Moving to Moldova from Russia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Russia to Moldova? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Russia to Moldova, you would find that Moldova is 3.7% more expensive than Russia overall. A RUB5,859,336 salary in Russia would need to be roughly MDL1,314,218 in Moldova to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Romanian.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Russia and Moldova.
What does your salary buy?
RUB5,859,336 → MDL1,314,218
To maintain the same standard of living in Moldova
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 6.8% more
Groceries
pay 6.7% less
Transportation
pay 14.0% more
Housing
pay 17.2% more
Childcare
pay 6.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 1.4% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Russia to Moldova.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Moldova compared to Russia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Moldova performs significantly better than Russia 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 Russia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Russia 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
Russia performs better than Moldova across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Russia 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Russia generally does better on family life, though Moldova leads in education spending.
Data: Federal Tax Service of Russia, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Russia 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.
Russia passport holder visiting Moldova
Visa Free
Moldova passport holder visiting Russia
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 Russia?
Moldova and Russia are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Moldova?
Budget about MDL328,554 for 3 months in Moldova (based on a RUB5,859,336 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: 24.4 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?
Moldova performs significantly better than Russia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Moldova is 2.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.8 in Russia.
How is healthcare in Moldova compared to Russia?
Moldova generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 32.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Moldova, compared to 38.3 in Russia. Moldova scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Russia: 79).
What language do they speak in Moldova?
The official language in Moldova is Romanian. In Russia, the official language is Russian.
