Cost of living in Chisinau: let’s analyze costs of food, real estate, entertainment and transport in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova
Cost of living in Chisinau, Moldova: Considering visiting Moldova? Even more specifically, do you want to relocate to Chisinau? Take a look below and make up your mind with the analysis we have performed on the capital and biggest city of Moldova.
Cost of Living in Chisinau, Moldova
Chisinau is the biggest city in Moldova. Being the capital of the country, it will provide you with the best option from a quality of life point of view. It is still an emerging Eastern European city coming with all the good and bad of such a city.
It is full of vibrant life, young people looking to make the most out of their lives, tasting the freedom that new opportunities usually provide. While expats are still a rare sight within the city, more and more foreigners are coming to the city, be it as turists or as working professionals. It is the perfect time to get ahead of the curve and set down roots in this future prosperous urban centre.
As it is still an uncut diamond, the cost of living is very low. You can find good amenities at good prices as well as food that was grown in local farmer’s gardens. If you are looking to go out and have some fun or grab a bite to eat, mosts clubs, bars and restaurants offer very affordable prices for a westerner’s budget. It is actually one of the cheapest capitals in Europe.
Let’s check some data for the cost of living in Chisinau, Moldova below:
The currency in Moldova is the Moldovan Leu. The conversion rate to the MDL is 1 dollar to 17.70 MDL as of April 30, 2024.
If you want to suggest your own values based on your experiences in this city, click on edit and insert the values. Upon moderation they will be calculated to make part of the average prices displayed below.
| Food | Price [EDIT] |
|---|---|
| 1 liter of milk | 0.90 USD |
| 1 loaf of bread | 0.80 USD |
| 1 kg of tomatoes | 2.50 USD |
| 1 kg of chicken | 4.50 USD |
| 1 single meal cheap restaurant | 5.25 USD |
| 1 single meal high-end restaurant | 19.30 USD |
| 1 cappuccino or latte | 1.90 USD |
| 1 big pizza delivery | 9.00 USD |
| Real Estate | Price [EDIT] |
| 1 bedroom flat (40 m2) rent per month | 340.00 USD |
| 1 bedroom flat (40 m2) utilities per month | 85.00 USD |
| 2 bedroom flat (80 m2) rent per month | 470.00 USD |
| 2 bedroom flat (80 m2) utilities per month | 140.00 USD |
| Price per square meter (city center) | 1,200.00 USD |
| Transport | Price [EDIT] |
| 1 single ride public transport | 0.17 USD |
| Monthly public transport ticket | 12.00 USD |
| 1 km taxi or similar transport app | 0.40 USD |
| 1 liter of gasoline (1/4 gallon) | 1.60 USD |
| Toyota Corolla (new) basic version | 21,998.98 USD |
| Salaries | Price [EDIT] |
| Minimum Salary | 220.00 USD |
| Average Salary (net) | 350.00 USD |
| Extras | Price [EDIT] |
| 1 ticket to the movies (adult price) | 6.00 USD |
| High speed internet per month | 10.50 USD |
| 1 month gym subscription | 27.00 USD |
Cost of Living for Students in Chisinau, Moldova
Chisinau is a good place for students to live in. However, as a general note, the Universities here are not very popular by people outside of the country. Regardless of this however, if you decide to go study in Chisinau, you will be very lucky.
While the night-life is very abundant and you can find many things to occupy your time with, the city will offer all of its prospects at a very low price. Besides this, accommodations can be found at a very low price. Getting a high enough admission grade will grant you a place in a dormitory where everything is paid for, besides the monthly admin fee.
Very important to note is that tuition fees are around 500 EUR per year. Universities vary in length based on the type of degree you are going after. So, Bachelour of Arts usually takes 3 years to complete, while a Bachelour of Law or of Science takes 4 years.
Here are some of the top Universities in Chisinau:
Technical University of Moldova
Academy of Economic Studies from Moldova
Getting a Job in Chisinau
Chisinau has a very up and coming feel to it. There aren’t a lot of available jobs where English is the only spoken language. However, there are more and more international companies that are opening offices there due to the skilled labour and lower costs associated.
Another option is for Russian speakers, as you can find work a bit easier this way. Moldova still has business relationships with Russia from the times of the Soviet Union. You will find a lot of people, mostly the better educated ones, still speak Russian as their main language.
However, don’t be discouraged, good professionals are in great demand in Moldova. The country is suffering from an acute brain drain, making high paying jobs a frequent occurrence for very skilled individuals. However, such positions still garner a lower wage than their equivalent in more powerful countries such as Romania, Hungary or Slovakia, to name a few from its vicinity.
Here are some websites for job hunting in Chisinau:
Quality of Life in Chisinau
In Chisinau, you will get almost all of the benefits from living in a European Capital. It is a very safe city with maybe only petty crime to look out for. The city offers a lot of restaurants and bars, so entertainment is not an issue. Finally, the increasing number of flights to the capital is making Chisinau more accessible in recent years.
Amongst the negative aspects in Chisinau the bureaucracy is certainly high, especially for a non-native speaker. The transport infrastructure is pretty lacking as well as public transportation, which has a lot of room for improvements.
However, as an emerging capital city, the trend is overall positive for Chisinau’s infrastructure and quality of life.
If you are visiting Chisinau soon you may want to check some of our other Moldova guides. Check the where to stay in Chisinau. You can also check the our article on how to find a job in Moldova, and the average and minimum salary in Moldova.
Other Resources for Expats and Travelers
Salaries Worldwide: check our articles on wages worldwide and understand better the economics of the countries you may be considering to move or invest.
Retire Abroad: check our retirement guides and maximize your retirement income and quality of life.
Jetradar: compare and find the cheapest air fares worldwide.