Cost of Living Comparison Between Sale and Chisinau Cost of Living Comparison Between Sale and Chisinau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $776 per month in Sale vs $1,231 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,256 per month in Sale vs $1,853 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,736 per month in Sale vs $2,475 in Chisinau, rent included.

Sale is about 37% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Sale and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Sale 42% lower, Chisinau 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 MAD 43.10

$8.63 MDL 151

-46.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.67 MAD 307

$37.05 MDL 650

-11.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.88 MAD 64.6

$7.65 MDL 134

-10.07%

Cappuccino

$2.05 MAD 19.21

$1.88 MDL 32.92

9.04%

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

$0.65 MAD 6.07

$0.92 MDL 16.11

-29.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MAD 3.77

$0.65 MDL 11.33

-38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.42 MAD 50.9

$1.73 MDL 30.32

213.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 MAD 38.78

$2.37 MDL 41.51

74.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 MAD 8.37

$1.29 MDL 22.55

-31.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MAD 5.14

$0.56 MDL 9.76

-1.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MAD 18.19

$1.45 MDL 25.49

33.79%

Eggs

$2.07 MAD 19.39

$2.49 MDL 43.74

-16.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 MAD 121

$10.52 MDL 185

22.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 MAD 58.8

$5.34 MDL 93.6

17.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.61 MAD 109

$8.61 MDL 151

34.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 MAD 14.73

$0.91 MDL 15.99

72.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 MAD 12.51

$1.83 MDL 32.05

-27.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 MAD 8.84

$1.72 MDL 30.22

-45.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 MAD 8.39

$2.10 MDL 36.80

-57.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 MAD 7.03

$0.79 MDL 13.84

-5.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 MAD 7.13

$0.60 MDL 10.44

26.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 MAD 4.00

$1.36 MDL 23.80

-68.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MAD 6.01

$0.83 MDL 14.53

-22.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MAD 40.30

$3.13 MDL 54.9

37.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.80 MAD 45.00

$4.59 MDL 80.5

4.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MAD 25.66

$1.23 MDL 21.56

122.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 MAD 23.21

$1.91 MDL 33.58

29.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MAD 5.02

$0.34 MDL 5.96

55.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.24 MAD 227

$13.44 MDL 236

80.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 MAD 5.07

$2.00 MDL 35.05

-73.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MAD 4.88

$0.25 MDL 4.36

108.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 MAD 40.27

$5.28 MDL 92.6

-18.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MAD 14.32

$1.43 MDL 25.08

6.99%

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

$37.6K MAD 353.2K

$31.5K MDL 553.4K

19.32%

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

$29.8K MAD 279.5K

$31.5K MDL 552.4K

-5.41%

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

$33.53 MAD 315

$170 MDL 2,989

-80.32%

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

$11.05 MAD 104

$7.57 MDL 133

45.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.02 MAD 432

$10.68 MDL 187

330.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.63 MAD 137

$43.05 MDL 755

-66.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.77 MAD 214

$22.19 MDL 389

2.61%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MAD 61.1

$7.56 MDL 133

-13.89%

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

$111 MAD 1,046

$389 MDL 6,820

-71.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,308 MAD 59.2K

$7,746 MDL 135.9K

-18.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.92 MAD 393

$66.3 MDL 1,164

-36.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 MAD 476

$53.0 MDL 930

-4.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MAD 998

$112 MDL 1,961

-4.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.0 MAD 919

$122 MDL 2,134

-19.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 MAD 2,681

$678 MDL 11.9K

-57.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 MAD 1,659

$467 MDL 8,187

-62.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 MAD 4,739

$1,244 MDL 21.8K

-59.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 MAD 2,836

$808 MDL 14.2K

-62.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,198 MAD 11.2K

$2,669 MDL 46.8K

-55.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$853 MAD 8,002

$1,901 MDL 33.4K

-55.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 MAD 5,078

$843 MDL 14.8K

-35.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

9.24

-47.94%

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

Last update for Sale: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $286 in Sale versus $678 in Chisinau. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 56% higher in Chisinau, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Sale versus $37.00 in Chisinau. Groceries tell a different story – $201 in Sale vs $189 in Chisinau – so Chisinau 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

Sale vs Chisinau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 59%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,165 per month in Sale and $1,846 in Chisinau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sale, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Chisinau – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Sale and $37.00 in Chisinau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sale, where all-in costs run around $776, than in Chisinau at $1,231. In Sale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sale – 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 Sale. 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.