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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $792 per month in Sale vs $1,225 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,237 per month in Sale vs $1,820 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,682 per month in Sale vs $2,416 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 41% lower, Chisinau 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 MAD 42.37

$8.83 MDL 153

-48.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.93 MAD 305

$37.23 MDL 644

-11.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 MAD 61.2

$7.39 MDL 128

-10.55%

Cappuccino

$2.06 MAD 19.08

$1.83 MDL 31.66

12.57%

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

$0.63 MAD 5.85

$0.94 MDL 16.23

-32.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MAD 3.70

$0.70 MDL 12.07

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.42 MAD 50.1

$1.74 MDL 30.08

211.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 MAD 38.30

$2.41 MDL 41.71

71.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 MAD 8.91

$1.29 MDL 22.41

-25.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MAD 5.06

$0.53 MDL 9.09

3.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 MAD 18.06

$1.50 MDL 26.01

30.00%

Eggs

$1.99 MAD 18.39

$2.49 MDL 43.06

-20.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.02 MAD 120

$10.29 MDL 178

26.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.00 MAD 55.5

$5.55 MDL 96.1

8.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.69 MAD 108

$8.69 MDL 150

34.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 MAD 13.90

$0.91 MDL 15.76

64.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 MAD 12.44

$1.77 MDL 30.57

-24.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 MAD 8.33

$1.70 MDL 29.45

-47.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 MAD 7.82

$2.10 MDL 36.32

-59.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.37

$0.76 MDL 13.16

5.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 MAD 7.31

$0.55 MDL 9.59

43.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 MAD 3.94

$1.36 MDL 23.54

-68.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MAD 5.91

$0.84 MDL 14.57

-23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MAD 40.30

$3.17 MDL 54.8

37.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.13 MAD 66.0

$4.88 MDL 84.5

46.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 MAD 24.15

$1.23 MDL 21.21

112.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MAD 23.55

$1.97 MDL 34.06

29.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MAD 5.21

$0.34 MDL 5.87

64.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.44 MAD 226

$13.53 MDL 234

80.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 MAD 4.88

$2.01 MDL 34.77

-73.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MAD 4.81

$0.27 MDL 4.69

92.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 MAD 41.37

$5.11 MDL 88.4

-12.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 MAD 14.76

$1.39 MDL 23.99

15.11%

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

$37.2K MAD 344.1K

$32.1K MDL 556.3K

15.75%

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

$29.9K MAD 277.0K

$30.7K MDL 530.6K

-2.31%

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

$33.03 MAD 305

$176 MDL 3,041

-81.20%

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

$10.91 MAD 101

$7.68 MDL 133

42.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.43 MAD 420

$10.98 MDL 190

313.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.25 MAD 132

$43.02 MDL 745

-66.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.67 MAD 219

$22.11 MDL 383

7.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.48 MAD 59.9

$7.55 MDL 131

-14.17%

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

$112 MAD 1,037

$390 MDL 6,754

-71.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,300 MAD 58.3K

$7,672 MDL 132.8K

-17.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.36 MAD 392

$66.2 MDL 1,147

-36.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.69 MAD 460

$52.9 MDL 916

-6.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MAD 987

$111 MDL 1,915

-3.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 MAD 927

$121 MDL 2,091

-17.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 MAD 2,620

$677 MDL 11.7K

-58.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 MAD 1,617

$460 MDL 7,971

-62.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 MAD 4,631

$1,252 MDL 21.7K

-60.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 MAD 2,805

$801 MDL 13.9K

-62.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,201 MAD 11.1K

$2,645 MDL 45.8K

-54.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$852 MAD 7,882

$1,885 MDL 32.6K

-54.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$410 MAD 3,792

$831 MDL 14.4K

-50.68%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $283 in Sale versus $677 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 103% 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 – $204 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 55%, 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 $1,188 per month in Sale and $1,838 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 7% 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 $792, than in Chisinau at $1,225. 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.