL 22.98

$2.22 A$3.19

-40.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MDL 14.35

$1.53 A$2.20

-46.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 MDL 56.1

$31.28 A$44.93

-89.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.43 MDL 77.6

$14.09 A$20.24

-68.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MDL 21.07

$4.44 A$6.38

-72.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 MDL 34.97

$4.90 A$7.05

-59.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MDL 6.39

$2.95 A$4.24

-87.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.47 MDL 236

$95.9 A$138

-85.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 MDL 36.50

$3.49 A$5.01

-40.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MDL 4.95

$1.84 A$2.64

-84.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 MDL 94.7

$37.26 A$53.5

-85.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MDL 23.88

$1.17 A$1.68

16.24%

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

$32.6K MDL 571.0K

$28.7K A$41.3K

13.28%

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

$32.0K MDL 561.2K

$22.5K A$32.3K

42.41%

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

$175 MDL 3,077

$173 A$249

1.19%

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

$8.11 MDL 142

$26.62 A$38.23

-69.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.15 MDL 196

$53.1 A$76.2

-78.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.34 MDL 725

$46.82 A$67.3

-11.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 MDL 336

$16.38 A$23.53

16.91%

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 MDL 125

$13.56 A$19.48

-47.49%

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

$375 MDL 6,570

$1,571 A$2,256

-76.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,276 MDL 127.6K

$12.6K A$18.1K

-42.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 MDL 1,099

$72.1 A$104

-13.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.70 MDL 837

$51.6 A$74.1

-7.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MDL 1,864

$101 A$145

5.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MDL 2,127

$108 A$155

12.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 MDL 10.8K

$1,398 A$2,008

-55.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 MDL 7,697

$1,086 A$1,560

-59.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 MDL 20.7K

$2,272 A$3,263

-48.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 MDL 13.9K

$1,751 A$2,515

-54.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,571 MDL 45.1K

$7,955 A$11.4K

-67.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,832 MDL 32.1K

$5,978 A$8,587

-69.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$757 MDL 13.3K

$4,053 A$5,822

-81.33%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Australia: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $208 in Moldova vs $1,230 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $678 in Chisinau and $1,557 in Canberra.

Average salary: $552 in Moldova vs $3,808 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 491% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 166% more in Australia.

Public transport is 2133% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 590% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

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 256% 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 256% 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.