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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $971 per month in Suzhou vs $1,161 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,597 per month in Suzhou vs $1,804 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,223 per month in Suzhou vs $2,446 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

Suzhou is about 16% cheaper than Ulaanbaatar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Suzhou and Ulaanbaatar are more affordable than the global median – Suzhou 28% lower, Ulaanbaatar 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.23 ¥28.59

$5.62 MNT 20.1K

-24.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.28 ¥279

$29.99 MNT 107.2K

37.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 ¥38.61

$5.56 MNT 19.9K

2.70%

Cappuccino

$3.93 ¥26.54

$2.64 MNT 9,447

48.86%

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

$1.66 ¥11.22

$0.75 MNT 2,693

121.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥4.97

$0.48 MNT 1,705

54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.26 ¥28.82

$2.11 MNT 7,547

101.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 ¥38.52

$2.31 MNT 8,244

146.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 ¥16.44

$1.49 MNT 5,317

63.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 ¥16.93

$0.98 MNT 3,489

155.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.81

$2.14 MNT 7,648

-46.26%

Eggs

$1.98 ¥13.37

$2.17 MNT 7,771

-8.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.82 ¥141

$16.06 MNT 57.4K

29.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 ¥25.09

$5.56 MNT 19.9K

-33.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 ¥52.5

$6.27 MNT 22.4K

23.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 ¥14.49

$3.10 MNT 11.1K

-30.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$2.65 MNT 9,461

-38.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 ¥10.69

$4.44 MNT 15.9K

-64.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 ¥9.22

$2.68 MNT 9,566

-49.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ¥4.63

$0.75 MNT 2,698

-8.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.95

$1.02 MNT 3,662

15.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ¥6.68

$1.27 MNT 4,534

-22.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ¥3.39

$0.73 MNT 2,624

-31.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ¥28.38

$1.79 MNT 6,384

134.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.30 ¥69.7

$9.67 MNT 34.6K

6.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.29

$1.39 MNT 4,970

-33.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ¥18.81

$1.71 MNT 6,132

62.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.96

$0.28 MNT 987

3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.59 ¥281

$8.61 MNT 30.8K

383.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 ¥11.91

$0.62 MNT 2,210

183.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.61 MNT 2,189

-42.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.46 ¥57.2

$4.76 MNT 17.0K

77.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$1.03 MNT 3,694

14.56%

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

$21.2K ¥143.2K

$30.2K MNT 108.0M

-29.92%

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

$23.3K ¥157.8K

$18.6K MNT 66.4M

25.69%

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

$117 ¥794

$81.4 MNT 291.0K

44.20%

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

$14.88 ¥101

$7.77 MNT 27.8K

91.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.54 ¥78.0

$16.99 MNT 60.7K

-32.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.8 ¥431

$60.5 MNT 216.1K

5.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.08 ¥129

$13.47 MNT 48.2K

41.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 ¥46.50

$3.76 MNT 13.5K

82.98%

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

$787 ¥5,324

$177 MNT 632.8K

344.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K ¥113.4K

$6,504 MNT 23.3M

157.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 ¥365

$84.3 MNT 301.5K

-35.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.30 ¥239

$69.5 MNT 248.6K

-49.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 ¥487

$105 MNT 375.2K

-31.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ¥629

$161 MNT 577.2K

-42.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 ¥2,758

$512 MNT 1.8M

-20.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 ¥1,379

$405 MNT 1.4M

-49.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 ¥6,566

$1,472 MNT 5.3M

-34.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$528 ¥3,572

$740 MNT 2.6M

-28.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 ¥35.7K

$1,967 MNT 7.0M

168.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,783 ¥18.8K

$953 MNT 3.4M

192.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,339 ¥9,055

$601 MNT 2.1M

122.79%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $408 in Suzhou versus $512 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 123% 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 $30.00 in Ulaanbaatar. Groceries tell a different story – $245 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: $971 in Suzhou, $1,161 in Ulaanbaatar – roughly 20% apart. Ulaanbaatar costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,456 per month in Suzhou and $1,742 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 $971 in Suzhou and $1,161 in Ulaanbaatar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 383% 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 $971, than in Ulaanbaatar at $1,161. 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.