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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,029 per month in Selangor vs $1,340 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,494 per month in Selangor vs $2,023 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,960 per month in Selangor vs $2,705 in Chisinau, rent included.

Selangor is about 23% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Selangor and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Selangor 25% lower, Chisinau 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 MYR 17.76

$11.65 MDL 199

-62.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.22 MYR 81.8

$50.2 MDL 860

-59.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.06 MYR 16.43

$8.85 MDL 151

-54.12%

Cappuccino

$2.24 MYR 9.06

$2.19 MDL 37.47

2.28%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.41

$1.30 MDL 22.25

-35.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.73

$0.89 MDL 15.31

-51.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.50 MYR 18.19

$2.31 MDL 39.49

94.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 MYR 20.09

$2.09 MDL 35.73

137.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.62

$1.26 MDL 21.53

49.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.49

$0.70 MDL 11.91

58.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 6.02

$1.45 MDL 24.85

2.76%

Eggs

$2.01 MYR 8.14

$2.83 MDL 48.42

-28.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.12 MYR 65.2

$10.38 MDL 178

55.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 MYR 19.79

$5.44 MDL 93.1

-10.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 MYR 40.10

$9.23 MDL 158

7.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.58

$1.04 MDL 17.87

223.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MYR 7.45

$2.01 MDL 34.43

-8.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 MYR 9.51

$2.18 MDL 37.41

7.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.69

$2.35 MDL 40.20

-29.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.41

$0.68 MDL 11.65

97.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.24

$0.57 MDL 9.76

84.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MYR 4.74

$1.49 MDL 25.45

-21.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MYR 2.36

$0.89 MDL 15.18

-34.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 MYR 18.46

$3.40 MDL 58.3

34.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.08 MYR 77.2

$4.71 MDL 80.6

305.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.69

$1.32 MDL 22.55

156.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MYR 20.49

$1.96 MDL 33.51

158.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 MYR 5.07

$0.42 MDL 7.23

197.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.60 MYR 50.9

$13.75 MDL 235

-8.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.95

$2.32 MDL 39.70

-47.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 MYR 5.10

$0.34 MDL 5.77

270.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 MYR 18.05

$5.35 MDL 91.6

-16.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 MYR 2.77

$1.64 MDL 28.14

-57.93%

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

$42.9K MYR 173.5K

$30.5K MDL 522.2K

40.70%

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

$35.5K MYR 143.5K

$31.2K MDL 534.8K

13.62%

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

$65.6 MYR 265

$256 MDL 4,386

-74.42%

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

$9.42 MYR 38.10

$9.82 MDL 168

-4.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.41 MYR 107

$11.05 MDL 189

139.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.52 MYR 164

$44.19 MDL 757

-8.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.09 MYR 28.68

$21.05 MDL 360

-66.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.43 MYR 21.96

$8.72 MDL 149

-37.73%

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

$123 MYR 499

$437 MDL 7,477

-71.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,417 MYR 30.0K

$6,037 MDL 103.3K

22.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 MYR 288

$81.1 MDL 1,389

-12.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.00 MYR 174

$49.11 MDL 841

-12.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 MYR 319

$123 MDL 2,103

-35.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 MYR 333

$117 MDL 1,997

-29.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 MYR 2,057

$706 MDL 12.1K

-27.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MYR 1,405

$443 MDL 7,591

-21.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 MYR 3,685

$1,297 MDL 22.2K

-29.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 MYR 1,977

$862 MDL 14.8K

-43.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,618 MYR 6,540

$2,775 MDL 47.5K

-41.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$711 MYR 2,874

$2,007 MDL 34.4K

-64.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,060 MYR 4,285

$919 MDL 15.7K

15.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

9.41

-57.92%

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

Last update for Selangor: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $509 in Selangor versus $706 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 15% 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 $20.00 in Selangor versus $50.0 in Chisinau. Groceries tell a different story – $275 in Selangor vs $200 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 30%, 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 $1,543 per month in Selangor and $2,010 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 37% 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 $20.00 in Selangor and $50.0 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 $1,029, than in Chisinau at $1,340. 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.