Cost of Living Comparison Between Suzhou and Ulaanbaatar Cost of Living Comparison Between Suzhou and Ulaanbaatar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $969 per month in Suzhou vs $1,127 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Suzhou vs $1,770 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,204 per month in Suzhou vs $2,413 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

Suzhou is about 14% cheaper than Ulaanbaatar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Suzhou and Ulaanbaatar are more affordable than the global median – Suzhou 27% lower, Ulaanbaatar 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 ¥27.84

$5.38 MNT 19.3K

-23.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.41 ¥280

$28.93 MNT 103.7K

43.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 ¥37.33

$5.28 MNT 18.9K

4.55%

Cappuccino

$3.85 ¥26.07

$2.55 MNT 9,154

50.98%

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

$1.69 ¥11.41

$0.76 MNT 2,714

122.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.26

$0.51 MNT 1,830

52.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.23 ¥28.64

$2.10 MNT 7,526

101.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.42 ¥36.68

$2.34 MNT 8,379

131.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 ¥16.46

$1.43 MNT 5,132

69.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 ¥16.17

$0.98 MNT 3,522

143.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.59

$2.11 MNT 7,567

-46.92%

Eggs

$2.06 ¥13.92

$2.09 MNT 7,499

-1.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.81 ¥141

$15.62 MNT 56.0K

33.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 ¥25.29

$5.77 MNT 20.7K

-35.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 ¥51.4

$6.48 MNT 23.2K

17.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 ¥14.32

$3.17 MNT 11.4K

-33.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ¥10.67

$2.67 MNT 9,554

-40.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 ¥10.65

$4.28 MNT 15.4K

-63.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.86

$2.67 MNT 9,581

-50.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 ¥4.63

$0.72 MNT 2,589

-5.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.76

$1.01 MNT 3,625

13.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ¥6.73

$1.29 MNT 4,638

-23.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ¥3.43

$0.71 MNT 2,534

-28.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 ¥27.67

$1.77 MNT 6,342

131.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.36 ¥70.1

$10.38 MNT 37.2K

-0.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥5.87

$1.34 MNT 4,795

-35.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ¥18.58

$1.70 MNT 6,092

61.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.28 MNT 991

3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.18 ¥285

$8.81 MNT 31.6K

378.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 ¥12.03

$0.56 MNT 2,011

217.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.22

$0.56 MNT 2,024

-41.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.56 ¥57.9

$4.64 MNT 16.6K

84.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.08 MNT 3,860

5.56%

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

$21.2K ¥143.5K

$30.5K MNT 109.2M

-30.39%

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

$23.9K ¥162.0K

$18.4K MNT 65.9M

30.15%

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

$118 ¥801

$82.7 MNT 296.4K

43.04%

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

$15.12 ¥102

$7.41 MNT 26.5K

104.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.46 ¥77.5

$16.71 MNT 59.9K

-31.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.7 ¥438

$62.3 MNT 223.3K

3.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 ¥129

$13.72 MNT 49.2K

39.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.80 ¥46.03

$3.76 MNT 13.5K

80.85%

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

$781 ¥5,286

$175 MNT 628.2K

345.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K ¥115.2K

$6,474 MNT 23.2M

162.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 ¥360

$85.9 MNT 307.7K

-37.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.25 ¥239

$69.8 MNT 250.3K

-49.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 ¥489

$105 MNT 375.0K

-30.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 ¥635

$160 MNT 573.3K

-41.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 ¥2,727

$511 MNT 1.8M

-21.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 ¥1,392

$405 MNT 1.5M

-49.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 ¥6,541

$1,501 MNT 5.4M

-35.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$527 ¥3,567

$757 MNT 2.7M

-30.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,406 ¥36.6K

$1,934 MNT 6.9M

179.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,701 ¥18.3K

$957 MNT 3.4M

182.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,338 ¥9,056

$596 MNT 2.1M

124.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.86

-35.67%

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

Last update for Suzhou: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $403 in Suzhou 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.

Salaries run about 124% higher in Suzhou, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Suzhou versus $29.00 in Ulaanbaatar. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Suzhou vs $247 in Ulaanbaatar – so Suzhou wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Suzhou vs Ulaanbaatar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $969 in Suzhou, $1,127 in Ulaanbaatar – roughly 16% apart. Ulaanbaatar costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,454 per month in Suzhou 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 Suzhou, 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 $969 in Suzhou and $1,127 in Ulaanbaatar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 379% less in Suzhou. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Suzhou, where all-in costs run around $969, than in Ulaanbaatar at $1,127. In Suzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ulaanbaatar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Suzhou – 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 Suzhou. 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.