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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,197 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,127 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,868 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,770 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,538 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,413 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 6% more than Ulaanbaatar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Ulaanbaatar are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 10% lower, Ulaanbaatar 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 ₾28.39

$5.38 MNT 19.3K

101.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 ₾115

$28.93 MNT 103.7K

51.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₾21.80

$5.28 MNT 18.9K

57.39%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.78

$2.55 MNT 9,154

16.47%

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

$0.77 ₾2.01

$0.76 MNT 2,714

1.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.20

$0.51 MNT 1,830

-9.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

$2.10 MNT 7,526

1.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

$2.34 MNT 8,379

22.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₾4.99

$1.43 MNT 5,132

32.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₾1.86

$0.98 MNT 3,522

-27.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 ₾5.00

$2.11 MNT 7,567

-9.48%

Eggs

$2.48 ₾6.52

$2.09 MNT 7,499

18.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 ₾20.29

$15.62 MNT 56.0K

-50.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ₾16.21

$5.77 MNT 20.7K

7.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₾25.12

$6.48 MNT 23.2K

47.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$3.17 MNT 11.4K

-63.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.34

$2.67 MNT 9,554

-38.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.84

$4.28 MNT 15.4K

-56.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.11

$2.67 MNT 9,581

-12.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$0.72 MNT 2,589

-1.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$1.01 MNT 3,625

-33.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.12

$1.29 MNT 4,638

-7.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$0.71 MNT 2,534

-7.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.65

$1.77 MNT 6,342

64.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.18

$10.38 MNT 37.2K

-25.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

$1.34 MNT 4,795

18.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

$1.70 MNT 6,092

35.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.01

$0.28 MNT 991

35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.72

$8.81 MNT 31.6K

67.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.92

$0.56 MNT 2,011

167.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.56 MNT 2,024

21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.04

$4.64 MNT 16.6K

56.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.87

$1.08 MNT 3,860

0.93%

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

$18.6K ₾48.8K

$30.5K MNT 109.2M

-38.93%

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

$20.5K ₾53.7K

$18.4K MNT 65.9M

11.30%

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

$73.0 ₾192

$82.7 MNT 296.4K

-11.74%

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

$11.97 ₾31.41

$7.41 MNT 26.5K

61.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ₾47.22

$16.71 MNT 59.9K

7.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₾160

$62.3 MNT 223.3K

-2.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 ₾43.34

$13.72 MNT 49.2K

20.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 ₾17.58

$3.76 MNT 13.5K

78.19%

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

$269 ₾705

$175 MNT 628.2K

53.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,152 ₾13.5K

$6,474 MNT 23.2M

-20.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ₾201

$85.9 MNT 307.7K

-10.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 ₾114

$69.8 MNT 250.3K

-37.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾316

$105 MNT 375.0K

15.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$160 MNT 573.3K

-30.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 ₾1,803

$511 MNT 1.8M

34.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₾1,234

$405 MNT 1.5M

16.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₾3,550

$1,501 MNT 5.4M

-9.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,069

$757 MNT 2.7M

4.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ₾6,473

$1,934 MNT 6.9M

27.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 ₾3,818

$957 MNT 3.4M

52.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ₾1,729

$596 MNT 2.1M

10.54%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $687 in Tbilisi 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 11% 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 $44.00 in Tbilisi versus $29.00 in Ulaanbaatar. Groceries tell a different story – $205 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: $1,197 in Tbilisi, $1,127 in Ulaanbaatar – roughly 6% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,796 per month in Tbilisi 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 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 $44.00 in Tbilisi and $29.00 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 $1,197 in Tbilisi and $1,127 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 $1,127, than in Tbilisi at $1,197. 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 $1,127 in Ulaanbaatar to $1,197 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.