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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $679 per month in Ungheni vs $1,340 in Chisinau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,072 per month in Ungheni vs $2,023 in Chisinau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,465 per month in Ungheni vs $2,705 in Chisinau, rent included.

Ungheni is about 49% cheaper than Chisinau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ungheni and Chisinau are more affordable than the global median – Ungheni 51% lower, Chisinau 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.81 MDL 134

$11.65 MDL 199

-32.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.47 MDL 402

$50.2 MDL 860

-53.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.83 MDL 117

$8.85 MDL 151

-22.82%

Cappuccino

$1.50 MDL 25.60

$2.19 MDL 37.47

-31.51%

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

$0.79 MDL 13.55

$1.30 MDL 22.25

-39.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MDL 7.80

$0.89 MDL 15.31

-48.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 MDL 17.59

$2.31 MDL 39.49

-55.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 MDL 24.66

$2.09 MDL 35.73

-31.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MDL 29.14

$1.26 MDL 21.53

34.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 MDL 6.27

$0.70 MDL 11.91

-47.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 MDL 15.24

$1.45 MDL 24.85

-38.62%

Eggs

$1.96 MDL 33.62

$2.83 MDL 48.42

-30.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 MDL 182

$10.38 MDL 178

2.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.12 MDL 70.5

$5.44 MDL 93.1

-24.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.99 MDL 154

$9.23 MDL 158

-2.60%

Apples (1kg)

$0.45 MDL 7.74

$1.04 MDL 17.87

-56.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 MDL 21.56

$2.01 MDL 34.43

-37.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 MDL 18.74

$2.18 MDL 37.41

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 MDL 20.57

$2.35 MDL 40.20

-48.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 MDL 8.24

$0.68 MDL 11.65

-29.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 MDL 6.22

$0.57 MDL 9.76

-36.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 MDL 40.85

$1.49 MDL 25.45

60.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MDL 14.46

$0.89 MDL 15.18

-5.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 MDL 60.7

$3.40 MDL 58.3

4.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.51 MDL 77.2

$4.71 MDL 80.6

-4.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 MDL 25.50

$1.32 MDL 22.55

12.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 MDL 29.22

$1.96 MDL 33.51

-12.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.80

$0.42 MDL 7.23

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.75 MDL 235

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 MDL 30.37

$2.32 MDL 39.70

-23.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 MDL 7.33

$0.34 MDL 5.77

26.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 MDL 65.5

$5.35 MDL 91.6

-28.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 MDL 24.28

$1.64 MDL 28.14

-13.41%

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

$30.5K MDL 522.2K

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

$21.6K MDL 369.1K

$31.2K MDL 534.8K

-30.97%

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

$141 MDL 2,417

$256 MDL 4,386

-44.89%

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

$11.72 MDL 201

$9.82 MDL 168

19.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.41 MDL 281

$11.05 MDL 189

48.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.75 MDL 252

$44.19 MDL 757

-66.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.05 MDL 360

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 MDL 71.2

$8.72 MDL 149

-52.29%

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

$437 MDL 7,477

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,037 MDL 103.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 MDL 865

$81.1 MDL 1,389

-37.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.54 MDL 300

$49.11 MDL 841

-64.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.62 MDL 593

$123 MDL 2,103

-71.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.6 MDL 1,192

$117 MDL 1,997

-40.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 MDL 4,485

$706 MDL 12.1K

-62.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 MDL 1,967

$443 MDL 7,591

-74.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 MDL 5,883

$1,297 MDL 22.2K

-73.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 MDL 5,032

$862 MDL 14.8K

-65.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,301 MDL 39.4K

$2,775 MDL 47.5K

-17.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,756 MDL 30.1K

$2,007 MDL 34.4K

-12.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$919 MDL 15.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.41

-14.98%

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

Last update for Ungheni: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chisinau: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Ungheni versus $706 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 $23.00 in Ungheni versus $50.0 in Chisinau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $174 vs $200 – 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 97%, 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 $1,019 per month in Ungheni and $2,010 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.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Chisinau, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Ungheni and $50.0 in Chisinau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ungheni, where all-in costs run around $679, than in Chisinau at $1,340. 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.