Cost of Living Comparison Between Selangor and Chisinau Cost of Living Comparison Between Selangor and Chisinau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,008 per month in Selangor vs $1,231 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,449 per month in Selangor vs $1,813 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,890 per month in Selangor vs $2,394 in Chisinau, rent included.

Selangor is about 18% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Selangor and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Selangor 25% lower, Chisinau 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.56 MYR 10.16

$8.53 MDL 147

-69.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.14 MYR 91.7

$37.11 MDL 638

-37.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.74 MYR 14.84

$7.53 MDL 130

-50.33%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MYR 8.83

$1.87 MDL 32.22

19.25%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.06

$0.99 MDL 17.03

-22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.70 MDL 12.01

-52.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.19 MYR 16.62

$1.74 MDL 29.89

140.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 MYR 21.15

$2.29 MDL 39.41

132.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MYR 7.26

$1.29 MDL 22.16

41.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.00

$0.52 MDL 8.98

94.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.74

$1.46 MDL 25.03

-0.68%

Eggs

$1.83 MYR 7.24

$2.62 MDL 44.99

-30.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 MYR 57.2

$10.22 MDL 176

41.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 MYR 18.46

$5.35 MDL 92.0

-12.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 MYR 38.98

$8.69 MDL 149

13.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.37

$0.84 MDL 14.40

241.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.52

$1.82 MDL 31.29

-9.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.65

$1.78 MDL 30.52

51.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 5.98

$2.17 MDL 37.27

-30.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.03

$0.81 MDL 13.93

56.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MYR 3.93

$0.54 MDL 9.31

83.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.28

$1.30 MDL 22.40

-16.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.15

$0.90 MDL 15.47

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MYR 17.12

$3.28 MDL 56.4

31.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.54 MYR 77.5

$4.73 MDL 81.4

313.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.37 MYR 13.35

$1.21 MDL 20.84

178.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 MYR 16.88

$1.91 MDL 32.83

123.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$0.33 MDL 5.75

124.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 MYR 46.04

$13.47 MDL 232

-13.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.79

$2.07 MDL 35.61

-41.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.38

$0.25 MDL 4.29

340.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 MYR 17.39

$5.33 MDL 91.7

-17.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.84

$1.44 MDL 24.76

-68.06%

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

$39.3K MYR 155.8K

$32.7K MDL 561.9K

20.22%

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

$31.9K MYR 126.5K

$31.5K MDL 540.7K

1.42%

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

$65.4 MYR 259

$174 MDL 2,991

-62.40%

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

$9.48 MYR 37.59

$7.38 MDL 127

28.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.69 MYR 102

$10.98 MDL 189

133.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.55 MYR 153

$43.14 MDL 742

-10.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.29 MYR 28.90

$22.18 MDL 381

-67.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.20 MYR 20.62

$7.63 MDL 131

-31.85%

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

$117 MYR 462

$388 MDL 6,663

-69.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,384 MYR 17.4K

$7,708 MDL 132.5K

-43.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 MYR 237

$65.4 MDL 1,123

-8.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.96 MYR 147

$54.3 MDL 934

-31.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 MYR 298

$111 MDL 1,911

-32.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 MYR 313

$120 MDL 2,071

-34.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 MYR 1,749

$668 MDL 11.5K

-33.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MYR 1,379

$468 MDL 8,048

-25.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 MYR 3,365

$1,243 MDL 21.4K

-31.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 MYR 1,871

$798 MDL 13.7K

-40.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,659 MYR 6,577

$2,649 MDL 45.5K

-37.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$726 MYR 2,878

$1,901 MDL 32.7K

-61.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,004 MYR 3,980

$864 MDL 14.9K

16.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

9.24

-57.14%

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

Last update for Selangor: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $441 in Selangor versus $668 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 16% higher in Selangor, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Selangor versus $37.00 in Chisinau. Groceries tell a different story – $261 in Selangor 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

Selangor vs Chisinau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,511 per month in Selangor 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 Selangor, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 38% 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 $23.00 in Selangor and $37.00 in Chisinau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Selangor, where all-in costs run around $1,008, than in Chisinau at $1,231. In Selangor it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Selangor – 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 Selangor. 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.