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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $928 per month in Ungheni vs $1,217 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,683 per month in Ungheni vs $1,808 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,439 per month in Ungheni vs $2,399 in Chisinau, rent included.

Ungheni is about 24% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ungheni and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Ungheni 31% lower, Chisinau 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.39 MDL 129

$8.89 MDL 155

-16.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.66 MDL 534

$36.83 MDL 641

-16.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.99 MDL 104

$7.38 MDL 129

-18.83%

Cappuccino

$1.50 MDL 26.12

$1.89 MDL 32.91

-20.63%

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

$0.70 MDL 12.20

$0.92 MDL 16.08

-23.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MDL 7.41

$0.70 MDL 12.14

-38.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 MDL 24.70

$1.79 MDL 31.13

-20.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 MDL 26.00

$2.33 MDL 40.48

-36.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 MDL 21.72

$1.28 MDL 22.21

-2.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 MDL 7.88

$0.56 MDL 9.79

-19.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 MDL 17.39

$1.49 MDL 26.00

-32.89%

Eggs

$2.28 MDL 39.63

$2.61 MDL 45.51

-12.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MDL 134

$10.51 MDL 183

-26.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 MDL 70.2

$5.36 MDL 93.3

-24.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.84 MDL 119

$8.89 MDL 155

-23.06%

Apples (1kg)

$0.55 MDL 9.51

$0.85 MDL 14.79

-35.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MDL 25.90

$1.81 MDL 31.57

-17.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 MDL 29.27

$1.77 MDL 30.81

-5.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 MDL 22.31

$2.15 MDL 37.42

-40.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 MDL 9.54

$0.78 MDL 13.56

-29.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.34 MDL 5.87

$0.59 MDL 10.31

-42.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 MDL 23.57

$1.34 MDL 23.34

0.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MDL 9.03

$0.90 MDL 15.63

-42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 MDL 53.1

$3.28 MDL 57.0

-7.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.34 MDL 75.6

$4.59 MDL 80.0

-5.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MDL 20.69

$1.21 MDL 21.12

-1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MDL 22.39

$1.99 MDL 34.57

-35.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MDL 6.39

$0.36 MDL 6.29

2.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.82 MDL 241

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 MDL 30.14

$2.10 MDL 36.50

-17.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.74

$0.27 MDL 4.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.45 MDL 77.5

$5.17 MDL 90.0

-13.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.20

$1.38 MDL 24.06

-7.25%

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

$32.2K MDL 560.1K

$31.9K MDL 555.7K

0.79%

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

$31.0K MDL 539.2K

$31.5K MDL 548.8K

-1.75%

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

$162 MDL 2,826

$170 MDL 2,954

-4.32%

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

$7.51 MDL 131

$7.34 MDL 128

2.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.77 MDL 187

$10.78 MDL 188

-0.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.57 MDL 358

$43.85 MDL 763

-53.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.97 MDL 383

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 MDL 72.3

$7.45 MDL 130

-44.30%

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

$397 MDL 6,920

$391 MDL 6,800

1.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,518 MDL 130.9K

$7,516 MDL 130.9K

0.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.37 MDL 772

$67.0 MDL 1,166

-33.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.61 MDL 376

$54.2 MDL 943

-60.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.25 MDL 701

$110 MDL 1,923

-63.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MDL 1,912

$122 MDL 2,132

-10.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MDL 16.8K

$673 MDL 11.7K

43.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 MDL 6,350

$468 MDL 8,146

-22.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 MDL 26.3K

$1,243 MDL 21.6K

21.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 MDL 22.3K

$822 MDL 14.3K

55.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,307 MDL 40.2K

$2,599 MDL 45.2K

-11.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,693 MDL 29.5K

$1,879 MDL 32.7K

-9.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$867 MDL 15.1K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Ungheni versus $673 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: $150 vs $192 – 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 31%, 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 $1,392 per month in Ungheni and $1,826 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 $928 in Ungheni and $1,217 in Chisinau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $397 per month in Ungheni and $391 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 $928, than in Chisinau at $1,217. 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.