Moving to Moldova from Japan
What to Expect
Considering a move from Japan to Moldova? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Japan to Moldova, you would find that Moldova is 24.4% cheaper than Japan overall. A ¥12,000,000 salary in Japan would need to be roughly MDL1,030,000 in Moldova to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Romanian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Japan and Moldova.
What does your salary buy?
¥12,000,000 → MDL1,030,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Moldova
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 36.7% more
Groceries
pay 49.4% less
Transportation
pay 20.7% less
Housing
pay 19.2% less
Childcare
pay 49.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 39.9% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Moldova cost about 2% less than cities in Japan.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Moldova compared to Japan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Japan performs better than Moldova across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Moldova generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Japan generally does better on environment, though Moldova leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Japan generally does better on infrastructure, though Moldova leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Japan generally does better on employment & economy, though Moldova leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Japan generally does better on family life, though Moldova leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), National Tax Agency Japan (2016), State tax Service (2016), The World Factbook (2013). How we calculate this
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan and Moldova. To live, work, or study long-term in Moldova, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Moldova's immigration authority.
Japan passport holder visiting Moldova
Visa Free
Moldova passport holder visiting Japan
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Moldova than Japan?
On average Moldova is about 24% less expensive than Japan, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Moldova?
Budget about MDL257,500 for 3 months in Moldova (based on a ¥12,000,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Moldova?
Connectivity is usually fine (Moldova: 29.6 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Moldova offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Moldova safe for expats?
Japan performs better than Moldova across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Moldova is 2.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan.
How is healthcare in Moldova compared to Japan?
Moldova generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in health coverage index. There are 40.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Moldova, compared to 26.5 in Japan. Moldova scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).
What language do they speak in Moldova?
The official language in Moldova is Romanian. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.
