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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $877 per month in Suzhou vs $1,195 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,471 per month in Suzhou vs $1,905 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,065 per month in Suzhou vs $2,614 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

Suzhou is about 27% cheaper than Ulaanbaatar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Suzhou and Ulaanbaatar are more affordable than the global median – Suzhou 36% lower, Ulaanbaatar 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 ¥27.22

$5.66 MNT 20.4K

-28.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.66 ¥199

$31.72 MNT 114.0K

-6.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥35.25

$5.42 MNT 19.5K

-3.14%

Cappuccino

$3.30 ¥22.15

$2.45 MNT 8,826

34.69%

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

$0.68 ¥4.59

$0.84 MNT 3,025

-19.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 ¥2.78

$0.61 MNT 2,208

-32.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ¥14.84

$2.32 MNT 8,327

-4.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 ¥29.44

$3.39 MNT 12.2K

29.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ¥13.33

$1.42 MNT 5,096

40.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 ¥13.63

$0.98 MNT 3,527

107.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 ¥8.65

$2.07 MNT 7,446

-37.68%

Eggs

$1.76 ¥11.83

$2.14 MNT 7,689

-17.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.56 ¥118

$12.25 MNT 44.0K

43.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 ¥23.40

$4.74 MNT 17.1K

-26.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.35 ¥56.0

$7.23 MNT 26.0K

15.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.45

$3.21 MNT 11.5K

-37.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.29

$2.48 MNT 8,916

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.33

$3.69 MNT 13.3K

-62.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 ¥9.58

$3.10 MNT 11.1K

-53.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ¥4.22

$0.71 MNT 2,538

-11.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.56

$1.08 MNT 3,880

4.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 ¥5.63

$1.67 MNT 6,013

-49.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.00

$0.74 MNT 2,661

-18.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 ¥30.55

$1.77 MNT 6,348

157.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.79 ¥59.0

$10.59 MNT 38.1K

-17.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ¥7.29

$1.45 MNT 5,219

-24.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ¥14.37

$1.80 MNT 6,489

18.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.27 MNT 967

29.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.80 ¥301

$16.92 MNT 60.8K

164.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 ¥11.35

$0.54 MNT 1,948

212.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.58 MNT 2,082

-37.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.88 ¥66.3

$6.15 MNT 22.1K

60.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.44

$1.12 MNT 4,022

12.50%

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

$19.6K ¥131.2K

$26.5K MNT 95.3M

-26.19%

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

$18.2K ¥122.4K

$34.5K MNT 123.9M

-47.09%

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

$102 ¥681

$71.4 MNT 256.7K

42.14%

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

$13.18 ¥88.5

$7.50 MNT 27.0K

75.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.93 ¥73.4

$13.86 MNT 49.8K

-21.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.49 ¥225

$67.7 MNT 243.2K

-50.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.75 ¥126

$18.02 MNT 64.8K

4.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ¥38.81

$4.09 MNT 14.7K

41.32%

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

$1,217 ¥8,168

$827 MNT 3.0M

47.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K ¥143.7K

$8,512 MNT 30.6M

151.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥348

$81.2 MNT 291.7K

-36.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.54 ¥279

$44.86 MNT 161.3K

-7.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 ¥552

$103 MNT 371.9K

-20.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.7 ¥575

$190 MNT 682.8K

-54.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 ¥2,994

$581 MNT 2.1M

-23.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 ¥1,267

$452 MNT 1.6M

-58.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,037 ¥6,957

$1,676 MNT 6.0M

-38.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 ¥4,006

$1,005 MNT 3.6M

-40.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,446 ¥36.5K

$1,959 MNT 7.0M

178.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,713 ¥18.2K

$976 MNT 3.5M

177.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,357 ¥9,109

$582 MNT 2.1M

133.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.53

10.32

-65.79%

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

Last update for Suzhou: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $446 in Suzhou versus $581 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 133% 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 $30.00 in Suzhou versus $32.00 in Ulaanbaatar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $236 – making Suzhou 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

Suzhou vs Ulaanbaatar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $877 in Suzhou, $1,195 in Ulaanbaatar – roughly 36% apart. Ulaanbaatar costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,315 per month in Suzhou and $1,793 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 $877 in Suzhou and $1,195 in Ulaanbaatar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 165% 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 $877, than in Ulaanbaatar at $1,195. 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.