Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulaanbaatar and Erbil Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulaanbaatar and Erbil

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,161 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $1,034 in Erbil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,804 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $1,548 in Erbil, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,446 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $2,061 in Erbil, rent included.

Ulaanbaatar costs about 12% more than Erbil, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ulaanbaatar and Erbil are more affordable than the global median – Ulaanbaatar 13% lower, Erbil 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.62 MNT 20.1K

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

-27.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.99 MNT 107.2K

$22.83 IQD 29.9K

31.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.56 MNT 19.9K

$8.98 IQD 11.8K

-38.08%

Cappuccino

$2.64 MNT 9,447

$3.13 IQD 4,096

-15.65%

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

$0.75 MNT 2,693

$0.49 IQD 640

53.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 MNT 1,705

$0.20 IQD 261

140.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 MNT 7,547

$2.00 IQD 2,624

5.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 MNT 8,244

$2.14 IQD 2,797

7.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 MNT 5,317

$1.32 IQD 1,730

12.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MNT 3,489

$0.84 IQD 1,103

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 MNT 7,648

$1.80 IQD 2,355

18.89%

Eggs

$2.17 MNT 7,771

$1.98 IQD 2,599

9.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.06 MNT 57.4K

$7.54 IQD 9,879

113.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 MNT 19.9K

$4.80 IQD 6,282

15.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.27 MNT 22.4K

$14.29 IQD 18.7K

-56.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 MNT 11.1K

$1.14 IQD 1,491

171.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 MNT 9,461

$1.20 IQD 1,567

120.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 MNT 15.9K

$1.19 IQD 1,561

273.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 MNT 9,566

$0.76 IQD 994

252.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 MNT 2,698

$0.70 IQD 918

7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 MNT 3,662

$0.72 IQD 938

41.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 MNT 4,534

$0.78 IQD 1,018

62.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 MNT 2,624

$0.53 IQD 688

37.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 MNT 6,384

$2.63 IQD 3,449

-31.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.67 MNT 34.6K

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

-22.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MNT 4,970

$1.45 IQD 1,899

-4.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 MNT 6,132

$2.01 IQD 2,633

-14.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 MNT 987

$0.54 IQD 709

-48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.61 MNT 30.8K

$34.09 IQD 44.6K

-74.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 MNT 2,210

$2.35 IQD 3,084

-73.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MNT 2,189

$2.20 IQD 2,885

-72.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 MNT 17.0K

$6.87 IQD 8,999

-30.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 MNT 3,694

$0.70 IQD 911

47.14%

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

$30.2K MNT 108.0M

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

58.19%

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

$18.6K MNT 66.4M

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

-10.29%

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

$81.4 MNT 291.0K

$102 IQD 134.1K

-20.56%

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

$7.77 MNT 27.8K

$17.93 IQD 23.5K

-56.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.99 MNT 60.7K

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

-42.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 MNT 216.1K

$72.7 IQD 95.2K

-16.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.47 MNT 48.2K

$11.77 IQD 15.4K

14.44%

Cinema Ticket

$3.76 MNT 13.5K

$11.62 IQD 15.2K

-67.64%

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

$177 MNT 632.8K

$269 IQD 352.1K

-34.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,504 MNT 23.3M

$3,278 IQD 4.3M

98.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.3 MNT 301.5K

$32.74 IQD 42.9K

157.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.5 MNT 248.6K

$48.36 IQD 63.3K

43.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MNT 375.2K

$81.0 IQD 106.0K

29.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 MNT 577.2K

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

110.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 MNT 1.8M

$426 IQD 557.6K

20.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MNT 1.4M

$278 IQD 364.4K

45.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,472 MNT 5.3M

$726 IQD 951.1K

102.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 MNT 2.6M

$485 IQD 635.3K

52.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,967 MNT 7.0M

$1,123 IQD 1.5M

75.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$953 MNT 3.4M

$658 IQD 862.2K

44.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$601 MNT 2.1M

$584 IQD 765.0K

2.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.33

-58.13%

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

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: May 31, 2026

Last update for Erbil: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $512 in Ulaanbaatar versus $426 in Erbil. 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 3% higher in Ulaanbaatar, 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 $30.00 in Ulaanbaatar versus $23.00 in Erbil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $197 – making Erbil the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ulaanbaatar is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,742 per month in Ulaanbaatar and $1,551 in Erbil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 25% more in Ulaanbaatar, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Ulaanbaatar and $23.00 in Erbil. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Erbil, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Ulaanbaatar at $1,161. In Erbil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ulaanbaatar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Erbil – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Erbil. 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.