Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Ulaanbaatar Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Ulaanbaatar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,279 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,160 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,011 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,925 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,743 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,691 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 10% more than Ulaanbaatar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Ulaanbaatar are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 7% lower, Ulaanbaatar 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.43 ₾29.72

$5.54 MNT 19.9K

106.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ₾99.2

$32.58 MNT 117.1K

17.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 ₾24.45

$5.40 MNT 19.4K

74.07%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ₾8.78

$2.38 MNT 8,567

42.02%

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

$1.04 ₾2.70

$0.83 MNT 2,974

25.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₾1.56

$0.57 MNT 2,032

5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 ₾7.05

$2.31 MNT 8,312

17.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.90

$3.25 MNT 11.7K

-6.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 ₾5.90

$1.45 MNT 5,219

56.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₾2.04

$0.97 MNT 3,502

-18.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.21

$2.06 MNT 7,402

-21.36%

Eggs

$2.74 ₾7.13

$2.15 MNT 7,747

27.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 ₾24.19

$12.41 MNT 44.6K

-25.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 ₾17.65

$4.85 MNT 17.4K

40.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 ₾33.84

$7.16 MNT 25.7K

81.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

$3.19 MNT 11.5K

-48.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₾4.77

$2.38 MNT 8,547

-23.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₾4.94

$3.64 MNT 13.1K

-47.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ₾6.68

$3.12 MNT 11.2K

-17.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₾2.19

$0.70 MNT 2,499

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.04 MNT 3,756

-37.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₾3.54

$1.75 MNT 6,280

-22.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$0.79 MNT 2,847

1.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₾8.85

$1.77 MNT 6,353

92.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.94

$10.61 MNT 38.1K

-27.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₾4.36

$1.50 MNT 5,388

12.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.18

$1.72 MNT 6,200

38.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$0.29 MNT 1,045

34.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.55 ₾40.44

$16.54 MNT 59.5K

-5.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.96

$0.51 MNT 1,846

123.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.54 MNT 1,929

37.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.32 ₾29.42

$6.23 MNT 22.4K

81.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$1.06 MNT 3,803

30.19%

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

$24.6K ₾63.9K

$27.3K MNT 98.3M

-10.12%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$34.5K MNT 124.0M

-36.23%

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

$88.7 ₾231

$69.8 MNT 250.8K

27.21%

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

$13.18 ₾34.26

$7.47 MNT 26.8K

76.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.68 ₾51.2

$13.90 MNT 50.0K

41.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ₾177

$67.1 MNT 241.1K

1.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 ₾46.65

$18.23 MNT 65.5K

-1.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₾16.70

$4.08 MNT 14.7K

57.35%

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

$372 ₾967

$813 MNT 2.9M

-54.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾28.1K

$8,436 MNT 30.3M

28.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₾272

$83.6 MNT 300.7K

24.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 ₾101

$44.65 MNT 160.5K

-13.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$105 MNT 377.1K

9.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$190 MNT 683.9K

-35.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ₾1,770

$586 MNT 2.1M

16.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,185

$452 MNT 1.6M

0.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₾3,410

$1,695 MNT 6.1M

-22.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₾2,321

$1,020 MNT 3.7M

-12.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 ₾6,216

$1,928 MNT 6.9M

23.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 ₾3,704

$955 MNT 3.4M

49.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 ₾1,663

$592 MNT 2.1M

8.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

10.32

22.29%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $681 in Tbilisi versus $586 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 8% higher in Tbilisi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Tbilisi versus $33.00 in Ulaanbaatar. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Tbilisi vs $237 in Ulaanbaatar – so Tbilisi 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

Tbilisi vs Ulaanbaatar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,279 in Tbilisi, $1,160 in Ulaanbaatar – roughly 10% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,919 per month in Tbilisi and $1,739 in Ulaanbaatar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ulaanbaatar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Tbilisi and $33.00 in Ulaanbaatar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,279 in Tbilisi and $1,160 in Ulaanbaatar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ulaanbaatar, where all-in costs run around $1,160, than in Tbilisi at $1,279. In Ulaanbaatar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,160 in Ulaanbaatar to $1,279 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ulaanbaatar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.