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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,642 per month in Spain vs $715 in Moldova, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Spain vs $1,115 in Moldova, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,155 per month in Spain vs $1,514 in Moldova, rent included.

Spain costs about 130% more than Moldova on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Spain sits 22% above the global median, while Moldova is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Spain has a wider regional cost range ($1,127$3,255) than Moldova ($5.00$1,200), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Spain.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Moldova
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.98 €13.81
$8.75 MDL 151
82.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.6 €49.77
$35.11 MDL 606
64.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.27 €8.88
$7.41 MDL 128
38.60%
Cappuccino
$2.38 €2.05
$1.78 MDL 30.73
33.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 €2.23
$0.89 MDL 15.42
189.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 €1.59
$0.64 MDL 10.97
185.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.54 €3.06
$1.80 MDL 31.08
96.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.09 €3.53
$2.28 MDL 39.45
79.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Moldova
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.22 €1.06
$1.24 MDL 21.43
-1.61%
White Bread (500g)
$1.53 €1.32
$0.55 MDL 9.57
178.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.60 €1.39
$1.44 MDL 24.84
11.11%
Eggs
$2.93 €2.53
$2.47 MDL 42.63
18.62%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.33 €12.38
$9.93 MDL 172
44.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.31 €7.18
$5.39 MDL 93.0
54.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.62 €13.50
$8.41 MDL 145
85.73%
Apples (1kg)
$2.53 €2.18
$0.87 MDL 15.05
190.80%
Banana (1kg)
$1.99 €1.72
$1.79 MDL 30.86
11.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.11 €1.83
$1.70 MDL 29.41
24.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.54 €2.20
$2.02 MDL 34.81
25.74%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 €1.53
$0.78 MDL 13.41
126.92%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 €1.71
$0.58 MDL 10.02
241.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 €1.12
$1.36 MDL 23.50
-4.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74 €0.64
$0.82 MDL 14.21
-9.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.19 €5.35
$3.14 MDL 54.3
97.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.93 €5.12
$4.70 MDL 81.2
26.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 €1.08
$1.25 MDL 21.67
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.79
$1.92 MDL 33.18
7.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Moldova
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.78 €1.54
$0.36 MDL 6.29
394.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.91 €30.16
$13.91 MDL 240
150.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.48 €3.87
$2.04 MDL 35.14
119.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.34 €1.15
$0.26 MDL 4.43
415.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.24 €22.68
$5.13 MDL 88.7
411.50%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.76 €1.52
$1.37 MDL 23.62
28.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K €33.0K
$32.1K MDL 554.9K
18.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.6K €27.3K
$31.7K MDL 547.7K
-0.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Moldova
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$149 €128
$173 MDL 2,994
-14.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.16 €17.42
$8.02 MDL 138
151.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.11 €29.48
$11.07 MDL 191
208.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Moldova
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.12 €40.72
$40.91 MDL 706
15.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.83 €13.68
$19.80 MDL 342
-20.05%
Cinema Ticket
$9.47 €8.18
$7.04 MDL 122
34.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Moldova
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$517 €446
$381 MDL 6,579
35.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.2K €8,777
$7,468 MDL 129.0K
36.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Moldova
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.2 €75.3
$64.0 MDL 1,105
36.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.36 €32.28
$48.07 MDL 830
-22.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.3 €78.9
$110 MDL 1,893
-16.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 €91.2
$118 MDL 2,032
-10.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Moldova
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,074 €928
$607 MDL 10.5K
76.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$815 €704
$435 MDL 7,506
87.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,691 €1,461
$1,197 MDL 20.7K
41.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,228 €1,061
$768 MDL 13.3K
59.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,338 €3,749
$2,577 MDL 44.5K
68.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,744 €2,371
$1,820 MDL 31.4K
50.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Moldova
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,031 €1,755
$760 MDL 13.1K
167.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.51
9.18
-61.76%

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

Last update for Spain: June 9, 2026

Last update for Moldova: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $898 in Spain vs $204 in Moldova. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,609 in Madrid and $654 in Chisinau.

Average salary: $2,011 in Spain vs $541 in Moldova. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 340% higher in Spain.

Dining out costs 83% more in Spain.

Public transport is 1000% more expensive in Spain.

Salaries are 272% higher in Spain, giving Spain stronger purchasing power.

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 264% 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 264% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $2,000 go in Moldova vs 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 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.

Spain vs other spots: cost of living compared

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