Cost of Living Comparison Between Moldova and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Moldova and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $740 in Moldova versus $720 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,144 in Moldova versus $1,148 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,547 in Moldova versus $1,576 in China.

Living in Moldova is roughly 3% more expensive than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Moldova 46% lower, China 48% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Moldova: monthly costs span $368 to $1,393, compared to $468–$1,236 in China. City choice carries more weight in Moldova.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.73 MDL 167

$2.93 ¥19.60

232.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.95 MDL 600

$22.72 ¥152

53.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.45 MDL 145

$5.07 ¥33.95

66.67%

Cappuccino

$1.92 MDL 32.89

$2.94 ¥19.70

-34.69%

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

$1.06 MDL 18.15

$0.48 ¥3.21

120.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MDL 11.95

$0.30 ¥2.02

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 MDL 34.41

$1.06 ¥7.10

89.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 MDL 35.74

$2.25 ¥15.07

-7.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 MDL 21.55

$1.79 ¥11.99

-29.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MDL 11.24

$1.70 ¥11.35

-61.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 MDL 23.74

$0.96 ¥6.45

43.75%

Eggs

$2.68 MDL 46.02

$1.61 ¥10.79

66.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 MDL 163

$13.60 ¥91.1

-30.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 MDL 88.2

$3.41 ¥22.84

50.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.38 MDL 144

$11.07 ¥74.2

-24.30%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 MDL 16.86

$1.81 ¥12.09

-45.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 MDL 32.84

$1.30 ¥8.74

46.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 MDL 34.64

$1.48 ¥9.91

36.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MDL 35.83

$1.30 ¥8.72

60.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 MDL 13.59

$0.72 ¥4.82

9.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.09

$0.94 ¥6.31

-37.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 MDL 24.50

$0.61 ¥4.08

134.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MDL 15.44

$0.56 ¥3.73

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 MDL 62.0

$3.67 ¥24.58

-1.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.60 MDL 78.9

$11.90 ¥79.7

-61.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 MDL 21.50

$0.83 ¥5.56

50.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 MDL 33.20

$1.65 ¥11.08

16.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 MDL 6.82

$0.29 ¥1.92

37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.32 MDL 246

$22.61 ¥151

-36.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 MDL 38.92

$1.45 ¥9.72

56.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 MDL 5.77

$0.34 ¥2.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MDL 90.9

$7.27 ¥48.72

-27.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 MDL 28.02

$1.23 ¥8.26

32.52%

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

$29.9K MDL 513.8K

$19.5K ¥130.9K

53.23%

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

$29.2K MDL 501.9K

$17.2K ¥115.5K

69.59%

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

$228 MDL 3,913

$55.5 ¥371

311.16%

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

$9.75 MDL 167

$8.51 ¥57.0

14.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.31 MDL 194

$10.81 ¥72.4

4.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.01 MDL 687

$40.02 ¥268

-0.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 MDL 313

$14.80 ¥99.1

23.04%

Cinema Ticket

$8.66 MDL 149

$6.73 ¥45.09

28.68%

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

$402 MDL 6,891

$454 ¥3,042

-11.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,719 MDL 98.1K

$19.5K ¥130.8K

-70.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.2 MDL 1,205

$44.95 ¥301

56.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.74 MDL 733

$35.81 ¥240

19.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,905

$76.8 ¥514

44.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MDL 1,933

$77.3 ¥518

45.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 MDL 9,950

$385 ¥2,581

50.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 MDL 6,378

$242 ¥1,623

53.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 MDL 18.7K

$837 ¥5,603

30.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$749 MDL 12.8K

$474 ¥3,177

57.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,524 MDL 43.3K

$4,619 ¥30.9K

-45.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,846 MDL 31.7K

$2,316 ¥15.5K

-20.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$816 MDL 14.0K

$1,062 ¥7,110

-23.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.93

3.47

157.35%

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

Last update for Moldova: September 5, 2026

Last update for China: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $231 in Moldova, $295 in China. Capital cities: $711 in Chisinau vs $957 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $565 in Moldova, $865 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 28% higher in China.

Dining out costs 29% more in Moldova.

Public transport is 183% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 53% higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.

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 China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $852 per month in China and $881 in Moldova, there's a 3% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in China: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Moldova is consistently higher than in China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Moldova it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: China wins on affordability; Moldova may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.