Cost Of Living For a Student in Chisinau 2024
Average Monthly Expenditure
Currency: MDL
Average monthly spending for students in Chisinau
How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Chisinau?
Students in Chisinau spend around 20,000 MDL per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 3,100 MDL or as high as 140,000 MDL. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Chisinau
Dining, food, and beverages costs
Fast food combo meal
Restaurant meal for one
Fine dining meal for one
| 270 MDL | 400 MDL | 1,600 MDL |
Cappuccino or latte
Grocery and market costs
Milk large bottle
12 eggs
Fresh whole chicken
Pack of beef
Medium bag of rice
Bag of tomatos
Bag of apples
Commute, travel, and transportation costs
20 minutes taxi ride
Average car full tank
Average car 1-day rental
Average car price
| 96,000 MDL | 190,000 MDL | 260,000 MDL |
Bus ticket one way
Car Service
Utility cost (monthly)
Utility Bill - Student
| 120 MDL | 820 MDL | 5,400 MDL |
Internet and cable
Mobile phone charges
Leisure and activities costs
Movie ticket
One month gym membership
Cloths and accessories costs
Pair of jeans or pants
Woman dress
| 240 MDL | 330 MDL | 1,100 MDL |
Woman shoes
Men's shoes
Men suit
| 210 MDL | 260 MDL | 1,400 MDL |
Regular t-shirt
Housing costs / monthly rent
Studio apartment
| 3,500 MDL | 5,300 MDL | 14,000 MDL |
1-bedroom apartment
| 5,300 MDL | 8,500 MDL | 21,000 MDL |
2-bedroom apartment
| 7,100 MDL | 11,000 MDL | 28,000 MDL |
Housing costs / Buying
Studio apartment
| 710,000 MDL | 1.1M MDL | 2.1M MDL |
1-bedroom apartment
| 850,000 MDL | 1.4M MDL | 5.3M MDL |
2-bedroom apartment
| 1.4M MDL | 4.2M MDL | 8.5M MDL |
| $79,000 | $240,000 | $480,000 |
Furniture Costs
King Size Bed
| 3,800 MDL | 4,800 MDL | 6,400 MDL |
Double Bed
| 2,600 MDL | 3,800 MDL | 4,800 MDL |
Single Bed
| 2,300 MDL | 2,900 MDL | 3,800 MDL |
Living Room
| 4,300 MDL | 5,500 MDL | 19,000 MDL |
Dining Table
| 1,900 MDL | 2,600 MDL | 4,800 MDL |
Sofa or Couch
| 2,600 MDL | 3,500 MDL | 7,700 MDL |
Electronics and House Appliance Costs
TV Set
| 2,600 MDL | 3,800 MDL | 7,700 MDL |
Fridge or Freezer
| 2,300 MDL | 3,500 MDL | 4,800 MDL |
Washing Machine
| 2,900 MDL | 4,300 MDL | 7,700 MDL |
Stove or Cooker
| 2,700 MDL | 3,500 MDL | 4,800 MDL |
Mobile Phone
| 3,200 MDL | 3,800 MDL | 5,500 MDL |
Laptop or Computer
| 3,500 MDL | 4,300 MDL | 7,700 MDL |
How do students spend their money in Chisinau?
We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.
Housing and accomodation expenditure for students
Accomodation Cost18%
18% of total expenses on average (13% to 24%)
| LOW | $42 750 MDL |
| AVERAGE | $280 4,900 MDL |
| HIGH | $1,800 33,000 MDL |
| Per Month |
Students in Chisinau typically spend from 13% to 24% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 18% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 4,900 MDL with expenditure ranging from 750 MDL to 33,000 MDL. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.
Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for students
Cost of utilities6%
6% of total expenses on average (4% to 10%)
| LOW | $7 120 MDL |
| AVERAGE | $46 820 MDL |
| HIGH | $310 5,400 MDL |
| Per Month |
Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Chisinau ranges from 4% to 10% of total expenses with 6% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 820 MDL with 120 MDL and 5,400 MDL being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.
Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students
Cost of transport and fuel4%
4% of total expenses on average (4% to 10%)
| LOW | $12 220 MDL |
| AVERAGE | $80 1,400 MDL |
| HIGH | $540 9,500 MDL |
| Per Month |
Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a student resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a student would expect to spend from 220 MDL to 9,500 MDL in a month on commuting with 1,400 MDL being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 4% of total spending on average but can go as low as 4% or as high as 10%.
Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students
Food and Groceries Cost23%
23% of total expenses on average (17% to 27%)
| LOW | $35 620 MDL |
| AVERAGE | $230 4,100 MDL |
| HIGH | $1,500 27,000 MDL |
| Per Month |
The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Chisinau is 4,100 MDL. The cost of groceries can range between 620 MDL to 27,000 MDL. Students spend on average about 23% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 17% and 27% respectively.
Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students
Cost of healthcare9%
9% of total expenses on average (6% to 12%)
| LOW | $11 190 MDL |
| AVERAGE | $69 1,200 MDL |
| HIGH | $460 8,200 MDL |
| Per Month |
Students in Chisinau allocate 6% to 12% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 9%. The range of medical expenses range from 190 MDL to 8,200 MDL with 1,200 MDL being the norm for most students.
Leisure and shopping expenditure for students
Cost of leisure and shopping3%
3% of total expenses on average (2% to 7%)
| LOW | $8.8 160 MDL |
| AVERAGE | $57 1,000 MDL |
| HIGH | $380 6,800 MDL |
| Per Month |
This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 160 MDL to 6,800 MDL with 1,000 MDL being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 2% to 7% of total expenses with an average of 3% for most students.
Education and schooling expenditure for students
Cost of education and schooling18%
18% of total expenses on average (11% to 23%)
| LOW | $33 590 MDL |
| AVERAGE | $220 3,900 MDL |
| HIGH | $1,500 26,000 MDL |
| Per Month |
Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 18% of the monthly expenditure of students with 11% and 23% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 3,900 MDL per month with 590 MDL being the minimum spent amount and 26,000 MDL being the maximum.
Other Expenses18%
18% of total expenses on average (12% to 24%)
| LOW | $26 470 MDL |
| AVERAGE | $170 3,100 MDL |
| HIGH | $1,100 20,000 MDL |
| Per Month |
A typical and healthy budgeting structure
The 50/30/20 rule
Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle,
location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule,
which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.
50% for needs and financial obligations
This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.
30% for wants and discretionary spending
This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.
20% for savings and emergency fund
This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.
About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting
The 50/30/20 rule is used as a general guideline but may not be the best choice for all people. There are in fact many budgeting plans out there like the 70/20/10 and the 60/20/20 rules, all claiming to be the best. More important than all of this is to establish financial discipline by creating a budget tailored to your specific financial goals and situation. It is very important that your financial outflow be less than your income to maintain a healthy cash flow.
Affordable living in Chisinau
Income and cost of living compatibility
We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.
Is it affordable or economical to live in Chisinau?
Around 68% of surveyed students think that living in Chisinau is affordable with proper budgeting while 33% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.
Low-cost alternatives in Chisinau
People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked students how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:
Plenty of low-cost options60%
Few low-cost options40%
Based on the survey, 60% of the students living in Chisinau have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 40% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.
Emergency Funds For Students
An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked students of Chisinau whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.
Yes63%
No37%
Based on the survey, 37% of the students living in Chisinau said that they don't have an emergency fund while 63% said that they do.
Financial Literacy in Moldova
Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.
Financial Leteracy59%
We asked student guardians and parents in Chisinau whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 41% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 59% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.
Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning
We wanted to understand whether students of Moldova have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 44% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 56% said that they have everything under control.
Struggles with finance44%
Easily manages finances56%
Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Chisinau
Rental costs and house/apartment prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Rent Cost in Chisinau
Monthly Rent Prices
Studio apartment monthly rent cost
| 3,500 MDL | 5,300 MDL | 14,000 MDL |
1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 5,300 MDL | 8,500 MDL | 21,000 MDL |
2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 7,100 MDL | 11,000 MDL | 28,000 MDL |
3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 8,500 MDL | 14,000 MDL | 38,000 MDL |
Furnished apartment monthly rent cost
| 17,000 MDL | 42,000 MDL | 85,000 MDL |
Townhouse monthly rent cost
| 14,000 MDL | 21,000 MDL | 60,000 MDL |
House monthly rent cost
| 17,000 MDL | 42,000 MDL | 85,000 MDL |
Villa monthly rent cost
| 21,000 MDL | 53,000 MDL | 85,000 MDL |
The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Chisinau ranges between 3,500 MDL and 14,000 MDL, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 5,300 MDL to 21,000 MDL. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 7,100 MDL and 28,000 MDL per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 8,500 MDL to 38,000 MDL. The average rent of a townhouse in Chisinau is around 21,000 MDL while house rental costs can be as high as 42,000 MDL per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 21,000 MDL to 85,000 MDL per month.
