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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $677 per month in Orhei vs $701 in Bender, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,063 per month in Orhei vs $1,051 in Bender, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,449 per month in Orhei vs $1,400 in Bender, rent included.

Orhei is about 3% cheaper than Bender, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Orhei and Bender are more affordable than the global median – Orhei 49% lower, Bender 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.65 MDL 149

$8.87 MDL 153

-2.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.24 MDL 625

$17.61 MDL 304

105.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 MDL 128

$5.69 MDL 98.2

30.58%

Cappuccino

$1.87 MDL 32.34

$1.11 MDL 19.23

68.47%

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

$0.93 MDL 16.08

$0.92 MDL 15.94

1.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 MDL 11.15

$0.57 MDL 9.82

14.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 29.92

$0.91 MDL 15.67

90.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 MDL 41.33

$2.08 MDL 35.80

15.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.26

$0.97 MDL 16.65

32.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 9.03

$0.47 MDL 8.10

10.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MDL 25.18

$1.46 MDL 25.22

Eggs

$2.59 MDL 44.71

$1.88 MDL 32.41

37.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 MDL 182

$4.12 MDL 71.2

156.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 MDL 94.6

$4.29 MDL 74.0

27.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.73 MDL 151

$5.22 MDL 90.1

67.24%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 MDL 15.61

$0.69 MDL 11.98

30.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MDL 31.76

$1.83 MDL 31.50

0.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 MDL 29.68

$1.75 MDL 30.23

-1.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MDL 35.61

$1.56 MDL 26.95

32.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 MDL 14.45

$0.82 MDL 14.07

2.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 MDL 9.65

$0.56 MDL 9.61

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 MDL 22.60

$1.30 MDL 22.45

0.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 MDL 14.34

$0.74 MDL 12.73

12.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 MDL 55.2

$2.93 MDL 50.6

9.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.55 MDL 44.01

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MDL 20.78

$0.76 MDL 13.09

57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 MDL 34.31

$1.52 MDL 26.28

30.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 MDL 3.05

$0.34 MDL 5.78

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.02 MDL 69.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 MDL 34.70

$1.10 MDL 18.94

82.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.28

$0.27 MDL 4.68

-7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MDL 91.0

$1.18 MDL 20.40

347.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 MDL 24.43

$1.43 MDL 24.64

-0.70%

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

$32.5K MDL 560.0K

$17.9K MDL 308.6K

81.47%

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

$31.4K MDL 542.4K

$18.0K MDL 310.8K

74.51%

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

$173 MDL 2,979

$173 MDL 2,981

-0.08%

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

$7.41 MDL 128

$7.56 MDL 130

-1.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.68 MDL 184

$7.98 MDL 138

33.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.64 MDL 408

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 MDL 128

$2.35 MDL 40.58

216.17%

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

$389 MDL 6,706

$394 MDL 6,795

-1.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,585 MDL 130.8K

$7,528 MDL 129.9K

0.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 MDL 1,154

$11.54 MDL 199

479.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 MDL 916

$26.31 MDL 454

101.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MDL 1,966

$112 MDL 1,935

1.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MDL 2,089

$123 MDL 2,118

-1.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 MDL 3,771

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$93.7 MDL 1,616

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$314 MDL 5,422

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 MDL 3,870

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$320 MDL 5,528

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

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

Last update for Orhei: April 25, 2026

Last update for Bender: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Orhei versus $18.00 in Bender. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 vs $136 – making Bender the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 3%, 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 $1,016 per month in Orhei and $1,051 in Bender. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Orhei and $18.00 in Bender. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 33% cheaper in Bender – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $677 in Orhei and $701 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.