Cost of Living Comparison Between Ungheni and Bender Cost of Living Comparison Between Ungheni and Bender

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $943 per month in Ungheni vs $701 in Bender, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,712 per month in Ungheni vs $1,051 in Bender, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,481 per month in Ungheni vs $1,400 in Bender, rent included.

Ungheni costs about 35% more than Bender, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ungheni and Bender are more affordable than the global median – Ungheni 30% lower, Bender 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 MDL 128

$8.87 MDL 153

-16.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.12 MDL 537

$17.61 MDL 304

76.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.75 MDL 99.1

$5.69 MDL 98.2

1.05%

Cappuccino

$1.45 MDL 24.93

$1.11 MDL 19.23

30.63%

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

$0.72 MDL 12.39

$0.92 MDL 15.94

-21.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MDL 7.26

$0.57 MDL 9.82

-26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 MDL 23.52

$0.91 MDL 15.67

49.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 MDL 25.85

$2.08 MDL 35.80

-27.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.14

$0.97 MDL 16.65

31.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 MDL 8.49

$0.47 MDL 8.10

4.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 MDL 17.26

$1.46 MDL 25.22

-31.51%

Eggs

$2.19 MDL 37.78

$1.88 MDL 32.41

16.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.45 MDL 128

$4.12 MDL 71.2

80.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 MDL 66.7

$4.29 MDL 74.0

-9.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.92 MDL 119

$5.22 MDL 90.1

32.57%

Apples (1kg)

$0.50 MDL 8.69

$0.69 MDL 11.98

-27.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MDL 24.66

$1.83 MDL 31.50

-21.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 MDL 29.79

$1.75 MDL 30.23

-1.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 MDL 23.27

$1.56 MDL 26.95

-13.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 MDL 9.38

$0.82 MDL 14.07

-34.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 MDL 6.22

$0.56 MDL 9.61

-35.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MDL 22.48

$1.30 MDL 22.45

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MDL 8.94

$0.74 MDL 12.73

-29.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 MDL 51.8

$2.93 MDL 50.6

2.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.28 MDL 73.8

$2.55 MDL 44.01

67.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MDL 20.73

$0.76 MDL 13.09

57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MDL 22.20

$1.52 MDL 26.28

-15.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MDL 5.74

$0.34 MDL 5.78

-2.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.02 MDL 69.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 MDL 29.67

$1.10 MDL 18.94

56.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.26

$0.27 MDL 4.68

-7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 MDL 76.5

$1.18 MDL 20.40

275.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.11

$1.43 MDL 24.64

-10.49%

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

$32.0K MDL 552.7K

$17.9K MDL 308.6K

79.11%

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

$30.7K MDL 529.6K

$18.0K MDL 310.8K

70.36%

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

$166 MDL 2,855

$173 MDL 2,981

-4.22%

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

$7.56 MDL 130

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.93 MDL 189

$7.98 MDL 138

36.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.22 MDL 349

$23.64 MDL 408

-14.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.17 MDL 72.0

$2.35 MDL 40.58

77.45%

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

$396 MDL 6,829

$394 MDL 6,795

0.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,727 MDL 133.3K

$7,528 MDL 129.9K

2.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.32 MDL 747

$11.54 MDL 199

275.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.33 MDL 385

$26.31 MDL 454

-15.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.91 MDL 688

$112 MDL 1,935

-64.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MDL 1,833

$123 MDL 2,118

-13.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$960 MDL 16.6K

$219 MDL 3,771

338.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 MDL 6,405

$93.7 MDL 1,616

296.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 MDL 26.0K

$314 MDL 5,422

379.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 MDL 21.8K

$224 MDL 3,870

464.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,371 MDL 40.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,710 MDL 29.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$320 MDL 5,528

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

-13.42%

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

Last update for Ungheni: April 28, 2026

Last update for Bender: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $960 in Ungheni versus $219 in Bender. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Ungheni versus $18.00 in Bender. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $149 vs $136 – making Bender 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

Ungheni vs Bender: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ungheni is pricier by about 35%, 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 $1,415 per month in Ungheni and $1,051 in Bender. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Ungheni and $18.00 in Bender. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Ungheni, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bender, where all-in costs run around $701, than in Ungheni at $943. In Bender it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ungheni it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bender – 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 Bender. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ungheni makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.