Is Moldova's internet really that good for remote work?

Yes, Moldova's internet is genuinely exceptional and one of the country's standout features for remote workers. Despite being a small, relatively poor Eastern European nation, Moldova has world-class internet infrastructure that rivals or exceeds most developed countries.

Global Rankings

3rd Globally for Gigabit Coverage

• Approximately 90% of population has access to gigabit speeds
• Only behind Singapore and Hong Kong
• Ahead of South Korea, Japan, USA, and all European countries

Average Internet Speeds (2026)

Download Speed: 234 Mbps average

Upload Speed: 195.2 Mbps average

These are AVERAGE speeds - many users get significantly faster:

• Gigabit (1000 Mbps) plans widely available
• Some providers offer 2-10 Gbps in urban areas
• Actual speeds typically match advertised speeds

Comparison with Other Countries:

Moldova's upload speeds are particularly impressive - crucial for video calls, uploading files, and streaming.

Coverage and Availability

Urban Coverage (Chisinau): Nearly 100%

• Fiber optic to most buildings
• Multiple providers compete
• High-speed available in virtually all apartments
• Even old Soviet-era buildings have modern fiber

Broadband Penetration: 86% of households

• Higher than many Western European countries
• 80.2% internet penetration overall (2.40 million users)

5G Expansion: Underway as of 2026

• Major cities getting 5G coverage
• Mobile internet also excellent

Cost

Average Cost: €9/month for high-speed fiber

Typical Plans:

• 100 Mbps: €5-8/month
• 500 Mbps: €8-12/month
• 1 Gbps (1000 Mbps): €10-15/month
• 2-10 Gbps: €15-30/month (premium)

Comparison:

• USA average: $60-80/month (€55-73) for similar speeds
• Western Europe: €30-50/month typical
• Moldova: 5-10x cheaper than developed countries

Major Providers

Moldtelecom:

• State-owned incumbent
• Extensive coverage
• Reliable

StarNet:

• Private provider
• Excellent speeds
• Good customer service

Orange Moldova:

• International brand
• Mobile + home internet
• Widely available

Multiple Fiber Providers:

• Competition drives quality and low prices
• Easy to switch if unsatisfied

Reliability

Uptime: Generally excellent (99%+)

• Rare outages
• Infrastructure well-maintained
• Backup systems common

Consistency:

• Speeds remain stable throughout day
• No throttling during peak hours
• Actual speeds match advertised speeds

Occasional Issues:

• Power outages can affect service (more common in winter)
• Get UPS (uninterruptible power supply) for backup

Remote Work Performance

Video Conferencing:

• Zoom, Teams, Google Meet: Flawless
• Multiple HD video streams simultaneously
• No buffering or lag
• Upload speeds support high-quality video

File Transfers:

• Large files upload/download quickly
• Cloud storage syncing smooth
• No issues with GitHub, Dropbox, etc.

VPN Performance:

• Speeds remain excellent even with VPN
• Multiple VPN connections no problem
• Low latency

Streaming:

• Netflix, YouTube, etc. in 4K
• No buffering
• Can stream while working without impact

Real Remote Worker Experiences

Testimonials from Digital Nomads:

"Faster than my home internet in San Francisco, at 1/10th the price." - US software engineer

"Never had a dropped Zoom call in 6 months. Better than my London office internet." - UK consultant

"Uploaded 50GB project files in under an hour. This would take all night in my home country." - German designer

Time Zones for Remote Work

Moldova Time: EET (UTC+2) winter, EEST (UTC+3) summer

Overlap with:

• Europe: Perfect overlap (same or ±1 hour)
• US East Coast: 7 hours ahead (some morning overlap possible)
• US West Coast: 10 hours ahead (minimal overlap, challenging)
• Asia (India, Singapore): Good afternoon/evening overlap
• Australia: Poor overlap

Best for: European hours and Asia overlap

Challenging for: US West Coast hours

Testing Before Committing

How to Verify:

1. Speed test websites:

• speedtest.net
• fast.com
• Ask landlord/agent to run test at apartment

1. Check provider coverage:

• Ask which providers serve the building
• Multiple options = good sign

1. Read reviews:

• Expat forums
• Facebook groups
• Local reviews (use Google Translate)

1. Test during apartment viewing:

• Bring laptop
• Run speed test
• Test video call
• Check WiFi coverage in apartment

Backup Options

Mobile Hotspot:

• 4G/5G speeds excellent
• €10-20/month for high data plans
• Good failsafe backup

Coworking Spaces:

• Tekwill, InoHub have excellent internet
• Backup workspace if home internet issues
• €50-150/month

Multiple Providers:

• Some buildings served by multiple providers
• Can have backup connection

Rural Areas

Outside Chisinau: Coverage varies

• Other cities (Bălți, etc.): Generally good
• Small towns: Improving but variable
• Rural villages: May have basic broadband only
• Starlink: Available for truly remote areas (€100+/month)

Not recommended for digital nomads outside major cities

Why Is Moldova's Internet So Good?

Historical Factors:

1. Late development advantage:

• Built modern infrastructure from scratch
• Skipped old technologies
• Installed fiber optic directly

1. Competition:

• Multiple providers compete
• Drives innovation and low prices
• No monopolies

1. Geography:

• Small country
• Easy to wire entire nation
• Urban concentration

1. Tech sector:

• Growing IT industry demanded excellent connectivity
• Government prioritized digital infrastructure

Challenges

Power Supply:

• Occasional winter outages
• UPS recommended ($50-150)
• Most providers have battery backup

Customer Service:

• Romanian language often required
• English support limited
• Technical issues may need Romanian speaker

Setup:

• May take 1-2 weeks for installation
• Short-term accommodation should have internet already

Bottom Line

Moldova's internet is legitimately world-class:

✅ Faster than 95% of countries globally

✅ More reliable than most Western countries

✅ 5-10x cheaper than developed nations

✅ Perfect for remote work (except US West Coast hours)

✅ Available in virtually all urban apartments

The main selling point for digital nomads choosing Moldova is the combination of:

• World's 3rd best internet infrastructure
• Europe's lowest living costs
• Excellent value for money

If internet quality is your primary concern for remote work, Moldova will not disappoint. It genuinely rivals Singapore and Hong Kong at a fraction of the cost.