Cost of Living Comparison Between Orhei and Chisinau Cost of Living Comparison Between Orhei and Chisinau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $692 per month in Orhei vs $1,217 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,087 per month in Orhei vs $1,808 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,483 per month in Orhei vs $2,399 in Chisinau, rent included.

Orhei is about 43% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Orhei and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Orhei 48% lower, Chisinau 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 MDL 150

$8.89 MDL 155

-3.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.89 MDL 642

$36.83 MDL 641

0.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.62 MDL 133

$7.38 MDL 129

3.25%

Cappuccino

$1.83 MDL 31.81

$1.89 MDL 32.91

-3.17%

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

$0.91 MDL 15.88

$0.92 MDL 16.08

-1.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 MDL 11.95

$0.70 MDL 12.14

-1.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 30.08

$1.79 MDL 31.13

-3.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 MDL 39.98

$2.33 MDL 40.48

-1.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.49

$1.28 MDL 22.21

0.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 MDL 9.22

$0.56 MDL 9.79

-5.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 26.15

$1.49 MDL 26.00

0.67%

Eggs

$2.49 MDL 43.42

$2.61 MDL 45.51

-4.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.34 MDL 180

$10.51 MDL 183

-1.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 MDL 96.8

$5.36 MDL 93.3

3.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.79 MDL 153

$8.89 MDL 155

-1.12%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 MDL 15.63

$0.85 MDL 14.79

5.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MDL 31.95

$1.81 MDL 31.57

1.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 MDL 29.52

$1.77 MDL 30.81

-3.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MDL 37.63

$2.15 MDL 37.42

0.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MDL 13.27

$0.78 MDL 13.56

-2.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 MDL 9.72

$0.59 MDL 10.31

-5.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 MDL 23.44

$1.34 MDL 23.34

0.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MDL 14.71

$0.90 MDL 15.63

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 MDL 57.6

$3.28 MDL 57.0

0.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.59 MDL 80.0

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 21.13

$1.21 MDL 21.12

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 MDL 33.06

$1.99 MDL 34.57

-4.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 MDL 2.92

$0.36 MDL 6.29

-52.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.82 MDL 241

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MDL 35.89

$2.10 MDL 36.50

-1.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.34

$0.27 MDL 4.70

-7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 MDL 89.0

$5.17 MDL 90.0

-1.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MDL 23.75

$1.38 MDL 24.06

-1.45%

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

$31.8K MDL 553.9K

$31.9K MDL 555.7K

-0.32%

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

$31.6K MDL 550.9K

$31.5K MDL 548.8K

0.38%

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

$173 MDL 3,003

$170 MDL 2,954

1.67%

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

$7.44 MDL 130

$7.34 MDL 128

1.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.64 MDL 185

$10.78 MDL 188

-1.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.85 MDL 763

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.97 MDL 383

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 MDL 129

$7.45 MDL 130

-0.27%

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

$387 MDL 6,744

$391 MDL 6,800

-0.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,675 MDL 133.6K

$7,516 MDL 130.9K

2.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.2 MDL 1,135

$67.0 MDL 1,166

-2.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 MDL 948

$54.2 MDL 943

0.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MDL 1,984

$110 MDL 1,923

3.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 MDL 2,167

$122 MDL 2,132

1.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 MDL 11.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MDL 8,146

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MDL 21.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$822 MDL 14.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,599 MDL 45.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,879 MDL 32.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$867 MDL 15.1K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Orhei versus $37.00 in Chisinau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 vs $192 – making Orhei 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 Chisinau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 76%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,038 per month in Orhei and $1,826 in Chisinau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $692 in Orhei and $1,217 in Chisinau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $387 per month in Orhei and $391 in Chisinau. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Orhei, where all-in costs run around $692, than in Chisinau at $1,217. In Orhei it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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, Chisinau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.