Cost of Living in Chisinau

Mrs. Tatiana, I do not understand your speech very much. I live in Moldova for 20 years and I am Italian. The statistics say that life in Chisinau costs 59% less than in Italy, but you say that life costs more in Moldova than in Europe. It's not true. There are expenses that are NOT mentioned in the statistics that make a big difference. For example the cost of repairing a car: to change the brake pads to a car in Italy, you spend about 200 euros. In Moldova about 15 times less. In Italy to repair the engine of a car is spent 7000 euros, in Moldova you can also spend 200 euros. In Moldova you all go to the restaurant, in Italy many people do not go there anymore because they can not do it. You Moldovans can spend thousands of euros for baptisms, marriages and birthdays, the Italians spend those thousands of euros to pay taxes. Between taxes and insurance for a car, Italians can spend up to 1800 euros a year, in Moldova only 50. Moldovans can afford massages and therapies of all kinds for the back: the Italians have to spend 100 euros for massages from physiotherapists, while in Moldova it costs 8 euros maximum. In Moldova you pay ridiculous taxes on the house and on many other things, and it is still possible to avoid them almost completely. Do not be without objectivity. Mathematics is not a political idea, it is an indisputable fact. Even the minimum prices indicated are often exaggerated because in Moldova the buyer has resources that in Italy there are not. In Moldova in the night market you can buy vegetables, for example, at a third of the prices you buy during the day.

I currently live in Cuenca, Ecuador and have for five years. I just returned from a three week trip to Chisinau, Moldova. Here are the differences I noted.

Ed O'Connor
Cuenca, Ecuador

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CUENCA, ECUADOR & CHISINAU, MOLDOVA
As I found differences between the two cities / countries I noted them, good, bad or indifferent – there is no particular order.

