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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $638 per month in Mandalgovi vs $1,195 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,042 per month in Mandalgovi vs $1,905 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,446 per month in Mandalgovi vs $2,614 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

Mandalgovi is about 47% cheaper than Ulaanbaatar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Mandalgovi and Ulaanbaatar are more affordable than the global median – Mandalgovi 54% lower, Ulaanbaatar 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.71 MNT 20.5K

$5.66 MNT 20.4K

0.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.01 MNT 115.0K

$31.72 MNT 114.0K

0.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 MNT 20.3K

$5.42 MNT 19.5K

4.06%

Cappuccino

$2.44 MNT 8,752

$2.45 MNT 8,823

-0.41%

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

$0.88 MNT 3,173

$0.84 MNT 3,024

4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 MNT 2,183

$0.61 MNT 2,207

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 MNT 8,712

$2.32 MNT 8,324

4.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 MNT 12.1K

$3.39 MNT 12.2K

-0.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MNT 5,056

$1.42 MNT 5,094

-0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MNT 3,638

$0.98 MNT 3,526

3.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MNT 7,423

$2.07 MNT 7,444

Eggs

$2.12 MNT 7,603

$2.14 MNT 7,687

-0.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.19 MNT 43.8K

$12.25 MNT 44.0K

-0.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.92 MNT 17.7K

$4.74 MNT 17.1K

3.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.18 MNT 25.8K

$7.23 MNT 26.0K

-0.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MNT 11.2K

$3.21 MNT 11.5K

-2.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 MNT 8,584

$2.48 MNT 8,913

-3.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.69 MNT 13.3K

Tomato (1kg)

$2.99 MNT 10.7K

$3.10 MNT 11.1K

-3.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 MNT 2,568

$0.71 MNT 2,538

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 MNT 3,869

$1.08 MNT 3,879

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 MNT 6,037

$1.67 MNT 6,012

0.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 MNT 2,671

$0.74 MNT 2,661

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.76 MNT 6,336

$1.77 MNT 6,346

-0.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.53 MNT 37.9K

$10.59 MNT 38.0K

-0.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 MNT 5,430

$1.45 MNT 5,218

4.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 MNT 6,493

$1.80 MNT 6,487

0.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 MNT 967

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.92 MNT 60.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 MNT 1,954

$0.54 MNT 1,948

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MNT 1,946

$0.58 MNT 2,082

-6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 MNT 23.1K

$6.15 MNT 22.1K

4.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 MNT 3,816

$1.12 MNT 4,021

-5.36%

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

$27.0K MNT 97.0M

$26.5K MNT 95.2M

1.84%

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

$35.6K MNT 128.0M

$34.5K MNT 123.9M

3.32%

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

$72.3 MNT 260.0K

$71.4 MNT 256.7K

1.30%

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

$7.46 MNT 26.8K

$7.50 MNT 27.0K

-0.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.89 MNT 49.9K

$13.86 MNT 49.8K

0.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.7 MNT 243.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.02 MNT 64.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 MNT 14.9K

$4.09 MNT 14.7K

1.47%

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

$824 MNT 3.0M

$827 MNT 3.0M

-0.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,676 MNT 31.2M

$8,512 MNT 30.6M

1.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.7 MNT 297.2K

$81.2 MNT 291.7K

1.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.65 MNT 160.5K

$44.86 MNT 161.2K

-0.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MNT 366.1K

$103 MNT 371.8K

-1.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 MNT 679.3K

$190 MNT 682.6K

-0.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 MNT 2.1M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 MNT 1.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,676 MNT 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 MNT 3.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,959 MNT 7.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$976 MNT 3.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$582 MNT 2.1M

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 Mandalgovi: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Mandalgovi versus $32.00 in Ulaanbaatar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $236 – 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: $638 in Mandalgovi, $1,195 in Ulaanbaatar – roughly 87% apart. Ulaanbaatar costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $956 per month in Mandalgovi and $1,793 in Ulaanbaatar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $638 in Mandalgovi and $1,195 in Ulaanbaatar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $824 per month in Mandalgovi and $827 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 $638, than in Ulaanbaatar at $1,195. 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.