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Chisinau is generally safe, clean, and offers a very affordable lifestyle compared to other European cities. Many reviewers emphasize the extremely fast internet, especially in private apartments, with speeds up to 1 Gbps. However, public locations such as cafés may offer slower or unstable connections. The cost of living is still considered low by some locals, although others note that inflation—particularly in energy prices and rent due to external factors—has made it more expensive than in the past. Apartments in the city center can still be found at reasonable rates.
The city itself is described as lively in the center, though some find it a bit boring over time. There are limited quality coffee shop options, with Tucano Coffee being the only frequently mentioned one, which could be a downside for digital nomads or coffee lovers. Public transport and taxi availability, especially during peak hours, are reported as unreliable. Traffic is another issue, with complaints about outdated infrastructure and congestion. English is commonly spoken among the younger population, but Russian is helpful when interacting with older locals.
Overall, Chisinau appeals for its affordability, fast home internet, and clean environment, but those relying on strong public infrastructure or a dynamic café culture may find it lacking.
AI-generated summary of reviews
Guys, the internet is actually very fast because it's taken from Romania. Pretty much any apartment has at least a 100 Mbps connection and a big portion already have upwards of 300 Mbps both download and upload. Some even have a 1 Gbps connection. If you only judge by the speed you get at cafes, then obviously you won't get a fast internet since the available bandwidth is split between everyone who's connected at that time, but that's a very poor way of judging it.
My 4G connection itself gets around 85 Mbps, which is way higher than what you get in most other countries from a broadband connection!
1 year ago
I'am from Chisihau. Response for previos message("Good before..") : prices rise because natural gas price was 3Lei(0.16USD) and now is 21Lei(1.1USD). Petrol was 0.9USD now 1.3USD. Refugees from Ukraine rised rent prices.
17/10/2022 nomadlist writes that cost of living is 1900USD. Crazy. Rent good-normal (imho) flat in center is 350EUR htt ps://999 .md/ ru/78274199 + utilities + home made food from 185 to 250usd. +200 fun. Finally 800$ in winter when high utilities price!
2 years ago
Good before, pretty expensive now (there is now VAT),
Pretty chaotic but safe in the center, Taxi services are pretty bad , hard impossible to get a cab in the peak hours, Yandex taxi
Huge traffic (there is simply no new roads since soviet union),
You need VPN to access some websites, fast internet but not the most stable,
3 years ago
My main concern with Chisinau is that there is basically only one decent coffee shop in town, namely the Tucano coffee. This means you'll be drinking their lousy coffee at all times, and after a week or so the city is slightly depressing to be honest. However, there are nice affordable Soviet-style cantines all around the city, so you can eat well for less than US$3. Hostels are also OK.
6 years ago
Chisinau is an underrated city for Eastern Europe! It's similar to being a smaller version of Minsk or Kiev. Very clean, the fastest internet in Europe. It's quite poor but the city center is lively and I enjoy it quite a bit. Most younger people speak good English, you'll need some Russian in order to speak to middle-aged or older people.
7 years ago
I live in Chisinau, and the total amount of money that i spend is $500/month. I don’t know where they find this prices. Maybe they live in very expensive apartments that cost more then $800.
7 years ago