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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $779 per month in Sale vs $1,200 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,232 per month in Sale vs $1,843 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,684 per month in Sale vs $2,485 in Chisinau, rent included.

Sale is about 35% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Sale and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Sale 42% lower, Chisinau 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 MAD 42.09

$8.87 MDL 153

-48.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.89 MAD 304

$37.12 MDL 641

-11.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 MAD 62.9

$7.54 MDL 130

-9.81%

Cappuccino

$1.98 MAD 18.35

$1.80 MDL 31.07

10.00%

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

$0.69 MAD 6.36

$0.98 MDL 16.89

-29.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MAD 3.73

$0.70 MDL 12.02

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.42 MAD 50.2

$1.73 MDL 29.87

213.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 MAD 38.88

$2.29 MDL 39.52

83.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 MAD 8.79

$1.28 MDL 22.06

-25.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 MAD 5.31

$0.56 MDL 9.69

1.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MAD 17.26

$1.50 MDL 25.83

24.67%

Eggs

$1.96 MAD 18.17

$2.53 MDL 43.65

-22.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 MAD 121

$10.22 MDL 177

27.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 MAD 55.6

$5.51 MDL 95.2

9.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 MAD 111

$8.74 MDL 151

37.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 MAD 14.06

$0.89 MDL 15.31

70.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 MAD 12.23

$1.76 MDL 30.35

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.50

$1.76 MDL 30.44

-47.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 MAD 8.21

$2.08 MDL 35.98

-57.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.38

$0.84 MDL 14.50

-4.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.45

$0.56 MDL 9.65

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.62

$1.31 MDL 22.57

-70.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.44

$0.83 MDL 14.37

-28.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MAD 40.30

$3.30 MDL 57.0

32.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.84 MAD 44.74

$4.75 MDL 82.0

1.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 MAD 25.20

$1.22 MDL 21.08

122.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 MAD 22.86

$1.92 MDL 33.23

28.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MAD 5.27

$0.36 MDL 6.27

58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.11 MAD 232

$13.74 MDL 237

82.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 MAD 4.86

$2.00 MDL 34.48

-73.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.40

$0.25 MDL 4.28

92.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.32 MAD 39.93

$5.31 MDL 91.8

-18.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MAD 14.04

$1.42 MDL 24.55

7.04%

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

$37.3K MAD 344.9K

$32.4K MDL 560.3K

14.94%

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

$29.6K MAD 273.8K

$30.9K MDL 533.5K

-4.19%

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

$32.93 MAD 305

$173 MDL 2,986

-80.95%

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

$11.00 MAD 102

$7.57 MDL 131

45.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.34 MAD 419

$10.65 MDL 184

325.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.22 MAD 132

$43.21 MDL 746

-67.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.46 MAD 217

$22.02 MDL 380

6.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.41 MAD 59.3

$7.65 MDL 132

-16.21%

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

$113 MAD 1,044

$397 MDL 6,854

-71.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,442 MAD 59.6K

$7,753 MDL 133.9K

-16.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.49 MAD 402

$65.3 MDL 1,127

-33.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 MAD 470

$52.8 MDL 912

-3.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MAD 994

$111 MDL 1,923

-3.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 MAD 914

$124 MDL 2,147

-20.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 MAD 2,611

$654 MDL 11.3K

-56.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 MAD 1,619

$462 MDL 7,970

-62.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 MAD 4,724

$1,252 MDL 21.6K

-59.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 MAD 2,800

$819 MDL 14.1K

-63.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,208 MAD 11.2K

$2,583 MDL 44.6K

-53.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$880 MAD 8,143

$1,942 MDL 33.5K

-54.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$533 MAD 4,934

$856 MDL 14.8K

-37.71%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Sale versus $654 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 61% 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 – $200 in Sale vs $190 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 54%, 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 $1,169 per month in Sale and $1,800 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 $779, than in Chisinau at $1,200. 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.