Cost of Living Comparison Between Mongolia and India Cost of Living Comparison Between Mongolia and India

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $620 in Mongolia versus $366 in India.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,016 in Mongolia versus $581 in India.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,411 in Mongolia versus $795 in India.

Living in Mongolia is roughly 69% more expensive than in India on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Mongolia 55% lower, India 73% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mongolia
India
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.61 MNT 20.2K
$2.15 ₹205
160.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.00 MNT 111.5K
$10.42 ₹996
197.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.30 MNT 19.1K
$3.59 ₹343
47.63%
Cappuccino
$2.34 MNT 8,430
$1.67 ₹160
40.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.79 MNT 2,848
$0.39 ₹37.26
102.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.58 MNT 2,069
$0.17 ₹15.92
241.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.33 MNT 8,371
$1.87 ₹179
24.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.41 MNT 12.3K
$3.18 ₹304
7.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mongolia
India
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MNT 5,082
$0.64 ₹61.1
120.31%
White Bread (500g)
$0.94 MNT 3,390
$0.45 ₹42.66
108.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.10 MNT 7,553
$0.63 ₹59.9
233.33%
Eggs
$2.11 MNT 7,574
$0.87 ₹83.5
142.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.50 MNT 34.2K
$4.62 ₹442
105.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.13 MNT 18.5K
$2.86 ₹273
79.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.52 MNT 23.5K
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.09 MNT 11.1K
$1.95 ₹186
58.46%
Banana (1kg)
$2.19 MNT 7,889
$0.67 ₹64.3
226.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.78 MNT 13.6K
$0.99 ₹94.3
281.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.06 MNT 11.0K
$0.51 ₹48.45
500.00%
Potato (1kg)
$0.78 MNT 2,803
$0.35 ₹33.23
122.86%
Onion (1kg)
$0.94 MNT 3,372
$0.42 ₹39.69
123.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.67 MNT 5,988
$0.44 ₹41.87
279.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 MNT 2,731
$0.31 ₹29.80
145.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.69 MNT 6,093
$5.14 ₹491
-67.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.63 MNT 34.6K
$7.58 ₹724
27.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.44 MNT 5,180
$1.67 ₹160
-13.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 MNT 6,375
$2.79 ₹266
-36.56%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.36 ₹512
-
🚌 Getting Around
Mongolia
India
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 MNT 1,054
$0.25 ₹23.64
16.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$16.82 MNT 60.5K
$8.53 ₹815
97.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.51 MNT 1,828
$0.94 ₹89.4
-45.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 MNT 2,064
$0.27 ₹25.96
111.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.22 MNT 22.4K
$1.60 ₹153
288.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 MNT 3,779
$1.12 ₹107
-6.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K MNT 99.7M
$12.4K ₹1.2M
122.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.3K MNT 116.2M
$20.2K ₹1.9M
60.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mongolia
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$71.5 MNT 257.1K
$37.28 ₹3,562
91.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.32 MNT 26.3K
$3.49 ₹334
109.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.23 MNT 44.0K
$7.20 ₹688
69.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mongolia
India
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.5 MNT 242.7K
$14.69 ₹1,403
359.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.39 MNT 62.5K
$7.31 ₹698
137.89%
Cinema Ticket
$4.11 MNT 14.8K
$3.08 ₹294
33.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mongolia
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$771 MNT 2.8M
$59.1 ₹5,646
1205.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,119 MNT 29.2M
$1,693 ₹161.8K
379.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mongolia
India
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.7 MNT 283.1K
$23.25 ₹2,221
238.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.67 MNT 175.0K
$24.03 ₹2,296
102.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 MNT 362.5K
$40.99 ₹3,917
145.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$166 MNT 598.0K
$30.46 ₹2,911
446.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mongolia
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$575 MNT 2.1M
$143 ₹13.7K
301.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$433 MNT 1.6M
$93.2 ₹8,902
364.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,646 MNT 5.9M
$332 ₹31.7K
396.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$989 MNT 3.6M
$214 ₹20.4K
363.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,783 MNT 6.4M
$1,203 ₹115.0K
48.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$937 MNT 3.4M
$643 ₹61.5K
45.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mongolia
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$580 MNT 2.1M
$441 ₹42.1K
31.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.6
8.93
7.50%

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

Last update for Mongolia: September 7, 2026

Last update for India: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $168 in Mongolia, $121 in India. Capital cities: $586 in Ulaanbaatar vs $272 in Delhi.

National salary averages: $444 in Mongolia, $410 in India. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 39% higher in Mongolia.

Dining out costs 150% more in Mongolia.

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
Mongolia vs India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between India and Mongolia?
At $519 per month in India and $580 in Mongolia, there's a 12% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in India: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Mongolia is consistently higher than in India across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in India or in Mongolia?
In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Mongolia it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to India or to Mongolia?
It depends on what you're after: India wins on affordability; Mongolia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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