1. There Are Four Seasons In Moldova – The Weather Is Similar To Central Pennsylvania
2. Gasoline Is about $.95/Liter In Chisinau and comes in 92, 95 and 98 octane. Diesel Fuel Is $.10 less. ( 1 Gallon Is 3.8 Liters)
3. Prices Are Lower In Chisinau Except Utilities
4. We Could Sleep - Noise Levels In Chisinau Are MUCH Lower
a. No Dogs Barking All Day & Night
b. No Bars In Residential Areas
c. No Motorcycles Seeing Who Can Be The Loudest
d. No Partying On The Streets After The Bars Close
e. No Fireworks
5. In Chisinau, No Polluting Buses – Electric Trolley Buses Are Used
a. The Drivers Aren’t Lunatics
b. Drivers are Separated From Passengers
c. Buses Are Curb Height
d. A Person On The Bus Collects The Fare And Gives Change
e. One Can Use The Front, Center Or Rear Doors To Enter/Exit
f. Entrances/Exits Are Very Wide
g. Cost To Ride: $.11 For All
h. There Are Electronic Signs Above The Bus Windshields And On The Side Indicating Bus Number And Destination
i. Not Knocked Around By Back Packs On Buses
j. No Line Jumping
k. Buses Are Cleaner Inside And Out
l. No Rap Or Other Annoying Music On Bus
6. Very Little Graffiti Defacing Buildings In Chisinau
7. Even though Chisinau Was Founded In 1436, Sidewalks Are 20-30 Feet Wide, But Then There Was Much Destruction During WWII And Rebuilding Was Necessary.
8. Sidewalks Are Not Obstacle Courses In Chisinau.
9. Don’t Have To Worry About Avoiding Dog Poop On The Sidewalks In Chisinau.
10. In Chisinau Pedestrians Don’t Try To Walk Over You, Through You Or Try To Push You Into The Street As Though They Owned The Sidewalk.
11. In Chisinau - Many Trash Receptacles Along Sidewalks And In Parks – Not Much Litter On The Ground And No Street Sweepers.
12. VERY Few Car Alarms Blaring In Chisinau – Heard Three In Three Weeks.
13. Cars Do Not Use Horns As Soon As The Light Changes In Chisinau
14. Cars Use Turn Signals In Chisinau
15. Cars Stop For People In Crosswalks In Chisinau
16. In Chisinau At Crosswalks Both “Walk” And “Don’t Walk” Signs Show The Seconds Remaining
17. Waiters / Waitresses Remember What One Orders At Chisinau Restaurants
18. IVA 8% To 20% In Chisinau
19. IVA Is Not Returned To Seniors In Chisinau
20. There Were No “Senior Only” Lines In Chisinau
21. No Problems With The Airport In Chisinau
22. Streets Are Three-Lane And Most Are One Way In Chisinau
23. Even Though Moldova Is The Poorest Country In Europe, I Have Never Seen So Many Volvo’s, Land Rovers, Range Rovers, Porsche’s, Mercedes, Audi’s And BMW’s Anywhere.
24. Groceries In Chisinau Are Less Expensive – Example: Chicken Breasts Are Around $3.00 Per Kilo.
25. In Chisinau It Is Very Difficult To Flag Down A Taxi – They Must Be Called On The Phone Most Of The Time.
26. In Chisinau The Main Street Is Six Lanes – Three Lanes Both Ways With Pedestrian Walkways Underneath The Main Intersection – In The Underground Walkways There Are Store And Shops
27. People Are Less Friendly In Chisinau – Sometimes Quite Rude
28. In Chisinau Restaurants There Are Napkins, Salt, Pepper And Toothpicks On The Tables. Many Restaurants Have Pink Sea Salt, Oil And Vinegar On Tables, Also.
29. Chisinau Public Restrooms Have Toilet Paper, Soap, Paper Towels And Are Clean.
30. In Chisinau Toilet Paper Can Be Flushed
31. In Chisinau The Refrigerators Are Taller But Narrower And The Freezer Is On The Bottom.
32. In Chisinau The Washing Machines Are Front Load And The Capacity Is About One-Third That Of A Standard Washer
33. Very Few Drying Machines In Chisinau – Clothes Drying Is Done On A Drying Rack, Outside Or On The Balcony.
34. Streets In Chisinau Are Tree Lined, Main Four Lane Routes Are Tree Lined, Back Roads Are Tree Lined With Walnut Trees So People Can Collect The Walnuts.
35. Apartment Bathrooms Are Two Rooms – One With A Toilette And Sink, The Other With Bathtub And Sink
36. People In Chisinau Are Very Punctual
37. In Chisinau People Do Not Come In Late, Eat, Bring Infants/Toddlers Or Talk During A Symphony / Opera Performance – But Then Concerts Aren’t Free.
38. In Chisinau There Are No Loud-Mouthed Gringos Trying To Win The Gringo Yelling Contest In Restaurants.
39. In Chisinau The Financial Institutions Pay Less Interest.
40. In Chisinau There Is No Problem Getting Change After A Purchase.
41. In Chisinau Money Must Be Exchanged – The Currency Is The Moldovan Leu……Averages About 17.25 Leu Per US Dollar (A Leu Is A Little Less Than $.06). I Had 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 Leu Notes. There are also 500 and 1000 Leu Notes – I Did Not See Any. The Coins Are Called Bani. A Bani is 1/100 Of A Leu.
42. One Does Not Get “Gringo’ed” In Chisinau. The Prices Are Marked And We All Paid The Same.
43. There Is No “Gringolandia” In Chisinau.
44. Did Not See A Person Peeing On The Sidewalks In Chisinau.
45. Saw Very Few Babies Or Pregnant Women In Chisinau.
46. Didn’t Have Rice At Restaurants – It Does Not Get Served With Meals In Chisinau Unless Ordered.
47. My Allergy/Sinus Problem Disappeared In Chisinau – I Didn’t Have To Take An Allergy Pill, (Cleaner Air?).
48. Many More People Smoke Cigarettes In Chisinau – Local Cigs Are $.10 Per Pack.
49. In Chisinau Health Insurance Only Costs $230 Per YEAR. If One Pays The Premium Before April 1st, It Is Half Price. It Is An 80/20 Plan. My Wife’s, Cousin’s Husband Had An 8 Hour Heart Operation – They Paid $2012.
50. Electricity Is 220-240 Volts In Chisinau And Moldova.
51. For Some Reason My Eye Glasses Only Had To Be Cleaned Once Every Three Days. In Cuenca I Clean Them Three Or Four Times Daily. (Cleaner Air?)
52. In Chisinau Most Menus Are In Three Languages - Russian, Romanian And English
53. In Chisinau Most Museums Have The Exhibits In Three Languages.
54. In Moldova The Political Situation Is Iffy – Moldova, Although The Size Of Maryland, Is Divided Into 3 Separate Geopolitical Regions
55. Heard Both Good And Bad About The Health Care System In Chisinau – Bribery Helps
56. In Chisinau The Bread Is So Much Better. It Doesn’t Taste Like It Was Made With Sawdust.
57. In Chisinau The Ice Cream Is Really Ice Cream And Is Much More Flavorful And Cheaper.
58. Meats Are MUCH Better In Chisinau.
59. Average Monthly Wage In Moldova - $267
60. I Definitely Had A Language Problem In Chisinau. Olga Did Not – She Speaks Russian, Romanian And English.
61. When Entering An Apartment In Chisinau, Shoes Are Removed And “House Shoes” Are Provided For One To Wear
62. Wines Are Better And Less Expensive In Chisinau.
63. In Chisinau One Can Bring Any Size Container And Have It Filled With Wine From A Barrel At The Super Market.
64. Liquor And Beer Are Less Expensive In Chisinau.
65. The Price In Chisinau for My Wife, Olga, To Have Her Hair Done Was $9.00
66. In Chisinau People Do Not Wear Cargo Pants, North Face Gear And Backpacks Looking Like They Are Going On Safari Or Getting Ready To Climb Mount Everest
67. I did Not See One Back Pack At The Symphony, Opera Or Concert Performances.
68. Heard And Saw Many More Ambulances In Chisinau
69. Some Prices In Restaurants:
· Bailey’s - $2.60
· Amaretto - $2.05
· Finlandia - $1.50
· House Vodka - $.90
· Bottle Of Wine - $5.20
· Glass Of Wine - $1.10
· Martini - $1.15
· Bacardi - $2.05
· Local Beer - $.95
· Burger / Fries - $3.20
· Cappuccino - $1.30
· Two Eggs, Bacon, Toast - $1.80
· Pasta Dishes - $2.60
70. No Meters In Cabs In Chisinau – Had To Ask For A Price
71. Maxi Taxis Are 12 Passenger Mercedes Sprinter Vans That Charge $.15 And Are Marked As To Where They Go in Chisinau.
72. Did Not See Any Pick-Up Trucks In Chisinau.
73. On Chisinau Restaurant Menus, The Weight Of The Item Is Listed.
74. In Chisinau There were No Electric Wires, Internet Cables, etc. Hanging Low And The Wires Didn’t Look Like A Mass Of Spaghetti At The Electric Poles.
75. Construction Projects Are Completed On Time In Chisinau.
76. Didn’t See Any Broken Bottles / Glass On Chisinau Sidewalks / Streets.
77. I Saw Women On The Sidewalks Wearing Dresses And Skirt Outfits – But Not As Many As When I Was There 12 Years Ago.
78. Saw More Street Cats Than Street Dogs In Chisinau.
79. Didn’t See Many Street Vendors In Chisinau.
80. Didn’t See Any Street Performers In Chisinau.
81. In Chisinau Receipts Are Not Nearly As Long & Wide.
82. In Chisinau Streets Names Are Posted At Every Corner.

