Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Soroca and Chisinau

For one person, living is cheaper in Soroca: $388 a month against $1,288 in Chisinau, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

34

Cost of Living Index in Soroca
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Soroca Living Index
63

Cost of Living Index in Chisinau
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Chisinau Living Index

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Soroca

🇲🇩 Moldova

$388

/mo nomad

Chisinau

🇲🇩 Moldova

$1,288

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Soroca and in Chisinau

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Soroca and in Chisinau actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $388 per month in Soroca vs $1,288 in Chisinau, rent included.

Soroca $388
Chisinau $1,288

A couple spends around $629 per month in Soroca vs $1,978 in Chisinau, rent included.

Soroca $629
Chisinau $1,978

A family of three spends $870 per month in Soroca vs $2,669 in Chisinau, rent included.

Soroca $870
Chisinau $2,669

Soroca is about 70% cheaper than Chisinau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Soroca and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Soroca 71% lower, Chisinau 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.28 MDL 200

$11.34 MDL 201

-0.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.20 MDL 394

$50.1 MDL 890

-55.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.43 MDL 78.7

$8.65 MDL 154

-48.79%

Cappuccino

$1.42 MDL 25.13

$2.11 MDL 37.44

-32.70%

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

$0.76 MDL 13.57

$1.19 MDL 21.09

-36.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 MDL 8.38

$0.85 MDL 15.08

-44.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 MDL 20.44

$2.26 MDL 40.11

-49.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 MDL 25.26

$2.00 MDL 35.53

-29.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 MDL 17.55

$1.24 MDL 21.99

-20.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.36 MDL 6.33

$0.73 MDL 13.03

-50.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 MDL 20.29

$1.46 MDL 25.97

-21.92%

Eggs

$1.95 MDL 34.59

$2.78 MDL 49.31

-29.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.65 MDL 171

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 MDL 93.5

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 MDL 157

Apples (1kg)

$0.93 MDL 16.44

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 MDL 33.80

$1.87 MDL 33.25

1.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 MDL 37.47

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 MDL 40.57

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 MDL 11.88

$0.68 MDL 12.00

-1.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 MDL 9.22

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 MDL 23.32

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MDL 9.66

$0.83 MDL 14.82

-34.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 MDL 59.6

Wine (Bottle)

$4.64 MDL 82.4

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MDL 21.60

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 MDL 33.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 MDL 7.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.72 MDL 244

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MDL 20.43

$2.20 MDL 39.04

-47.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 MDL 5.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 MDL 88.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 MDL 30.99

$1.74 MDL 30.95

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

$29.9K MDL 530.9K

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

$20.3K MDL 360.9K

$28.6K MDL 507.6K

-28.91%

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

$58.5 MDL 1,038

$244 MDL 4,334

-76.05%

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

$8.48 MDL 151

$9.37 MDL 166

-9.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.72 MDL 226

$10.56 MDL 187

20.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.56 MDL 490

$42.29 MDL 751

-34.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.91 MDL 371

Cinema Ticket

$3.27 MDL 58.1

$8.21 MDL 146

-60.17%

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

$436 MDL 7,737

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,764 MDL 102.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.40 MDL 593

$78.4 MDL 1,392

-57.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.78 MDL 600

$47.66 MDL 846

-29.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MDL 1,899

$113 MDL 1,998

-4.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.98 MDL 603

$114 MDL 2,031

-70.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 MDL 12.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 MDL 7,640

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,249 MDL 22.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$831 MDL 14.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,607 MDL 46.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,981 MDL 35.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$498 MDL 8,836

$880 MDL 15.6K

-43.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

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

Last update for Soroca: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Eating Out

Soroca

$134 34.5%

Chisinau

$165 12.8% 23.4% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Soroca

$94 24.1%

Chisinau

$159 12.3% 69.6% $65

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Soroca

$80 20.5%

Chisinau

$264 20.5% 231% $184

Groceries & Markets

Soroca

$46 * 11.8%

Chisinau

$192 14.9% 319% $146

Sport & Entertainment

Soroca

$34 8.8%

Chisinau

$59 4.6% 72.2% $25

Getting Around

Soroca

$1.2 * 0.3%

Chisinau

$19 1.5% 1566% $18

Accommodation & Living

Soroca

- * 0%

Chisinau

$430 33.4%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 77% 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 $22.00 in Soroca versus $50.0 in Chisinau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $46.00 vs $192 – making Soroca the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇩 Soroca

🇲🇩 Chisinau

🕒 Local time

14:36 2:36 PM

Same time as Soroca

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,400

750,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Moldovan Leu MDL L

📈 Exchange rate

100 MDL = 5.63 USD

100 MDL = 5.01 EUR

100 MDL = 5.63 USD

100 MDL = 5.01 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Soroca Chisinau 130 km

From you

Soroca
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 232%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $583 per month in Soroca and $1,932 in Chisinau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 319% more in Chisinau, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Soroca 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 Soroca, where all-in costs run around $388, than in Chisinau at $1,288. 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.