Cost of Living Comparison Between Ungheni and Chisinau Cost of Living Comparison Between Ungheni and Chisinau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $923 per month in Ungheni vs $1,231 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,666 per month in Ungheni vs $1,813 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,409 per month in Ungheni vs $2,394 in Chisinau, rent included.

Ungheni is about 25% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ungheni and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Ungheni 31% lower, Chisinau 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.16 MDL 123

$8.53 MDL 147

-16.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.56 MDL 525

$37.11 MDL 638

-17.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 MDL 99.0

$7.53 MDL 130

-23.51%

Cappuccino

$1.47 MDL 25.32

$1.87 MDL 32.22

-21.39%

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

$0.71 MDL 12.20

$0.99 MDL 17.03

-28.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MDL 6.78

$0.70 MDL 12.01

-44.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 MDL 24.69

$1.74 MDL 29.89

-17.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MDL 24.57

$2.29 MDL 39.41

-37.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.15

$1.29 MDL 22.16

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 MDL 7.69

$0.52 MDL 8.98

-13.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 MDL 17.20

$1.46 MDL 25.03

-31.51%

Eggs

$2.16 MDL 37.20

$2.62 MDL 44.99

-17.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 MDL 130

$10.22 MDL 176

-26.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.98 MDL 68.4

$5.35 MDL 92.0

-25.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.76 MDL 116

$8.69 MDL 149

-22.21%

Apples (1kg)

$0.56 MDL 9.54

$0.84 MDL 14.40

-33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 25.84

$1.82 MDL 31.29

-17.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 MDL 29.81

$1.78 MDL 30.52

-2.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 MDL 23.31

$2.17 MDL 37.27

-37.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 MDL 9.36

$0.81 MDL 13.93

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 MDL 5.74

$0.54 MDL 9.31

-38.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MDL 23.31

$1.30 MDL 22.40

4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MDL 8.19

$0.90 MDL 15.47

-46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 MDL 54.1

$3.28 MDL 56.4

-3.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.38 MDL 75.4

$4.73 MDL 81.4

-7.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 MDL 19.67

$1.21 MDL 20.84

-5.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 MDL 23.24

$1.91 MDL 32.83

-29.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.77

$0.33 MDL 5.75

3.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.47 MDL 232

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 MDL 29.48

$2.07 MDL 35.61

-17.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.27

$0.25 MDL 4.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 MDL 77.3

$5.33 MDL 91.7

-15.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 MDL 21.27

$1.44 MDL 24.76

-13.89%

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

$32.6K MDL 559.8K

$32.7K MDL 561.9K

-0.38%

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

$30.9K MDL 531.6K

$31.5K MDL 540.7K

-1.69%

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

$167 MDL 2,865

$174 MDL 2,991

-4.24%

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

$7.73 MDL 133

$7.38 MDL 127

4.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.66 MDL 183

$10.98 MDL 189

-2.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.83 MDL 358

$43.14 MDL 742

-51.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.18 MDL 381

Cinema Ticket

$4.03 MDL 69.3

$7.63 MDL 131

-47.18%

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

$395 MDL 6,786

$388 MDL 6,663

1.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,623 MDL 131.0K

$7,708 MDL 132.5K

-1.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.67 MDL 751

$65.4 MDL 1,123

-33.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.84 MDL 376

$54.3 MDL 934

-59.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.71 MDL 683

$111 MDL 1,911

-64.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MDL 1,887

$120 MDL 2,071

-8.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 MDL 16.2K

$668 MDL 11.5K

40.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 MDL 6,302

$468 MDL 8,048

-21.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,488 MDL 25.6K

$1,243 MDL 21.4K

19.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MDL 21.4K

$798 MDL 13.7K

56.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,361 MDL 40.6K

$2,649 MDL 45.5K

-10.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,752 MDL 30.1K

$1,901 MDL 32.7K

-7.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$864 MDL 14.9K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $940 in Ungheni versus $668 in Chisinau. 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 $37.00 in Chisinau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $149 vs $190 – making Ungheni 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 Chisinau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chisinau is pricier by about 33%, 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 $1,384 per month in Ungheni and $1,846 in Chisinau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $923 in Ungheni and $1,231 in Chisinau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $395 per month in Ungheni and $388 in Chisinau. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ungheni, where all-in costs run around $923, than in Chisinau at $1,231. In Ungheni it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chisinau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ungheni – 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 Ungheni. 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.