Cost of Living Comparison Between Orhei and Bender Cost of Living Comparison Between Orhei and Bender

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $372 per month in Orhei vs $693 in Bender, rent included.

A couple spends around $614 per month in Orhei vs $1,000 in Bender, rent included.

A family of three spends $856 per month in Orhei vs $1,307 in Bender, rent included.

Orhei is about 46% cheaper than Bender, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Orhei and Bender are more affordable than the global median – Orhei 73% lower, Bender 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.79 MDL 200

$6.72 MDL 114

75.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.52 MDL 399

$19.08 MDL 324

23.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 MDL 125

$5.72 MDL 97.1

28.32%

Cappuccino

$1.42 MDL 24.06

$1.22 MDL 20.68

16.39%

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

$0.84 MDL 14.24

$1.03 MDL 17.57

-18.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 MDL 8.20

$0.54 MDL 9.08

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 MDL 19.37

$0.97 MDL 16.51

17.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MDL 24.31

$1.78 MDL 30.31

-19.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 MDL 17.50

$0.96 MDL 16.36

7.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.33 MDL 5.65

$0.51 MDL 8.73

-35.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MDL 24.13

Eggs

$1.97 MDL 33.45

$2.00 MDL 33.94

-1.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.05 MDL 68.7

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.41 MDL 74.9

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.54 MDL 94.1

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 MDL 15.34

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 MDL 35.67

$1.94 MDL 33.01

8.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MDL 33.02

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 MDL 32.55

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 MDL 11.02

$0.67 MDL 11.42

-2.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 MDL 9.32

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 MDL 10.06

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MDL 9.59

$0.79 MDL 13.38

-29.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 MDL 50.5

Wine (Bottle)

$2.55 MDL 43.23

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MDL 10.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 MDL 31.83

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 MDL 3.08

$0.36 MDL 6.18

-50.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 MDL 19.11

$2.39 MDL 40.63

-52.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MDL 4.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.29 MDL 89.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MDL 27.27

$1.42 MDL 24.19

13.38%

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

$30.1K MDL 511.0K

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

$21.4K MDL 364.2K

$30.8K MDL 523.4K

-30.43%

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

$62.1 MDL 1,054

$252 MDL 4,274

-75.34%

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

$7.14 MDL 121

$9.69 MDL 164

-26.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.65 MDL 181

$10.51 MDL 179

1.33%

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 MDL 57.8

$9.00 MDL 153

-62.22%

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

$442 MDL 7,500

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,966 MDL 101.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.38 MDL 584

$78.7 MDL 1,337

-56.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.82 MDL 591

$49.33 MDL 838

-29.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MDL 1,908

$122 MDL 2,065

-7.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.56 MDL 587

$115 MDL 1,954

-69.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 MDL 5,195

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$327 MDL 5,547

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.3

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

Last update for Orhei: August 17, 2026

Last update for Bender: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Orhei versus $19.00 in Bender. Groceries tell a different story – $43.00 in Orhei vs $140 in Bender – so Orhei 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

Orhei vs Bender: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bender is pricier by about 86%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $557 per month in Orhei and $1,039 in Bender. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 226% more in Bender, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Orhei and $19.00 in Bender. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $372 in Orhei and $693 in Bender, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Orhei – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Orhei. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bender makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.