Hey tatiyana. I am from India i want to visit moldova is it possible to live lavish life with 1000 usd

Prices for apartment rentals are totally off. A 3 bedroom apartment outside the center will cost you around 500-600 euro

Numbeo, I think you should reconsider cost of living for Chisinau comparing with Bucharest. I know, rents in the Romanian capital are higher but most prices are not so different. I have been travelling to Moldova at least twice per year from Romania for the last 5 years and I can tell that some prices in Chisinau are higher than in Bucharest. Examples: Clothes, electronics, some types of food and other consumer goods are often cheaper and of a better quality comparing with Chisinau. I have friends in Moldova and they come to city of Iasi for shopping due to the same reason explained by me above. Average salary in Moldova is about 200-250 EUR, and still, this income you can get in the capital only, in the country side you will not earn more than 150 EUR. Of course, Moldova has through the best wine in the world and traditional food is delicious with good prices-but these prices are cheap for foreigners with salaries above 700-800 EUR.

hey guy's, I am traveling to chisinau often. The country is nice and people are amazing.
Of course some how mathematically its dosent match for a middle class life style income and their experience, I can guess average salary is 8000Lie around €400 but still it's very low if you compare to other countries. Monthly expenses will be around €500 for middle class families if they don't have bank credit over their shoulders.

I don't know about life in Poland but I grew up in Moldova, left the country 26 years ago. All family still in Moldova. Kishinev changed a lot, many nice buildings...but despite high prices at high end Hotels and Restaurants, service is medioco. Cleaneness - the same. Nobody smiles or friendly although I know people in Moldova just wonderful and good.
Life in Moldova is very difficult. Over million and a half of people working all over the world. People leave their families to make $ somewhere else. How sad is this? Moldova always had good soil, grape vineries - what happen to it? Why this corrapt goverment don't use hard working hands of Moldovian people to better their country?
Why Portugal, Italy and Greece can use them but not one of the poorest country in the world, Moldova?