Moldova

Eastern Europe

EuropeNon-EU

A low-tax European country with a digital-nomad visa and low university tuition, but a weaker passport and a long 10-year naturalisation wait.

Overall score

Good · 94% data coverage

Language

Romanian

Currency

MDL

Citizenship

10 years

Personal tax

12% flat

Cost of living

€750 / mo (single)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown

Access

17%

51Residence12%

63Citizenship and passport5%

Earning power

25%

67Salary and work12%

75Buying power13%

Business and wealth

20%

82Taxes7%

54Business8%

41Investment5%

Daily life

25%

70Quality of life18%

85Education7%

Rights and institutions

13%

64Freedom6%

40Rule of law7%

Pros

A digital-nomad visa
Low university tuition

Cons

A weaker passport
A long 10-year naturalisation wait

Best for

Remote workersLow-tax relocatorsStudents

Score profile

Access

Residence

Citizenship

Passport

Earning power

Salary & work

Buying power

Cost of living

Economy

Business and wealth

Taxes

Personal tax

Corporate tax

Business

Investment

Wealth building

Daily life

Safety

Healthcare

Environment

Infrastructure

Education

HDI

Rights and institutions

Freedom

Rule of law

How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence

Openness to residents

Moderate

Migrant stock6.2% of population (2024)

Regulatory quality-0.05 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways

EmploymentStudyFamily reunificationBusiness or investment where eligible

Student	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Self-employed	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Permanent	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Citizenship

Citizenship accessibility

Moderate

Years required	10 years
Dual allowed	Yes
Language	Check the current naturalisation rules for the selected route
Residence	Typical headline route: 10 years; qualifying residence and absence rules apply
Notes	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Passport

Passport power

Moderate

122 / 198

Mobility

#47

Global rank

Yes

Biometric

Visa-free78
On arrival40
eTA4
Visa required76

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work

Labour-market strength

Good

Output per worker$28,704 PPP (2024)

Unemployment1.5% (2025)

Participation72.3% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Mean monthly earnings of employees

Overall$348 · $821 PPP (2024)

Tech (IT & comms)$674 · $1,596 PPP (2024)

Source: ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)

Freelance	Market access depends on language, sector, and work authorisation
Job market	Use current local vacancy and salary data for role-specific decisions.

Buying power

Purchasing power score

Good

GNI / person$19,990 PPP (2025)

Consumption / person$14,246 PPP (2024)

Price level51 (US = 100) (2025)

Income inequality26.8 Gini (2023)

Inflation7.8% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living

Affordability

Good

Price level51 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Rent	Varies substantially by city and neighbourhood
Monthly	€750 / mo (single)
Cities	Chișinău, Bălți

Economy

Economic strength

Moderate

Output & income

GDP$20.4B (2025)

GDP / person$8,622 (2025)

GNI / person$19,990 PPP (2025)

GDP growth0.1% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour

Inflation7.8% / yr (2025)

Unemployment1.5% (2025)

Output per worker$28,704 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition

Agriculture7.4% of GDP (2025)

Industry16.9% of GDP (2025)

Services61.5% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries

Agriculture & wineFood processingTextilesInformation technologyManufacturing

Top exports

Agricultural productsWineTextilesMachinery

Type	Lower-middle-income, agri- and remittance-led
Key sectors	Agriculture & wine, Light manufacturing, IT services
Summary	One of Europe's lower-income economies, reliant on agriculture, wine, remittances and a growing IT sector.
Currency	Moldovan leu

Business and wealth

Taxes

Tax friendliness

Excellent

Personal	12% flat
Corporate	12%
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Personal tax

Good

Personal	12% flat
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence

Corporate tax

Good

Corporate	12%
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Business

Business friendliness

Moderate

Regulation & bureaucracy

Regulatory quality-0.05 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Government effectiveness0.26 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules

Foreign company	Generally possible, subject to sector, registration, tax, and substance rules
Local company	Available company forms and capital requirements vary
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply

Investment

Investing environment

Limited

Private credit29% of GDP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, residence, holding period, and treaty position
Dividends	Data not available yet
ETFs & funds	Data not available yet
Wealth tax	Check current national and subnational rules
Brokers	Local and international availability varies by residency and compliance checks
Foreign access	Data not available yet
Tax-advantaged	Data not available yet

Wealth building

Wealth accumulation

Moderate

Salary & work

Good

Business

Moderate

Investment

Limited

Tax friendliness

Excellent

Cost of living

Good

Daily life

Safety

Safety & stability

Good

Personal safety

Homicide rate2.5 per 100,000 (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability

Control of corruption-0.29 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Political stability-0.34 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare

Healthcare score

Good

Outcomes

Life expectancy71.3 years (2024)

Under-5 mortality16.5 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing

Physicians4.02 per 1,000 (2023)

Hospital beds5.54 per 1,000 (2023)

Health spending$1,181 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs

System	Public/private mix varies by eligibility and residence status
Insurance	Check residence-permit and local coverage requirements
Average cost	Depends on eligibility, income, insurer, and chosen coverage

Environment

Environment score

Excellent

Environmental pressure

PM2.5 exposure14.9 μg/m³ annually (2023)

Water stress12.6% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure

Infrastructure score

Moderate

Digital infrastructure

Internet use77.4% (2024)

Internet resilience63 / 100 (2026)

Fixed speed82 / 100 download index (2026)

Mobile speed62 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities

Electricity access100.0% (2023)

Grid losses9.0% of output (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport

Transport quality1.90 / 5 (2022)

Rail density34.9 km / 1,000 km² (2021)

Air connectivity2,814 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education

Education score

Excellent

Attainment

Expected schooling14.6 years (2023)

Mean schooling11.8 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment

Tertiary enrolment75% gross (2024)

Education spending6.6% of GDP (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tuition	€1,500–4,000 / yr
Public university	Varies by institution, programme, and student nationality
Languages	Romanian
Student work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

HDI

Human development score

Good

HDI0.785 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life

Life expectancy71.2 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge

Expected schooling14.6 years (2023)

Mean schooling11.8 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025