Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandalgovi and Ulaanbaatar Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandalgovi and Ulaanbaatar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $479 per month in Mandalgovi vs $1,127 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A couple spends around $762 per month in Mandalgovi vs $1,770 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,046 per month in Mandalgovi vs $2,413 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

Mandalgovi is about 58% cheaper than Ulaanbaatar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mandalgovi and Ulaanbaatar are more affordable than the global median – Mandalgovi 64% lower, Ulaanbaatar 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.66 MNT 9,536

$5.38 MNT 19.3K

-50.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.50 MNT 48.4K

$28.93 MNT 103.7K

-53.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 MNT 19.6K

$5.28 MNT 18.9K

3.41%

Cappuccino

$1.89 MNT 6,790

$2.55 MNT 9,154

-25.88%

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

$0.54 MNT 1,952

$0.76 MNT 2,714

-28.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MNT 1,087

$0.51 MNT 1,830

-41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 MNT 5,738

$2.10 MNT 7,526

-23.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 MNT 7,047

$2.34 MNT 8,379

-15.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 MNT 4,293

$1.43 MNT 5,132

-16.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 MNT 2,566

$0.98 MNT 3,522

-26.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 MNT 3,613

$2.11 MNT 7,567

-52.13%

Eggs

$1.73 MNT 6,214

$2.09 MNT 7,499

-17.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.04 MNT 32.4K

$15.62 MNT 56.0K

-42.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.18 MNT 18.5K

$5.77 MNT 20.7K

-10.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.63 MNT 16.6K

$6.48 MNT 23.2K

-28.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 MNT 8,370

$3.17 MNT 11.4K

-26.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 MNT 8,078

$2.67 MNT 9,554

-15.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MNT 6,763

$4.28 MNT 15.4K

-55.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 MNT 8,574

$2.67 MNT 9,581

-10.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 MNT 1,814

$0.72 MNT 2,589

-29.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 MNT 3,647

$1.01 MNT 3,625

0.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MNT 4,643

$1.29 MNT 4,638

0.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MNT 2,157

$0.71 MNT 2,534

-15.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.34 MNT 4,819

$1.77 MNT 6,342

-24.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.55 MNT 37.8K

$10.38 MNT 37.2K

1.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 MNT 4,788

$1.34 MNT 4,795

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 MNT 6,341

$1.70 MNT 6,092

4.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 MNT 991

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.81 MNT 31.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.28 MNT 990

$0.56 MNT 2,011

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MNT 1,087

$0.56 MNT 2,024

-46.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.82 MNT 17.3K

$4.64 MNT 16.6K

3.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 MNT 2,764

$1.08 MNT 3,860

-28.70%

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

$19.9K MNT 71.4M

$30.5K MNT 109.2M

-34.60%

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

$13.2K MNT 47.5M

$18.4K MNT 65.9M

-27.95%

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

$41.07 MNT 147.2K

$82.7 MNT 296.4K

-50.34%

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

$7.63 MNT 27.3K

$7.41 MNT 26.5K

2.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.39 MNT 37.2K

$16.71 MNT 59.9K

-37.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.77 MNT 106.7K

$62.3 MNT 223.3K

-52.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.54 MNT 16.3K

$13.72 MNT 49.2K

-66.91%

Cinema Ticket

$2.30 MNT 8,246

$3.76 MNT 13.5K

-38.83%

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

$104 MNT 372.2K

$175 MNT 628.2K

-40.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,450 MNT 23.1M

$6,474 MNT 23.2M

-0.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.99 MNT 57.3K

$85.9 MNT 307.7K

-81.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.15 MNT 68.6K

$69.8 MNT 250.3K

-72.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.27 MNT 158.6K

$105 MNT 375.0K

-57.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.75 MNT 128.1K

$160 MNT 573.3K

-77.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$101 MNT 362.1K

$511 MNT 1.8M

-80.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.3 MNT 266.3K

$405 MNT 1.5M

-81.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 MNT 800.1K

$1,501 MNT 5.4M

-85.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 MNT 477.0K

$757 MNT 2.7M

-82.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,934 MNT 6.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$957 MNT 3.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$596 MNT 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Mandalgovi: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $101 in Mandalgovi versus $511 in Ulaanbaatar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Mandalgovi versus $29.00 in Ulaanbaatar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $189 vs $247 – making Mandalgovi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Mandalgovi vs Ulaanbaatar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $479 in Mandalgovi, $1,127 in Ulaanbaatar – roughly 135% apart. Ulaanbaatar costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $718 per month in Mandalgovi and $1,690 in Ulaanbaatar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mandalgovi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $479 in Mandalgovi and $1,127 in Ulaanbaatar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $104 per month in Mandalgovi and $175 in Ulaanbaatar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mandalgovi, where all-in costs run around $479, than in Ulaanbaatar at $1,127. In Mandalgovi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ulaanbaatar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mandalgovi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Mandalgovi. 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.