Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Ulaanbaatar

For one person, living is cheaper in Delhi: $520 a month against $1,159 in Ulaanbaatar, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Delhi
🇮🇳 India
$520
/mo nomad
Ulaanbaatar
🇲🇳 Mongolia
$1,159
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Delhi and in Ulaanbaatar

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

A single person spends $520 per month in Delhi vs $1,159 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

  • Delhi $520
  • Ulaanbaatar $1,159

A couple spends around $858 per month in Delhi vs $1,881 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

  • Delhi $858
  • Ulaanbaatar $1,881

A family of three spends $1,195 per month in Delhi vs $2,602 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

  • Delhi $1,195
  • Ulaanbaatar $2,602

Delhi is about 55% cheaper than Ulaanbaatar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Delhi and Ulaanbaatar are more affordable than the global median – Delhi 61% lower, Ulaanbaatar 13% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Delhi
Ulaanbaatar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.67 ₹355
$5.62 MNT 20.2K
-34.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.95 ₹2,027
$31.97 MNT 114.9K
-34.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.74 ₹362
$5.59 MNT 20.1K
-33.09%
Cappuccino
$2.33 ₹226
$2.35 MNT 8,452
-0.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ₹35.82
$0.87 MNT 3,130
-57.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.20 ₹18.91
$0.62 MNT 2,225
-67.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.02 ₹195
$2.29 MNT 8,233
-11.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19 ₹308
$3.30 MNT 11.9K
-3.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Delhi
Ulaanbaatar
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.68 ₹65.9
$1.41 MNT 5,064
-51.77%
White Bread (500g)
$0.52 ₹50.2
$0.98 MNT 3,508
-46.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.83 ₹80.0
$2.14 MNT 7,672
-61.21%
Eggs
$1.07 ₹104
$2.11 MNT 7,596
-49.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.43 ₹428
$12.32 MNT 44.3K
-64.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.37 ₹326
$4.91 MNT 17.6K
-31.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$6.76 MNT 24.3K
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.99 ₹192
$3.16 MNT 11.4K
-37.03%
Banana (1kg)
$0.72 ₹70.1
$2.36 MNT 8,492
-69.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.02 ₹98.4
$3.65 MNT 13.1K
-72.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.52 ₹50.1
$3.11 MNT 11.2K
-83.28%
Potato (1kg)
$0.27 ₹25.96
$0.72 MNT 2,586
-62.50%
Onion (1kg)
$0.37 ₹35.42
$1.03 MNT 3,700
-64.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.43 ₹41.64
$1.75 MNT 6,281
-75.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31 ₹30.39
$0.73 MNT 2,610
-57.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.92 ₹476
$1.66 MNT 5,961
196.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.34 ₹808
$10.34 MNT 37.2K
-19.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 ₹159
$1.50 MNT 5,403
9.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 ₹261
$1.74 MNT 6,246
55.17%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$6.15 ₹596
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Delhi
Ulaanbaatar
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.46 ₹44.04
$0.29 MNT 1,045
58.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.29 ₹1,480
$16.73 MNT 60.1K
-8.61%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.03 ₹99.8
$0.54 MNT 1,952
90.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.27 ₹26.38
$0.52 MNT 1,863
-48.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.53 ₹148
$6.49 MNT 23.3K
-76.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 ₹102
$1.12 MNT 4,016
-6.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$10.5K ₹1.0M
$27.4K MNT 98.4M
-61.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.4K ₹1.8M
$34.3K MNT 123.1M
-46.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Delhi
Ulaanbaatar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$42.67 ₹4,129
$71.1 MNT 255.5K
-39.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.04 ₹391
$7.56 MNT 27.2K
-46.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.75 ₹653
$13.87 MNT 49.8K
-51.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Delhi
Ulaanbaatar
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.40 ₹1,878
$67.0 MNT 240.7K
-71.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.06 ₹780
$17.98 MNT 64.6K
-55.17%
Cinema Ticket
$5.08 ₹492
$4.24 MNT 15.2K
19.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Delhi
Ulaanbaatar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$100 ₹9,696
$814 MNT 2.9M
-87.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,268 ₹219.5K
$8,372 MNT 30.1M
-72.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Delhi
Ulaanbaatar
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.14 ₹2,336
$81.3 MNT 292.0K
-70.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.38 ₹2,747
$45.60 MNT 163.8K
-37.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$53.3 ₹5,160
$101 MNT 364.2K
-47.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$44.13 ₹4,271
$184 MNT 661.7K
-76.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Delhi
Ulaanbaatar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$264 ₹25.5K
$578 MNT 2.1M
-54.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$154 ₹14.9K
$443 MNT 1.6M
-65.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$736 ₹71.2K
$1,661 MNT 6.0M
-55.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$397 ₹38.5K
$992 MNT 3.6M
-59.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,494 ₹241.4K
$1,901 MNT 6.8M
31.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,017 ₹98.4K
$973 MNT 3.5M
4.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Delhi
Ulaanbaatar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$585 ₹56.7K
$593 MNT 2.1M
-1.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.33
10.32
-19.28%

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

Last update for Delhi: October 6, 2026

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Delhi
$154
Ulaanbaatar
$443 188% $289
Groceries & Markets
Delhi
$108
Ulaanbaatar
$234 117% $126
Eating Out
Delhi
$87
Ulaanbaatar
$114 30.6% $27
Clothing & Footwear
Delhi
$67
Ulaanbaatar
$186 175% $118
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Delhi
$53
Ulaanbaatar
$93 73.1% $39
Sport & Entertainment
Delhi
$30
Ulaanbaatar
$75 155% $46
Getting Around
Delhi
$20
Ulaanbaatar
$21 7.7% $1.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $264 in Delhi versus $578 in Ulaanbaatar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Ulaanbaatar, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Delhi versus $32.00 in Ulaanbaatar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $108 vs $234 – making Delhi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇳 Delhi
🇲🇳 Ulaanbaatar
🕒 Local time
17:16 5:16 PM
19:46 7:46 PM
2 h 30 min ahead of Delhi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
16,787,941 Capital
1,401,200 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MNT, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 96.78 INR (100 INR = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 108 INR (1,000 INR = 9.22 EUR).

Mongolian Tögrög exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,593 MNT (10,000 MNT = 2.78 USD). 1 EUR = 4,026 MNT (10,000 MNT = 2.48 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Delhi Ulaanbaatar 3,330 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Delhi
  • Ulaanbaatar

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
Delhi vs Ulaanbaatar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Delhi and in Ulaanbaatar compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $520 in Delhi, $1,159 in Ulaanbaatar – roughly 123% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Delhi compared to Ulaanbaatar?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $780 per month in Delhi and $1,739 in Ulaanbaatar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Delhi and Ulaanbaatar?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Delhi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Delhi and $32.00 in Ulaanbaatar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Delhi or Ulaanbaatar?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $520 in Delhi and $1,159 in Ulaanbaatar. That's a gap of about 123%.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Delhi, where all-in costs run around $520, than in Ulaanbaatar at $1,159. In Delhi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ulaanbaatar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Delhi or Ulaanbaatar?
Families tend to lean toward Delhi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Delhi and Ulaanbaatar?
If budget matters most, go with Delhi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ulaanbaatar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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