Largest Cities and Urban Settlements by Population in Moldova
66 cities and urban settlements in Moldova, ranked by population at the census of April 8, 2024 (by Department of Statistics and Sociology of Moldova). 9 places missing from that count keep their 2014 census figure.
| Rank | City or Urban Settlement | Also Known As | Native Name | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chișinău | Kišin'ov | - | 567,038 |
| 2 | Tiraspol | Tiraspol' | Тирасполь | 130,000 |
| 3 | Bălți | Bel'cy | - | 90,954 |
| 4 | Tighina | Bendery | Бендеры | 87,000 |
| 5 | Rîbnița | Rybnica | Рыбница | 47,949(2014 census) |
| 6 | Ungheni | - | - | 26,457 |
| 7 | Durlești | - | - | 26,308 |
| 8 | Dubăsari | Dubossary | Дубоссары | 25,060(2014 census) |
| 9 | Orhei | - | - | 22,183 |
| 10 | Cahul | - | - | 21,326 |
| 11 | Soroca | - | - | 21,135 |
| 12 | Comrat | - | - | 19,120 |
| 13 | Codru | - | - | 18,310 |
| 14 | Ialoveni | - | - | 14,665 |
| 15 | Slobozia | Slobodzeja | Слободзея | 14,618(2014 census) |
| 16 | Ceadîr-Lunga | - | - | 14,285 |
| 17 | Strășeni | - | - | 13,915 |
| 18 | Căușeni | - | - | 13,458 |
| 19 | Drochia | - | - | 12,939 |
| 20 | Hîncești | - | - | 11,391 |
| 21 | Fălești | - | - | 11,328 |
| 22 | Edineț | - | - | 11,290 |
| 23 | Florești | - | - | 10,925 |
| 24 | Vulcănești | - | - | 10,754 |
| 25 | Dnestrovsc | Dnestrovsk | Днестровск | 10,436(2014 census) |
| 26 | Taraclia | - | - | 10,021 |
| 27 | Sîngerei | - | - | 9,550 |
| 28 | Cricova | - | - | 9,536 |
| 29 | Călărași | - | - | 9,413 |
| 30 | Grigoriopol | Grigoriopol' | Григориополь | 9,381(2014 census) |
| 31 | Nisporeni | - | - | 9,140 |
| 32 | Camenca | Kamenka | Каменка | 8,871(2014 census) |
| 33 | Sîngera | - | - | 8,303 |
| 34 | Rîșcani | - | - | 8,054 |
| 35 | Cimișlia | - | - | 7,918 |
| 36 | Rezina | - | - | 7,586 |
| 37 | Glodeni | - | - | 7,075 |
| 38 | Anenii Noi | - | - | 6,610 |
| 39 | Leova | - | - | 6,394 |
| 40 | Basarabeasca | - | - | 6,291 |
| 41 | Dondușeni | - | - | 5,987 |
| 42 | Briceni | - | - | 5,785 |
| 43 | Ștefan Vodă | - | - | 5,436 |
| 44 | Ocnița | - | - | 5,187 |
| 45 | Criuleni | - | - | 5,044 |
| 46 | Șoldănești | - | - | 4,797 |
| 47 | Telenești | - | - | 4,695 |
| 48 | Cupcini | - | - | 4,517 |
| 49 | Vadul lui Vodă | - | - | 3,864 |
| 50 | Otaci | - | - | 3,598 |
| 51 | Lipcani | - | - | 3,569 |
| 52 | Pervomaisc | Pervomajsk | Первомайск | 3,553(2014 census) |
| 53 | Tvardița | - | - | 3,503 |
| 54 | Vatra | - | - | 3,391 |
| 55 | Cantemir | - | - | 2,655 |
| 56 | Crasnoe | Krasnoe | Красное | 2,610(2014 census) |
| 57 | Iargara | - | - | 2,498 |
| 58 | Biruința | - | - | 2,203 |
| 59 | Căinari | - | - | 1,993 |
| 60 | Costești | - | - | 1,495 |
| 61 | Cornești | - | - | 1,390 |
| 62 | Ghindești | - | - | 1,251 |
| 63 | Maiac | Majak | Маяк | 1,060(2014 census) |
| 64 | Mărculești | - | - | 1,049 |
| 65 | Bucovăț | - | - | 807 |
| 66 | Frunză | - | - | 581 |
Source: Department of Statistics and Sociology of Moldova (2024 census), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff.
Why don't these match official city populations?Official figures typically count only the population within administrative boundaries. UN urban area figures cover the entire built-up area, which can include multiple cities and towns.Show moreShow less
Tokyo
33,338,852
Urban area
9,953,160
23 wards
Essen
2,709,375
Urban area
573,618
City of Essen
Ankara
3,630,865
Urban area
5,186,002
Metropolitan municipality
What counts as an urban area? The UN uses satellite imagery to map built-up land, and treats each continuous stretch of built-up land as an urban area. This means that urban areas can extend beyond official city boundaries, and may include multiple cities and towns within a single urban area.
Can an urban area be smaller than its city? Yes. While most cities have urban areas larger than their administrative boundaries, some cities have extensive administrative limits that include sparsely populated areas.
4 urban areas in Moldova with 50,000 or more inhabitants, ranked by the UN's population estimates for 2026.
| Rank | Urban Area | Population Estimate (2026) | Yearly Change | Land Area (km²) | Density (P/km²) | World Rank | Projections (2030) | Projections (2050) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chișinău | 419,397 | −0.63% | 101 | 4,152 | 1,358 | 408,847 | 373,909 |
| 2 | Tiraspol | 83,531 | −0.65% | 24 | 3,480 | 7,556 | 81,368 | 73,543 |
| 3 | Bender | 60,572 | −1.13% | 23 | 2,657 | 10,347 | 57,840 | – |
| 4 | Rybnitsa | 58,915 | −0.63% | 15 | 3,928 | 10,608 | 57,433 | 52,580 |
Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025). World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision, Online Edition.