Cost of Living Comparison Between Soroca and Chisinau Cost of Living Comparison Between Soroca and Chisinau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $699 per month in Soroca vs $1,231 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,077 per month in Soroca vs $1,813 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,455 per month in Soroca vs $2,394 in Chisinau, rent included.

Soroca is about 43% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Soroca and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Soroca 48% lower, Chisinau 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.66 MDL 149

$8.53 MDL 147

1.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.01 MDL 619

$37.11 MDL 638

-2.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 MDL 134

$7.53 MDL 130

3.45%

Cappuccino

$1.79 MDL 30.69

$1.87 MDL 32.22

-4.28%

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

$0.94 MDL 16.09

$0.99 MDL 17.03

-5.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 MDL 11.85

$0.70 MDL 12.01

-1.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 29.68

$1.74 MDL 29.89

-0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 MDL 41.02

$2.29 MDL 39.41

4.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 MDL 21.48

$1.29 MDL 22.16

-3.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MDL 9.51

$0.52 MDL 8.98

5.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MDL 24.70

$1.46 MDL 25.03

-1.37%

Eggs

$2.64 MDL 45.30

$2.62 MDL 44.99

0.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.24 MDL 176

$10.22 MDL 176

0.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 MDL 91.7

$5.35 MDL 92.0

-0.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.05 MDL 156

$8.69 MDL 149

4.14%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 MDL 15.41

$0.84 MDL 14.40

7.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MDL 29.93

$1.82 MDL 31.29

-4.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 MDL 30.15

$1.78 MDL 30.52

-1.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MDL 35.71

$2.17 MDL 37.27

-4.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.34

$0.81 MDL 13.93

2.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 MDL 9.48

$0.54 MDL 9.31

1.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MDL 23.45

$1.30 MDL 22.40

4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 MDL 15.24

$0.90 MDL 15.47

-1.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 MDL 54.3

$3.28 MDL 56.4

-3.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.73 MDL 81.4

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 20.89

$1.21 MDL 20.84

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 MDL 33.17

$1.91 MDL 32.83

1.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 MDL 4.79

$0.33 MDL 5.75

-15.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.47 MDL 232

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 MDL 34.29

$2.07 MDL 35.61

-3.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MDL 91.5

$5.33 MDL 91.7

-0.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 MDL 23.51

$1.44 MDL 24.76

-4.86%

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

$32.5K MDL 559.0K

$32.7K MDL 561.9K

-0.51%

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

$30.7K MDL 527.4K

$31.5K MDL 540.7K

-2.47%

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

$175 MDL 3,006

$174 MDL 2,991

0.49%

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

$7.39 MDL 127

$7.38 MDL 127

0.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.95 MDL 188

$10.98 MDL 189

-0.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.14 MDL 742

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.18 MDL 381

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 MDL 131

$7.63 MDL 131

-0.13%

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

$385 MDL 6,622

$388 MDL 6,663

-0.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,749 MDL 133.2K

$7,708 MDL 132.5K

0.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.7 MDL 1,129

$65.4 MDL 1,123

0.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.4 MDL 918

$54.3 MDL 934

-1.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 MDL 1,938

$111 MDL 1,911

1.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MDL 2,095

$120 MDL 2,071

1.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$668 MDL 11.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MDL 8,048

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MDL 21.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$798 MDL 13.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,649 MDL 45.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,901 MDL 32.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$517 MDL 8,885

$864 MDL 14.9K

-40.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

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

Last update for Soroca: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 67% 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 $36.00 in Soroca versus $37.00 in Chisinau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 vs $190 – making Soroca the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Soroca vs Chisinau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 76%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,048 per month in Soroca and $1,846 in Chisinau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $699 in Soroca and $1,231 in Chisinau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $385 per month in Soroca and $388 in Chisinau. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Soroca, where all-in costs run around $699, than in Chisinau at $1,231. In Soroca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Soroca – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Soroca. 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.