Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Mongolia Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Mongolia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,184 per month in Australia vs $645 in Mongolia, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,217 per month in Australia vs $998 in Mongolia, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,249 per month in Australia vs $1,350 in Mongolia, rent included.

Australia costs about 239% more than Mongolia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Australia sits 63% above the global median, while Mongolia is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Australia
Mongolia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.24 A$22.73
$4.79 MNT 17.3K
239.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.1 A$108
$28.59 MNT 103.1K
169.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.81 A$13.74
$5.22 MNT 18.8K
87.93%
Cappuccino
$3.58 A$5.01
$2.61 MNT 9,400
37.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57 A$3.60
$0.69 MNT 2,497
272.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 A$3.05
$0.44 MNT 1,600
395.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.63 A$9.28
$1.89 MNT 6,799
250.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.12 A$9.97
$2.40 MNT 8,652
196.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Australia
Mongolia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 A$2.10
$1.38 MNT 4,976
8.70%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 A$3.54
$0.91 MNT 3,265
178.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.07 A$2.90
$1.88 MNT 6,762
10.11%
Eggs
$4.29 A$6.01
$2.10 MNT 7,572
104.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.65 A$12.11
$13.27 MNT 47.9K
-34.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.34 A$11.68
$5.42 MNT 19.5K
53.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 A$19.47
$5.62 MNT 20.3K
147.33%
Apples (1kg)
$3.30 A$4.61
$2.94 MNT 10.6K
12.24%
Banana (1kg)
$2.77 A$3.88
$2.44 MNT 8,800
13.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.95 A$4.13
$3.89 MNT 14.0K
-24.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.19 A$5.87
$2.70 MNT 9,748
55.19%
Potato (1kg)
$2.42 A$3.39
$0.67 MNT 2,411
261.19%
Onion (1kg)
$2.10 A$2.94
$1.04 MNT 3,746
101.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.26 A$3.16
$1.11 MNT 4,007
103.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 A$2.10
$0.74 MNT 2,665
102.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$31.58 A$44.22
$1.80 MNT 6,489
1654.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.29 A$20.00
$9.18 MNT 33.1K
55.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.59 A$6.42
$1.31 MNT 4,731
250.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.82 A$6.75
$1.62 MNT 5,852
197.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Australia
Mongolia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.02 A$4.22
$0.21 MNT 769
1338.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$98.3 A$138
$7.89 MNT 28.5K
1145.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.48 A$4.88
$0.58 MNT 2,077
500.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.75 A$2.45
$0.61 MNT 2,188
186.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.97 A$53.2
$4.43 MNT 16.0K
757.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 A$1.69
$1.03 MNT 3,719
17.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.0K A$40.6K
$22.1K MNT 79.6M
31.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.6K A$31.6K
$16.0K MNT 57.6M
41.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
Mongolia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$177 A$248
$73.9 MNT 266.4K
140.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.85 A$37.59
$7.42 MNT 26.8K
261.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.4 A$73.4
$14.70 MNT 53.0K
256.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Australia
Mongolia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.57 A$66.6
$48.69 MNT 175.6K
-2.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.46 A$23.04
$12.65 MNT 45.6K
30.12%
Cinema Ticket
$13.73 A$19.23
$3.45 MNT 12.4K
297.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Australia
Mongolia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,593 A$2,231
$179 MNT 646.1K
789.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.7K A$17.8K
$6,554 MNT 23.6M
93.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Australia
Mongolia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.0 A$101
$74.7 MNT 269.2K
-3.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.3 A$71.8
$59.7 MNT 215.5K
-14.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 A$144
$99.2 MNT 357.6K
3.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 A$152
$133 MNT 479.4K
-18.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Australia
Mongolia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,401 A$1,961
$481 MNT 1.7M
191.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,080 A$1,512
$364 MNT 1.3M
196.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,340 A$3,276
$1,327 MNT 4.8M
76.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,756 A$2,459
$718 MNT 2.6M
144.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,733 A$10.8K
$1,767 MNT 6.4M
337.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,563 A$7,788
$930 MNT 3.4M
498.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Australia
Mongolia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,000 A$5,600
$561 MNT 2.0M
613.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.35
6
5.83%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Australia: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mongolia: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,232 in Australia vs $209 in Mongolia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,529 in Canberra and $523 in Ulaanbaatar.

Average salary: $3,878 in Australia vs $444 in Mongolia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 489% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 267% more in Australia.

Public transport is 2133% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 773% higher in Australia, giving Australia stronger purchasing power.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Australia vs Mongolia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Mongolia?
Mongolia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 281% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Mongolia, contributing to the overall 281% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in Australia or Mongolia?
$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Mongolia, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or Mongolia?
Mongolia is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Australia vs other spots: cost of living compared

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