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 $716 in Moldova, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,392 per month in Spain vs $1,116 in Moldova, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,142 per month in Spain vs $1,515 in Moldova, rent included.

The cost of living in Spain is about 129% higher than in Moldova on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Spain sits 23% 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 ($1,122$3,254) than in Moldova ($5.00$1,231), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Moldova
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.06 €14.00
$8.72 MDL 153
84.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.9 €49.57
$35.41 MDL 621
60.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.30 €8.98
$7.38 MDL 129
39.57%
Cappuccino
$2.32 €2.02
$1.70 MDL 29.83
36.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60 €2.27
$0.91 MDL 15.89
185.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 €1.60
$0.60 MDL 10.51
206.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.43 €2.99
$1.72 MDL 30.13
99.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.97 €3.46
$2.28 MDL 39.99
74.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Moldova
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 €1.04
$1.25 MDL 21.84
-4.80%
White Bread (500g)
$1.52 €1.33
$0.56 MDL 9.90
171.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.67 €1.46
$1.48 MDL 25.97
12.84%
Eggs
$2.98 €2.60
$2.44 MDL 42.77
22.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.42 €12.58
$10.00 MDL 175
44.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.59 €7.49
$5.42 MDL 95.2
58.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.95 €13.91
$8.87 MDL 156
79.82%
Apples (1kg)
$2.51 €2.19
$0.84 MDL 14.71
198.81%
Banana (1kg)
$2.07 €1.81
$1.83 MDL 32.18
13.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.04 €1.78
$1.73 MDL 30.26
17.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.64 €2.30
$2.07 MDL 36.27
27.54%
Potato (1kg)
$1.76 €1.53
$0.80 MDL 14.10
120.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 €1.73
$0.60 MDL 10.48
230.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 €1.17
$1.31 MDL 22.98
3.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74 €0.65
$0.82 MDL 14.35
-9.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.27 €5.46
$3.20 MDL 56.1
95.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.75 €5.01
$4.43 MDL 77.6
29.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 €1.14
$1.20 MDL 21.07
8.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 €1.80
$1.99 MDL 34.97
3.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Moldova
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.77 €1.54
$0.36 MDL 6.39
391.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.49 €30.07
$13.47 MDL 236
156.05%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.49 €3.91
$2.08 MDL 36.50
115.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.32 €1.15
$0.28 MDL 4.95
371.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.12 €23.64
$5.40 MDL 94.7
402.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.80 €1.57
$1.36 MDL 23.88
32.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K €33.3K
$32.6K MDL 571.0K
17.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.8K €26.9K
$32.0K MDL 561.2K
-3.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Moldova
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$149 €130
$175 MDL 3,077
-15.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.14 €17.56
$8.11 MDL 142
148.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.50 €29.21
$11.15 MDL 196
200.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Moldova
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.30 €40.37
$41.34 MDL 725
12.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.61 €13.61
$19.15 MDL 336
-18.49%
Cinema Ticket
$9.40 €8.20
$7.12 MDL 125
32.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Moldova
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$522 €455
$375 MDL 6,570
39.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,880 €8,613
$7,276 MDL 127.6K
35.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Moldova
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.1 €76.8
$62.6 MDL 1,099
40.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.98 €31.36
$47.70 MDL 837
-24.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.0 €77.6
$106 MDL 1,864
-16.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 €94.2
$121 MDL 2,127
-10.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Moldova
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,039 €906
$616 MDL 10.8K
68.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$820 €715
$439 MDL 7,697
86.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,689 €1,472
$1,180 MDL 20.7K
43.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,214 €1,058
$790 MDL 13.9K
53.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,301 €3,750
$2,571 MDL 45.1K
67.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,604 €2,270
$1,832 MDL 32.1K
42.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Moldova
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,982 €1,728
$757 MDL 13.3K
161.86%
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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Moldova: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $898 in Spain vs $208 in Moldova. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,561 in Madrid and $678 in Chisinau.

Average salary: $1,989 in Spain vs $552 in Moldova. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 332% higher in Spain.

Dining out costs 83% more in Spain.

Public transport is 1000% 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 254% 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 254% 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.

Spain vs other spots: cost of living compared

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