Apartment and house prices in Chisinau
Cost of buying a property
Studio apartment price
| 710,000 MDL | 1.1M MDL | 2.1M MDL |
1-bedroom apartment price
| 850,000 MDL | 1.4M MDL | 5.3M MDL |
2-bedroom apartment price
| 1.4M MDL | 4.2M MDL | 8.5M MDL |
| $79,000 | $240,000 | $480,000 |
3-bedroom apartment price
| 4.7M MDL | 7.1M MDL | 21M MDL |
Townhouse price
House price
Villa price
The average price of a studio apartment in Chisinau can range from 710,000 MDL to 2.1M MDL depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 850,000 MDL to 5.3M MDL. A villa can cost you 47M MDL on average with prices ranging from 8.5M MDL to 71M MDL.
If you're leasing or purchasing, housing costs in Chisinau will probably constitute your biggest expenditure, yet it's an area where you wield considerable influence. This is due to the substantial variance in housing prices across communities. Keep in mind the location of your workplace and the accessibility of essential amenities to prevent negating the savings from lower rental rates with increased transportation expenses.
House / apartment prices to income ratio
Property price to income ratio
( average property price / average monthly income ) x 100
| 43 | x128 monthly income | 224 |
Property prices in Chisinau can be x128 to x224 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x128 multiples of the average monthly salary in Chisinau.
Rent to income ratio
Rent to income ratio
( monthly rental / monthly income ) x 100
The average rent-to-income ratio in Chisinau is around 34%. This means that people pay 34% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 23% to 44% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.
The housing-to-income ratio is a very important metric to evaluate and measure how affordable living is in a particular area, city, or country since housing comprises the biggest chunk of expenditure. A higher housing to income ratio means that the place is relatively expensive. The figure by itself does tell much. It only starts to make sense when comparing the housing to income ratio across different locations.
Housing affordability index
The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.
Housing Affordability Index
31% Property Taxes
Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.
Home Maintenance Costs
Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.
Urban vs. rural living costs
Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.
Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Chisinau
Utilities expenditure can vary slightly between different areas and locations.
Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Chisinau
Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student
| 120 MDL | 820 MDL | 5,400 MDL |
Internet and cable cost
Mobile phone bill and charges
Because most utility bills club electricity, water, and gas costs in one bill, we can't provide a breakup for each type of utility and will display electricity, gas, and water as single cost.
The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 820 MDL. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 190 MDL to 510 MDL with 380 MDL being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 260 MDL but can range between 150 MDL and 770 MDL depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.
Energy / Utility expense to income ratio
( monthly utility expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average utility-to-income ratio in Chisinau is around 5.3%. This means that people pay 5.3% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 2.1% to 9.5% depending on salary and location.
Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Chisinau
Grocery / Food expenditure and prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Chisinau
Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.
Fast food combo meal price
The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Chisinau is approximatly 77 MDL with meal cost ranging from 38 MDL to 130 MDL. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.
Restaurant meal for one price
If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 130 MDL and 400 MDL with 200 MDL being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Chisinau.
Fine dining meal for one price
| 270 MDL | 400 MDL | 1,600 MDL |
The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 270 MDL to 1,600 MDL with the average cost being 400 MDL for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Chisinau.
Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..
The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Chisinau is around 51 MDL. Price ranges between 32 MDL and 77 MDL depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.
Grocery and market costs
Large bottle of milk price
The average price of a large bottle of milk in Chisinau is 31 MDL. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 38 MDL and the minimum being 26 MDL depending on the brand of milk and other properties.
12 eggs price
A dozen eggs costs around 26 MDL on average with 19 MDL and 38 MDL being the lower and upper limits respectively.
Fresh whole chicken price
The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Chisinau is between 44 MDL and 80 MDL depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 56 MDL.
Pack of beef price
The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 77 MDL. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.
Medium bag of rice price
A bag of rice in Chisinau costs around 28 MDL on average with prices rangeing between 21 MDL and 40 MDL depending on the brand and quality.
Bag of tomatos price
A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 7.7 MDL to 19 MDL. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Bag of apples price
A bag of apples costs 18 MDL on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Grocery and food expenditure to income ratio
( monthly grocery expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average grocery-to-income ratio in Chisinau is around 26%. This means that students spend 26% of their income on grocery and basic household items. The expenditure can range from 18% to 33% depending on salary and location.
Expenditure on food and grocery for students
Students' spending on grocery ranges from 620 MDL to 27,000 MDL with the location, income, and size of the student being the most determinite factors.
