Cost of Living Comparison Between Olsztyn and Ulaanbaatar Cost of Living Comparison Between Olsztyn and Ulaanbaatar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,808 in Olsztyn versus $1,169 in Ulaanbaatar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,733 in Olsztyn versus $1,940 in Ulaanbaatar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,659 in Olsztyn versus $2,712 in Ulaanbaatar.

Living in Olsztyn is roughly 55% more expensive than in Ulaanbaatar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Olsztyn is 32% above, Ulaanbaatar is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.39 zł 50.8

$5.69 MNT 20.5K

135.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 zł 197

$32.11 MNT 115.4K

61.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.10 zł 34.53

$5.63 MNT 20.3K

61.63%

Cappuccino

$3.45 zł 13.10

$2.39 MNT 8,588

44.35%

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

$2.52 zł 9.57

$0.89 MNT 3,183

183.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 zł 7.53

$0.61 MNT 2,189

224.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 zł 12.06

$2.38 MNT 8,546

33.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 zł 15.10

$3.40 MNT 12.2K

17.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 zł 4.07

$1.46 MNT 5,232

-26.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 zł 5.21

$1.01 MNT 3,644

35.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 zł 5.69

$2.00 MNT 7,195

-25.00%

Eggs

$4.06 zł 15.42

$2.13 MNT 7,664

90.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 zł 38.45

$12.47 MNT 44.8K

-18.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.73 zł 29.34

$4.86 MNT 17.5K

59.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.62 zł 59.3

$7.08 MNT 25.5K

120.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 zł 4.68

$3.24 MNT 11.6K

-62.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 zł 6.62

$2.36 MNT 8,468

-25.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 zł 7.09

$3.64 MNT 13.1K

-48.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 zł 13.25

$2.96 MNT 10.6K

17.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 zł 3.87

$0.74 MNT 2,665

37.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 zł 4.83

$1.03 MNT 3,717

23.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 zł 5.15

$1.65 MNT 5,942

-17.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 zł 2.86

$0.74 MNT 2,673

1.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.72 zł 21.72

$1.68 MNT 6,045

240.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.91 zł 30.02

$10.54 MNT 37.9K

-24.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 zł 4.36

$1.44 MNT 5,180

-20.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 zł 6.17

$1.74 MNT 6,244

-6.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 zł 4.13

$0.29 MNT 1,054

275.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 zł 102

$16.88 MNT 60.7K

58.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.07 zł 7.86

$0.52 MNT 1,855

298.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 zł 2.91

$0.55 MNT 1,960

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.58 zł 40.15

$6.38 MNT 22.9K

65.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 zł 6.11

$1.07 MNT 3,842

50.47%

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

$33.2K zł 126.1K

$26.6K MNT 95.5M

25.10%

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

$29.8K zł 113.3K

$34.7K MNT 124.6M

-13.90%

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

$305 zł 1,157

$72.0 MNT 258.9K

323.33%

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

$9.77 zł 37.09

$7.48 MNT 26.9K

30.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.85 zł 71.6

$13.82 MNT 49.7K

36.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 zł 200

$69.0 MNT 247.9K

-23.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.45 zł 89.0

$17.87 MNT 64.3K

31.23%

Cinema Ticket

$9.43 zł 35.78

$4.23 MNT 15.2K

122.93%

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

$403 zł 1,531

$816 MNT 2.9M

-50.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K zł 55.4K

$8,598 MNT 30.9M

69.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 zł 393

$82.2 MNT 295.7K

25.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 zł 192

$44.54 MNT 160.1K

13.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 zł 398

$103 MNT 369.2K

2.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 zł 408

$188 MNT 676.5K

-42.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 zł 3,487

$587 MNT 2.1M

56.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$735 zł 2,791

$446 MNT 1.6M

64.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,785 zł 6,777

$1,691 MNT 6.1M

5.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,404 zł 5,329

$1,019 MNT 3.7M

37.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,850 zł 14.6K

$1,913 MNT 6.9M

101.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,698 zł 10.2K

$967 MNT 3.5M

179.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,456 zł 5,528

$581 MNT 2.1M

150.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

10.32

-27.13%

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

Last update for Olsztyn: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $919 in Olsztyn and $587 in Ulaanbaatar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Olsztyn pays 151% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Olsztyn vs $32.00 in Ulaanbaatar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $235 per month, with Ulaanbaatar cheaper across the board.

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

Olsztyn vs Ulaanbaatar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ulaanbaatar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 151% higher in Olsztyn, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $919 in Olsztyn versus $587 in Ulaanbaatar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Olsztyn. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ulaanbaatar – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $52.0 in Olsztyn. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,169 in Ulaanbaatar versus $1,808 in Olsztyn, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ulaanbaatar but tight or insufficient in Olsztyn. The gap between the two cities makes Ulaanbaatar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Olsztyn and Ulaanbaatar 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 Ulaanbaatar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Olsztyn. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.