Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Orhei and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Orhei: $361 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $27,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

34

Cost of Living Index in Orhei
Learn more

Orhei Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index

Jump to prices

Orhei

🇲🇩 Moldova

$361

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Orhei and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Orhei and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $361 in Orhei versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Orhei $361
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $588 in Orhei versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Orhei $588
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $816 in Orhei versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Orhei $816
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Orhei costs roughly 86% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Orhei is 73% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.28 MDL 200

$20.77 $20.77

-45.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.16 MDL 394

$84.6 $84.6

-73.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 MDL 126

$12.32 $12.32

-42.45%

Cappuccino

$1.38 MDL 24.58

$5.63 $5.63

-75.49%

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

$0.78 MDL 13.87

$3.72 $3.72

-79.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 MDL 8.34

$2.50 $2.50

-81.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 MDL 20.21

$8.05 $8.05

-85.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MDL 24.66

$9.01 $9.01

-84.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 MDL 17.61

$1.12 $1.12

-11.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.33 MDL 5.85

$3.75 $3.75

-91.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

Eggs

$1.96 MDL 34.87

$4.17 $4.17

-53.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 MDL 34.18

$1.46 $1.46

31.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 MDL 11.92

$2.58 $2.58

-74.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MDL 9.21

$2.22 $2.22

-76.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 MDL 2.84

$1.49 $1.49

-89.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 MDL 19.70

$2.73 $2.73

-59.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 MDL 29.76

$0.95 $0.95

76.84%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

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

$20.5K MDL 363.9K

$27.1K $27.1K

-24.33%

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

$59.2 MDL 1,052

$229 $229

-74.13%

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

$6.67 MDL 118

$59.4 $59.4

-88.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.97 MDL 177

$69.9 $69.9

-85.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$3.37 MDL 59.8

$14.28 $14.28

-76.40%

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

$1,506 $1,506

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.84 MDL 601

$52.8 $52.8

-35.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.59 MDL 597

$43.82 $43.82

-23.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MDL 1,904

$84.8 $84.8

26.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.84 MDL 601

$103 $103

-67.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

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

Last update for Orhei: October 13, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Eating Out

Orhei

$142 39.3%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 150% $212

Clothing & Footwear

Orhei

$94 26%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 36.4% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Orhei

$76 21%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 372% $282

Groceries & Markets

Orhei

$41 * 11.3%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 891% $364

Sport & Entertainment

Orhei

$6.7 * 1.9%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 1175% $79

Getting Around

Orhei

$1.8 * 0.5%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 3254% $57

Accommodation & Living

Orhei

- * 0%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $22.00 in Orhei vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $41.00 vs $405 per month, with Orhei cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇩 Orhei

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

05:26 5:26 AM

21:26 9:26 PM

8 h behind Orhei

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,918

974,447

💱 Currency

Moldovan Leu MDL L

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MDL = 5.63 USD

100 MDL = 5.01 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MDL – Moldovan Leu Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇩 Moldovan Leu (L)

Moldovan Leu exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 17.76 MDL (100 MDL = 5.63 USD). 1 EUR = 19.97 MDL (100 MDL = 5.01 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to MDL in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Orhei Austin, TX 9,870 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Orhei
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Orhei vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Orhei wins on cost – living expenses run 638% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Orhei the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $541 in Orhei and $3,995 in Austin, TX to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

All in, you'll spend $361 per month in Orhei versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 638% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 890% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $361 in Orhei versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Orhei but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Orhei the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Orhei and Austin, TX are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Orhei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 638% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.