Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulaanbaatar and Almaty

For one person, living is cheaper in Ulaanbaatar: $1,159 a month against $1,387 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

57

Cost of Living Index in Ulaanbaatar
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Ulaanbaatar Living Index
66

Cost of Living Index in Almaty
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Almaty Living Index

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Ulaanbaatar

🇲🇳 Mongolia

$1,159

/mo nomad

Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,387

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ulaanbaatar and in Almaty

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ulaanbaatar and in Almaty actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,159 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $1,387 in Almaty, rent included.

Ulaanbaatar $1,159
Almaty $1,387

A couple spends around $1,881 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $2,135 in Almaty, rent included.

Ulaanbaatar $1,881
Almaty $2,135

A family of three spends $2,602 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $2,883 in Almaty, rent included.

Ulaanbaatar $2,602
Almaty $2,883

Ulaanbaatar is about 16% cheaper than Almaty, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Ulaanbaatar sits 13% below the global median, while Almaty is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.62 MNT 20.2K

$13.31 ₸6,034

-57.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.97 MNT 114.9K

$43.37 ₸19.7K

-26.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 MNT 20.1K

$8.80 ₸3,988

-36.48%

Cappuccino

$2.35 MNT 8,452

$3.30 ₸1,497

-28.79%

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

$0.87 MNT 3,130

$1.37 ₸620

-36.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 MNT 2,225

$0.90 ₸409

-31.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 MNT 8,233

$3.13 ₸1,419

-26.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 MNT 11.9K

$4.10 ₸1,860

-19.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MNT 5,064

$1.66 ₸754

-15.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MNT 3,508

$0.90 ₸406

8.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 MNT 7,672

$2.06 ₸933

3.88%

Eggs

$2.11 MNT 7,596

$2.37 ₸1,074

-10.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.32 MNT 44.3K

$12.64 ₸5,730

-2.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.91 MNT 17.6K

$6.62 ₸3,000

-25.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.76 MNT 24.3K

$10.87 ₸4,928

-37.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 MNT 11.4K

$1.86 ₸845

69.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 MNT 8,492

$2.37 ₸1,075

-0.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 MNT 13.1K

$2.99 ₸1,358

22.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 MNT 11.2K

$2.83 ₸1,282

9.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MNT 2,586

$0.77 ₸347

-6.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 MNT 3,700

$0.58 ₸264

77.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 MNT 6,281

$1.59 ₸723

10.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 MNT 2,610

$0.99 ₸449

-26.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.66 MNT 5,961

$2.54 ₸1,153

-34.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.34 MNT 37.2K

$11.04 ₸5,005

-6.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 MNT 5,403

$1.21 ₸550

23.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 MNT 6,246

$2.41 ₸1,093

-27.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 MNT 1,045

$0.25 ₸113

16.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.73 MNT 60.1K

$21.84 ₸9,901

-23.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 MNT 1,952

$1.28 ₸581

-57.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MNT 1,863

$0.64 ₸291

-18.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 MNT 23.3K

$10.74 ₸4,870

-39.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 MNT 4,016

$0.69 ₸314

62.32%

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

$27.4K MNT 98.4M

$22.3K ₸10.1M

22.95%

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

$34.3K MNT 123.1M

$29.3K ₸13.3M

16.80%

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

$71.1 MNT 255.5K

$87.8 ₸39.8K

-18.97%

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

$7.56 MNT 27.2K

$10.83 ₸4,909

-30.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.87 MNT 49.8K

$17.40 ₸7,887

-20.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.0 MNT 240.7K

$69.7 ₸31.6K

-3.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.98 MNT 64.6K

$26.58 ₸12.1K

-32.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 MNT 15.2K

$6.68 ₸3,031

-36.53%

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

$814 MNT 2.9M

$446 ₸202.2K

82.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,372 MNT 30.1M

$11.9K ₸5.4M

-29.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.3 MNT 292.0K

$93.7 ₸42.5K

-13.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.60 MNT 163.8K

$46.91 ₸21.3K

-2.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MNT 364.2K

$143 ₸64.7K

-28.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 MNT 661.7K

$133 ₸60.5K

38.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 MNT 2.1M

$773 ₸350.6K

-25.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 MNT 1.6M

$497 ₸225.5K

-10.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 MNT 6.0M

$1,390 ₸630.4K

19.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$992 MNT 3.6M

$880 ₸398.9K

12.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,901 MNT 6.8M

$2,546 ₸1.2M

-25.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$973 MNT 3.5M

$1,506 ₸683.0K

-35.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$593 MNT 2.1M

$834 ₸377.9K

-28.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.32

20.65

-50.02%

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

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: October 3, 2026

Last update for Almaty: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ulaanbaatar

$443 38%

Almaty

$497 36.4% 12.3% $54

Groceries & Markets

Ulaanbaatar

$234 20.1%

Almaty

$251 18.4% 7.2% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Ulaanbaatar

$186 15.9%

Almaty

$188 13.7% 1.1% $2

Eating Out

Ulaanbaatar

$114 9.8%

Almaty

$205 15% 80.2% $91

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ulaanbaatar

$93 7.9%

Almaty

$116 8.5% 25.3% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Ulaanbaatar

$75 6.5%

Almaty

$83 6.1% 10.1% $7.6

Getting Around

Ulaanbaatar

$21 1.8%

Almaty

$27 2% 30% $6.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $578 in Ulaanbaatar versus $773 in Almaty. 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 41% higher in Almaty, 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 $32.00 in Ulaanbaatar versus $43.00 in Almaty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $251 – making Ulaanbaatar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇳 Ulaanbaatar

🇰🇿 Almaty

🕒 Local time

16:48 4:48 PM

14:48 2:48 PM

2 h behind Ulaanbaatar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,401,200 Capital

1,475,400

💱 Currency

Mongolian Tögrög MNT ₮

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 MNT = 2.78 USD

10,000 MNT = 2.48 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD, EUR to MNT – Mongolian Tögrög Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇳 Mongolian Tögrög (₮)

Mongolian Tögrög exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,593 MNT (10,000 MNT = 2.78 USD). 1 EUR = 4,030 MNT (10,000 MNT = 2.48 EUR).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 453 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 509 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

USD to MNT in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Ulaanbaatar Almaty 2,370 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Ulaanbaatar
Almaty

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Ulaanbaatar vs Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 20%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,739 per month in Ulaanbaatar and $2,080 in Almaty. 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 $32.00 in Ulaanbaatar and $43.00 in Almaty. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,159 in Ulaanbaatar and $1,387 in Almaty. That's a gap of about 20%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ulaanbaatar, where all-in costs run around $1,159, than in Almaty at $1,387. In Ulaanbaatar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ulaanbaatar – 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 Ulaanbaatar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Almaty makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.