Cost of Living Comparison Between Targu Mures and Chisinau Cost of Living Comparison Between Targu Mures and Chisinau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,077 per month in Targu Mures vs $1,244 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,554 per month in Targu Mures vs $1,834 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,031 per month in Targu Mures vs $2,424 in Chisinau, rent included.

Targu Mures is about 13% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Targu Mures and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Targu Mures 20% lower, Chisinau 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.54 RON 37.04

$8.95 MDL 154

-4.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.00 RON 178

$37.07 MDL 639

10.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.00 RON 39.05

$7.82 MDL 135

15.09%

Cappuccino

$2.30 RON 9.97

$1.89 MDL 32.64

21.69%

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

$1.32 RON 5.71

$0.98 MDL 16.83

34.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 RON 5.00

$0.69 MDL 11.89

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 RON 9.24

$1.79 MDL 30.92

18.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 RON 12.26

$2.29 MDL 39.52

23.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 RON 6.75

$1.28 MDL 22.12

21.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 RON 5.25

$0.55 MDL 9.48

120.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.12

$1.52 MDL 26.14

7.89%

Eggs

$3.07 RON 13.31

$2.52 MDL 43.50

21.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.82 RON 38.29

$10.27 MDL 177

-14.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.21 RON 31.27

$5.61 MDL 96.6

28.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 RON 55.1

$9.11 MDL 157

39.30%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.25

$0.84 MDL 14.46

16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 RON 5.70

$1.83 MDL 31.58

-28.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 RON 6.62

$1.69 MDL 29.11

-9.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 RON 8.45

$2.06 MDL 35.45

-5.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.04

$0.79 MDL 13.58

17.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 RON 4.00

$0.54 MDL 9.34

70.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 RON 3.45

$1.30 MDL 22.33

-39.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.48

$0.83 MDL 14.38

-3.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 RON 27.26

$3.19 MDL 55.0

96.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 RON 35.20

$4.85 MDL 83.6

67.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 RON 4.66

$1.21 MDL 20.88

-11.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 RON 7.14

$1.91 MDL 32.91

-13.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 RON 2.43

$0.37 MDL 6.30

51.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.85 RON 64.5

$13.52 MDL 233

9.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 RON 4.16

$2.02 MDL 34.73

-52.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 RON 3.17

$0.25 MDL 4.30

192.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 RON 31.45

$5.23 MDL 90.1

38.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.00

$1.38 MDL 23.73

16.67%

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

$28.1K RON 121.9K

$31.7K MDL 546.2K

-11.36%

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

$28.2K RON 122.4K

$31.4K MDL 540.4K

-10.08%

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

$172 RON 745

$175 MDL 3,012

-1.77%

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

$8.68 RON 37.67

$7.64 MDL 132

13.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.64 RON 41.84

$10.99 MDL 189

-12.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.95 RON 204

$43.74 MDL 754

7.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 RON 81.1

$22.22 MDL 383

-15.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.93 RON 25.72

$7.77 MDL 134

-23.68%

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

$1,387 RON 6,019

$387 MDL 6,676

257.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,872 RON 29.8K

$7,477 MDL 128.8K

-8.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 RON 308

$66.4 MDL 1,144

6.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.67 RON 137

$54.0 MDL 931

-41.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 RON 323

$115 MDL 1,979

-35.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.9 RON 355

$122 MDL 2,104

-32.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 RON 1,930

$667 MDL 11.5K

-33.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 RON 1,354

$464 MDL 7,994

-32.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$567 RON 2,459

$1,227 MDL 21.1K

-53.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 RON 1,788

$806 MDL 13.9K

-48.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,379 RON 10.3K

$2,714 MDL 46.8K

-12.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,556 RON 6,754

$1,848 MDL 31.8K

-15.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,123 RON 4,872

$857 MDL 14.8K

30.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.17

9.24

-11.58%

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

Last update for Targu Mures: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Targu Mures versus $667 in Chisinau. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 31% higher in Targu Mures, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41 in Targu Mures versus $37 in Chisinau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $191 – making Chisinau 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

Targu Mures vs Chisinau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,616 per month in Targu Mures and $1,866 in Chisinau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Targu Mures, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Chisinau – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Targu Mures and $37.00 in Chisinau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Targu Mures, where all-in costs run around $1,077, than in Chisinau at $1,244. In Targu Mures it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Targu Mures. 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.