The NBS states that additional questions were asked in the questionnaire. In particular, standardized common social variables defined at the European Union level under the EU Regulation were added.
According to the regulation, detailed categorized variables are included in household net income. Such as income from labor (employed or self-employed), social benefits, capital income, inter-family transfers, net of taxes and contributions.
According to the agency, a new Classification of Household Expenditure was also introduced in 2025, developed in line with the Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose, recommended by the UN and also used in the EU. This, too, increased the level of expenditure viewability, its detail and consistency with European classifiers
“We believe that these changes have contributed to improving the quality and international comparability of statistical data, especially at the European level, providing a more accurate picture of the living standards situation in terms of household income and expenditure,” the NBS said in an official statement.
Incomes and expenditures grew differently
Personal income grew last year, except for the last fourth quarter. According to the survey data based on the new methodology, the population’s disposable income averaged 5,767.0 lei per person per month. Consumer expenditures – on average 4995.5 lei per person per month.
Based on the fresh data, the average disposable income of the population increased by 9.1% compared to 2024, while consumer spending increased by 13.3% more. In other words, no matter how much spending increased, income in absolute terms was still higher. Especially if we focus on the 3rd quarter of the year, when their level reached 6098.0 lei per person per month.
Where do the incomes come from
In cities, as in villages, but less, the main source of income remains hired labor. And it occupies the lion’s share in the income structure – 55.4%. In the urban population – a little more, in rural areas – a little less, for obvious reasons.
Social benefits are the second most important source of income, amounting on average to 21.5% of the average monthly income of the population.
Self-employment contributed to the formation of income, amounting to 12.2% of the average monthly income. Income from individual agricultural activity accounts for 4.8% of the total disposable income, and 7.4% is the income received from individual non-agricultural activities.
Remittances from abroad also remain a significant source of household income. On average, they account for 7.2% of total income in 2025.
The less is more
The income received on average by one person in a household decreases as the number of household members increases. Single-person households had 1.9 times higher income per person than households of 5 or more people.
These are the Moldovan peculiarities of wealth and income inequality in a low-employment environment. In absolute values, these extremes averaged 6706.4 lei per person for single-person households and 3475.0 lei per person for households with 5 or more members. At the same time, the share of income from hired activities is higher in the case of households with 4 persons.
The disposable income of the population in 93.4% is from monetary sources, and 6.6% from income in kind. In absolute values, the monetary income amounted on average to 5386,5 lei per month per person, and the income in kind – 380,5 lei. The share of cash income is more significant in urban areas (96.6%), while in the case of rural population its contribution is 88.5%.
The poor spend more
Economist Anatol Rojco points out that in Moldova the structure of expenditures of poor households is characterized by a high share of spending on food (more than 50-60%), which indicates a low standard of living and lack of funds for development. The lower the income, the greater part of the budget is spent on basic food, which increases social inequality.
The high proportion of expenditure on food is a direct consequence of the lack of funds for housing, education and quality services. The explanation for this phenomenon is simple: as living standards fall, spending on mandatory necessities (food) increases proportionally, leaving little money for other expenditures.
In the poorest strata in Moldova, these expenses can amount to more than 40-50% of the budget. When expenditures on food exceed a certain threshold (in developed countries it is 10-15%, in Moldova – about 40%), the society is considered poor. This limits the development of the internal market of services, as people have no money left for anything but survival.
In 2025, the economic situation in Moldova confirms the thesis about the high share of expenditures on food, especially among vulnerable groups. According to fresh data, consumer spending of the population in 2025 increased by 13.3% compared to the previous year. Spending on food still accounts for about 40% of the total household budget. In comparison, this is four times more than the total expenditure on health, recreation, culture and education.
About 25.7% of the population (one in four) live in poverty with incomes of less than 2,780 lei per month, forcing them to spend almost the entire budget on basic survival.
Preliminary studies show that more than 50% of the country’s population cannot afford a nutritious diet that meets energy needs due to lack of funds after paying other mandatory bills.
In 2026, food prices are projected to increase further by up to 10% due to rising fuel prices, which will further increase the share of food costs in the budgets of poor households.
Expenditure patterns
The structure of expenditures of the Moldovan population for 2025, according to the NBS data, demonstrates the persistence of a high burden on basic needs. The table shows that expenditures on food are almost 2.3 times higher than expenditures on utilities and 9 times higher than expenditures on health.
The regional gap is also fixed. In rural areas, the share of expenditures on food is even higher (up to 43-45%), as cash incomes there are lower and access to services is limited.
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Comparison of expenditure patterns in 2025 |
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Expenditure category |
Share in the budget (%) | Approximate amount (lei/month) |
Dynamics and peculiarities |
| Foodstuffs |
39,6% |
~1978 |
Main item of expenditure. |
| Housing and utilities |
17,5% |
~874 |
Includes water, gas, electricity and heating. The burden has increased due to tariffs. |
| Clothing and footwear |
8,2% |
~410 |
The item on which the population most often saves in favor of food. |
| Transportation |
6,8% |
~340 |
Includes public transportation and fuel costs. |
| Communication (telephone, internet) |
4,6% |
~230 |
Necessary basic services, the share of which is stable. |
| Health |
4,4% |
~220 |
Share remains low due to limited funds among the poor. |
| Other |
18,9% |
~944 |
Household goods, recreation, education and other needs. |
