Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Darkhan and Erdenet

For one person, living is cheaper in Erdenet: $374 a month against $642 in Darkhan, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in Darkhan
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Darkhan Living Index
31

Cost of Living Index in Erdenet
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Erdenet Living Index

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Darkhan

🇲🇳 Mongolia

$642

/mo nomad

Erdenet

🇲🇳 Mongolia

$374

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Darkhan and in Erdenet

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Darkhan and in Erdenet actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $642 in Darkhan versus $374 in Erdenet.

Darkhan $642
Erdenet $374

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,054 in Darkhan versus $620 in Erdenet.

Darkhan $1,054
Erdenet $620

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,467 in Darkhan versus $866 in Erdenet.

Darkhan $1,467
Erdenet $866

Living in Darkhan is roughly 71% more expensive than in Erdenet, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Darkhan 52% lower, Erdenet 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 MNT 20.5K

$4.22 MNT 15.2K

35.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.84 MNT 114.5K

$28.23 MNT 101.5K

12.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 MNT 19.9K

$4.07 MNT 14.6K

36.12%

Cappuccino

$2.36 MNT 8,477

$2.18 MNT 7,823

8.26%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MNT 3,232

$0.61 MNT 2,180

47.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 MNT 2,028

$0.43 MNT 1,555

30.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 MNT 8,547

$1.64 MNT 5,901

45.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 MNT 11.8K

$1.71 MNT 6,144

91.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MNT 5,176

$1.03 MNT 3,687

39.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MNT 3,670

$0.90 MNT 3,226

13.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 MNT 7,610

$2.75 MNT 9,880

-22.91%

Eggs

$2.06 MNT 7,416

$2.02 MNT 7,250

1.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.55 MNT 45.1K

$6.83 MNT 24.5K

83.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.92 MNT 17.7K

$6.90 MNT 24.8K

-28.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.64 MNT 23.9K

$4.50 MNT 16.2K

47.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MNT 11.3K

$2.25 MNT 8,077

39.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 MNT 8,814

$1.71 MNT 6,140

43.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 MNT 13.8K

$1.70 MNT 6,107

125.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.12 MNT 11.2K

$1.42 MNT 5,107

119.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 MNT 2,562

$1.35 MNT 4,872

-47.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 MNT 3,917

$0.80 MNT 2,873

36.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 MNT 6,040

$1.35 MNT 4,863

24.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 MNT 2,772

$0.95 MNT 3,428

-18.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.72 MNT 6,175

$2.80 MNT 10.1K

-38.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 MNT 37.6K

$5.62 MNT 20.2K

86.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 MNT 5,220

$1.71 MNT 6,155

-15.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 MNT 6,547

$1.65 MNT 5,935

10.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 MNT 570

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.54 MNT 70.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 MNT 1,833

$0.61 MNT 2,200

-16.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MNT 1,900

$0.43 MNT 1,563

23.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 MNT 22.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 MNT 4,175

$0.76 MNT 2,736

52.63%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.7K MNT 95.8M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$34.6K MNT 124.4M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$70.4 MNT 253.0K

$59.4 MNT 213.4K

18.51%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$7.54 MNT 27.1K

$2.76 MNT 9,938

173.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.54 MNT 48.7K

$13.74 MNT 49.4K

-1.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 MNT 14.9K

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$807 MNT 2.9M

$278 MNT 998.0K

190.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,135 MNT 29.3M

$2,460 MNT 8.8M

230.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.1 MNT 287.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.26 MNT 166.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MNT 370.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$186 MNT 669.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$219 MNT 785.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.32

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

Last update for Darkhan: October 12, 2026

Last update for Erdenet: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Darkhan

$237 36.9%

Erdenet

$188 50.2% 20.7% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Darkhan

$187 29.2%

Erdenet

- * 0% 100%

Eating Out

Darkhan

$115 17.9%

Erdenet

$88 23.5% 23.5% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Darkhan

$91 14.3%

Erdenet

$76 20.3% 17% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Darkhan

$8.3 * 1.3%

Erdenet

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

Darkhan

$3.2 * 0.5%

Erdenet

$23 6.1% 629% $20

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Darkhan vs $28.00 in Erdenet for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $188 per month, with Erdenet cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇳 Darkhan

🇲🇳 Erdenet

🕒 Local time

22:23 10:23 PM

Same time as Darkhan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,738

86,866

💱 Currency

Mongolian Tögrög MNT ₮

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 MNT = 2.78 USD

10,000 MNT = 2.47 EUR

10,000 MNT = 2.78 USD

10,000 MNT = 2.47 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Darkhan Erdenet 150 km

From you

Darkhan
Erdenet

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Darkhan vs Erdenet: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Erdenet wins on cost – living expenses run 71% lower than in Darkhan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Erdenet the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $962 in Darkhan and $562 in Erdenet to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $807 in Darkhan versus $278 in Erdenet. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Erdenet – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $32.00 in Darkhan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Erdenet gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Darkhan and Erdenet are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Erdenet gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Darkhan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.