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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $648 per month in Sale vs $1,346 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,061 per month in Sale vs $2,052 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,475 per month in Sale vs $2,758 in Chisinau, rent included.

Sale is about 52% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sale and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Sale 53% lower, Chisinau 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.75 MAD 35.28

$11.69 MDL 201

-67.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.73 MAD 176

$51.6 MDL 885

-63.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.40 MAD 69.6

$8.58 MDL 147

-13.75%

Cappuccino

$1.92 MAD 18.05

$2.23 MDL 38.26

-13.90%

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

$0.63 MAD 5.93

$1.25 MDL 21.51

-49.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MAD 3.16

$0.89 MDL 15.21

-61.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 MAD 25.43

$2.29 MDL 39.22

18.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 MAD 30.88

$1.97 MDL 33.83

67.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 MAD 8.82

$1.30 MDL 22.25

-27.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MAD 6.37

$0.72 MDL 12.35

-5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 MAD 18.73

$1.49 MDL 25.63

33.56%

Eggs

$1.97 MAD 18.48

$2.97 MDL 50.9

-33.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.70 MAD 110

$10.16 MDL 174

15.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.95 MAD 65.3

$5.28 MDL 90.6

31.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.67 MAD 119

$8.78 MDL 151

44.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 MAD 13.09

$0.97 MDL 16.69

43.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 MAD 11.65

$1.90 MDL 32.68

-34.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 MAD 8.26

$2.05 MDL 35.22

-57.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 MAD 8.22

$2.21 MDL 38.00

-60.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MAD 7.10

$0.68 MDL 11.71

11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.19

$0.57 MDL 9.70

35.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 MAD 4.12

$1.46 MDL 24.97

-69.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MAD 5.45

$0.93 MDL 16.03

-37.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 MAD 36.70

$3.57 MDL 61.2

9.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.71 MAD 44.29

$5.03 MDL 86.4

-6.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 MAD 20.81

$1.27 MDL 21.74

74.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 MAD 20.76

$1.94 MDL 33.36

13.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MAD 5.31

$0.39 MDL 6.74

46.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.79 MAD 224

$13.83 MDL 237

72.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 MAD 7.30

$2.36 MDL 40.54

-66.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 MAD 5.21

$0.37 MDL 6.31

48.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.15 MAD 38.98

$5.07 MDL 87.1

-18.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MAD 14.24

$1.71 MDL 29.27

-11.11%

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

$35.5K MAD 333.7K

$29.9K MDL 513.3K

18.71%

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

$31.5K MAD 296.0K

$30.5K MDL 523.0K

3.35%

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

$39.46 MAD 371

$254 MDL 4,365

-84.49%

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

$10.88 MAD 102

$9.44 MDL 162

15.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.24 MAD 397

$10.75 MDL 185

292.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.54 MAD 155

$42.83 MDL 735

-61.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.35 MAD 407

$21.23 MDL 364

104.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.24 MAD 49.25

$8.60 MDL 148

-39.07%

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

$105 MAD 986

$445 MDL 7,633

-76.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,048 MAD 56.8K

$6,089 MDL 104.5K

-0.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.02 MAD 310

$78.4 MDL 1,345

-57.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.63 MAD 448

$47.80 MDL 820

-0.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.7 MAD 711

$119 MDL 2,050

-36.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.4 MAD 643

$113 MDL 1,945

-39.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$216 MAD 2,028

$711 MDL 12.2K

-69.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 MAD 1,020

$455 MDL 7,815

-76.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 MAD 3,442

$1,258 MDL 21.6K

-70.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MAD 2,529

$821 MDL 14.1K

-67.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,161 MAD 10.9K

$2,781 MDL 47.7K

-58.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$862 MAD 8,101

$1,997 MDL 34.3K

-56.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$538 MAD 5,058

$922 MDL 15.8K

-41.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.41

-46.87%

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

Last update for Sale: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $216 in Sale versus $711 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 71% 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 $19.00 in Sale versus $52.0 in Chisinau. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Sale vs $197 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 108%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $972 per month in Sale and $2,019 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 1% 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 $19.00 in Sale and $52.0 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 $648, than in Chisinau at $1,346. 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.