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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,161 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,867 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,804 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,526 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,446 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 4% more than Ulaanbaatar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Ulaanbaatar are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 10% lower, Ulaanbaatar 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.71

$5.62 MNT 20.1K

92.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$29.99 MNT 107.2K

43.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.04

$5.56 MNT 19.9K

49.10%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.97

$2.64 MNT 9,447

13.64%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$0.75 MNT 2,693

9.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.48 MNT 1,705

-4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$2.11 MNT 7,547

5.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$2.31 MNT 8,244

26.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.12

$1.49 MNT 5,317

29.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$0.98 MNT 3,489

-30.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾5.00

$2.14 MNT 7,648

-12.15%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.74

$2.17 MNT 7,771

17.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$16.06 MNT 57.4K

-53.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.44

$5.56 MNT 19.9K

11.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.87

$6.27 MNT 22.4K

49.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$3.10 MNT 11.1K

-60.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$2.65 MNT 9,461

-37.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$4.44 MNT 15.9K

-59.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$2.68 MNT 9,566

-16.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$0.75 MNT 2,698

-5.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.02 MNT 3,662

-34.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$1.27 MNT 4,534

-7.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.73 MNT 2,624

-9.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$1.79 MNT 6,384

66.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.22

$9.67 MNT 34.6K

-21.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$1.39 MNT 4,970

10.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.99

$1.71 MNT 6,132

31.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.28 MNT 987

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.38

$8.61 MNT 30.8K

67.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.97

$0.62 MNT 2,210

140.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$0.61 MNT 2,189

11.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.20

$4.76 MNT 17.0K

51.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$1.03 MNT 3,694

10.68%

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

$18.5K ₾49.1K

$30.2K MNT 108.0M

-38.91%

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

$20.0K ₾53.1K

$18.6K MNT 66.4M

7.57%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$81.4 MNT 291.0K

-9.46%

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

$11.64 ₾30.92

$7.77 MNT 27.8K

49.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.41

$16.99 MNT 60.7K

5.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$60.5 MNT 216.1K

-0.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

$13.47 MNT 48.2K

24.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.55

$3.76 MNT 13.5K

75.53%

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

$266 ₾708

$177 MNT 632.8K

50.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$6,504 MNT 23.3M

-20.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$84.3 MNT 301.5K

-7.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$69.5 MNT 248.6K

-35.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$105 MNT 375.2K

11.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$161 MNT 577.2K

-30.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,840

$512 MNT 1.8M

35.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,227

$405 MNT 1.4M

14.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,507

$1,472 MNT 5.3M

-10.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,057

$740 MNT 2.6M

4.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,458

$1,967 MNT 7.0M

23.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,842

$953 MNT 3.4M

51.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,788

$601 MNT 2.1M

11.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

98.17%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Tbilisi 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 12% 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $30.00 in Ulaanbaatar. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Tbilisi vs $247 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: $1,209 in Tbilisi, $1,161 in Ulaanbaatar – roughly 4% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Tbilisi 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 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi and $30.00 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 $1,209 in Tbilisi and $1,161 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 $1,161, than in Tbilisi at $1,209. 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 $1,161 in Ulaanbaatar to $1,209 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.