Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Moldova Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Moldova

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,689 per month in Spain vs $740 in Moldova, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,496 per month in Spain vs $1,144 in Moldova, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,303 per month in Spain vs $1,547 in Moldova, rent included.

The cost of living in Spain is about 128% higher than in Moldova on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Spain sits 22% above the global median, while Moldova is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Spain ($973$2,672) than in Moldova ($368$1,393), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Moldova
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.71 €15.27
$9.73 MDL 167
82.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.6 €49.61
$34.95 MDL 600
64.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.81 €10.18
$8.45 MDL 145
39.76%
Cappuccino
$2.43 €2.10
$1.92 MDL 32.89
26.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 €2.38
$1.06 MDL 18.15
160.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 €1.59
$0.70 MDL 11.95
162.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.52 €3.03
$2.01 MDL 34.41
75.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.16 €3.58
$2.08 MDL 35.74
100.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Moldova
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 €1.04
$1.26 MDL 21.55
-3.97%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 €1.32
$0.66 MDL 11.24
133.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.64 €1.41
$1.38 MDL 23.74
18.84%
Eggs
$3.59 €3.10
$2.68 MDL 46.02
33.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.81 €12.77
$9.51 MDL 163
55.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.49 €7.32
$5.14 MDL 88.2
65.18%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.68 €14.38
$8.38 MDL 144
99.05%
Apples (1kg)
$2.53 €2.18
$0.98 MDL 16.86
158.16%
Banana (1kg)
$2.09 €1.80
$1.91 MDL 32.84
9.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.13 €1.84
$2.02 MDL 34.64
5.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.55 €2.20
$2.09 MDL 35.83
22.01%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.57
$0.79 MDL 13.59
130.38%
Onion (1kg)
$2.00 €1.72
$0.59 MDL 10.09
238.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.37 €1.18
$1.43 MDL 24.50
-4.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 €0.70
$0.90 MDL 15.44
-10.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71 €5.79
$3.61 MDL 62.0
85.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.64 €4.87
$4.60 MDL 78.9
22.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 €1.11
$1.25 MDL 21.50
3.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 €1.81
$1.93 MDL 33.20
8.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Moldova
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.76 €1.51
$0.40 MDL 6.82
340.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.25 €29.52
$14.32 MDL 246
139.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.55 €3.92
$2.27 MDL 38.92
100.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.47 €1.27
$0.34 MDL 5.77
332.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.66 €22.12
$5.30 MDL 90.9
384.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.79 €1.54
$1.63 MDL 28.02
9.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.4K €31.4K
$29.9K MDL 513.8K
21.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.6K €26.4K
$29.2K MDL 501.9K
4.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Moldova
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$152 €131
$228 MDL 3,913
-33.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.49 €15.94
$9.75 MDL 167
89.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.57 €28.94
$11.31 MDL 194
196.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Moldova
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.38 €40.84
$40.01 MDL 687
18.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.56 €13.41
$18.21 MDL 313
-14.55%
Cinema Ticket
$9.96 €8.59
$8.66 MDL 149
15.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Moldova
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$548 €473
$402 MDL 6,891
36.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.8K €9,343
$5,719 MDL 98.1K
89.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Moldova
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.1 €77.6
$70.2 MDL 1,205
28.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.31 €32.16
$42.74 MDL 733
-12.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.0 €79.3
$111 MDL 1,905
-17.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 €96.1
$113 MDL 1,933
-1.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Moldova
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,049 €905
$580 MDL 9,950
80.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$836 €720
$372 MDL 6,378
124.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,663 €1,433
$1,089 MDL 18.7K
52.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,250 €1,078
$749 MDL 12.8K
66.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,240 €3,655
$2,524 MDL 43.3K
67.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,711 €2,337
$1,846 MDL 31.7K
46.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Moldova
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,021 €1,742
$816 MDL 14.0K
147.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.28
8.93
-63.27%

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

Last update for Spain: September 7, 2026

Last update for Moldova: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $931 in Spain vs $231 in Moldova. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,577 in Madrid and $711 in Chisinau.

Average salary: $2,035 in Spain vs $565 in Moldova. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 303% higher in Spain.

Dining out costs 119% more in Spain.

Public transport is 417% more expensive in Spain.

Salaries are 260% higher in Spain, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Spain.

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
Spain vs Moldova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Moldova and Spain compare in cost of living?
Moldova is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 107% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
How do rents compare between Moldova and Spain?
Housing costs more in Spain, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Spain consistently has higher rents.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Moldova or Spain?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Moldova, contributing to the overall 107% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $2,000 go in Moldova compared to Spain?
$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Moldova, but in Spain it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
How do I choose between living in Moldova and in Spain?
Moldova is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

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