Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulaanbaatar and Erbil

For one person, living is cheaper in Erbil: $958 a month against $1,192 in Ulaanbaatar, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Ulaanbaatar
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Ulaanbaatar Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Erbil
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Erbil Living Index

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Ulaanbaatar

🇲🇳 Mongolia

$1,192

/mo nomad

Erbil

🇮🇶 Iraq

$958

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ulaanbaatar and in Erbil

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 Erbil actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,192 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $958 in Erbil, rent included.

Ulaanbaatar $1,192
Erbil $958

A couple spends around $1,911 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $1,427 in Erbil, rent included.

Ulaanbaatar $1,911
Erbil $1,427

A family of three spends $2,630 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $1,896 in Erbil, rent included.

Ulaanbaatar $2,630
Erbil $1,896

Ulaanbaatar costs about 24% more than Erbil, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Ulaanbaatar and Erbil are more affordable than the global median – Ulaanbaatar 12% lower, Erbil 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.41 MNT 19.5K

$6.42 IQD 9,704

-15.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.92 MNT 114.7K

$36.55 IQD 55.2K

-12.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 MNT 20.2K

$7.41 IQD 11.2K

-24.29%

Cappuccino

$2.36 MNT 8,485

$3.24 IQD 4,889

-27.16%

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

$0.87 MNT 3,143

$0.89 IQD 1,341

-2.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 MNT 2,073

$0.33 IQD 505

75.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 MNT 8,321

$5.75 IQD 8,681

-59.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MNT 12.2K

$3.92 IQD 5,921

-13.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MNT 5,110

$1.07 IQD 1,611

32.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MNT 3,541

$0.67 IQD 1,019

47.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MNT 7,760

$1.52 IQD 2,303

42.11%

Eggs

$2.07 MNT 7,441

$1.60 IQD 2,413

29.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.26 MNT 44.1K

$7.00 IQD 10.6K

75.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 MNT 17.1K

$4.38 IQD 6,614

8.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.62 MNT 23.8K

$12.67 IQD 19.1K

-47.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MNT 10.9K

$0.94 IQD 1,415

222.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 MNT 8,428

$1.01 IQD 1,528

132.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.70 MNT 13.3K

$1.02 IQD 1,544

262.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.01 MNT 10.8K

$0.70 IQD 1,064

330.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 MNT 2,525

$0.65 IQD 982

7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 MNT 3,723

$0.63 IQD 952

65.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 MNT 6,182

$0.64 IQD 968

168.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 MNT 2,836

$0.52 IQD 781

51.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.63 MNT 5,867

$2.19 IQD 3,303

-25.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.41 MNT 37.4K

$10.83 IQD 16.4K

-3.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 MNT 5,200

$1.45 IQD 2,191

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 MNT 6,307

$1.79 IQD 2,712

-2.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 MNT 958

$0.49 IQD 736

-44.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.65 MNT 59.8K

$39.29 IQD 59.4K

-57.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 MNT 1,844

$1.67 IQD 2,519

-69.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 MNT 1,986

$1.60 IQD 2,418

-65.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 MNT 23.3K

$5.78 IQD 8,728

12.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 MNT 4,182

$0.57 IQD 867

103.51%

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

$27.0K MNT 97.1M

$16.8K IQD 25.4M

60.85%

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

$35.0K MNT 125.7M

$17.1K IQD 25.9M

104.22%

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

$70.8 MNT 254.5K

$111 IQD 168.1K

-36.34%

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

$7.62 MNT 27.4K

$12.24 IQD 18.5K

-37.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 MNT 49.7K

$24.61 IQD 37.2K

-43.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 MNT 246.9K

$57.0 IQD 86.1K

20.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 MNT 65.4K

$13.48 IQD 20.4K

35.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 MNT 15.2K

$9.63 IQD 14.6K

-55.97%

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

$798 MNT 2.9M

$294 IQD 443.8K

171.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,425 MNT 30.3M

$2,726 IQD 4.1M

209.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.1 MNT 298.6K

$26.71 IQD 40.4K

211.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.52 MNT 160.0K

$38.49 IQD 58.2K

15.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MNT 366.6K

$61.1 IQD 92.3K

67.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$186 MNT 668.4K

$59.9 IQD 90.5K

210.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 MNT 2.3M

$426 IQD 643.6K

49.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$469 MNT 1.7M

$271 IQD 410.0K

72.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 MNT 5.9M

$699 IQD 1.1M

133.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$985 MNT 3.5M

$404 IQD 610.4K

143.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,751 MNT 6.3M

$1,017 IQD 1.5M

72.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,016 MNT 3.7M

$615 IQD 929.8K

65.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$589 MNT 2.1M

$519 IQD 783.7K

13.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.32

2.53

307.91%

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

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: October 25, 2026

Last update for Erbil: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ulaanbaatar

$469 39.4%

Erbil

$271 28.3% 42.1% $198

Groceries & Markets

Ulaanbaatar

$233 19.5%

Erbil

$174 18.1% 25.3% $59

Clothing & Footwear

Ulaanbaatar

$187 15.7%

Erbil

$84 8.8% 55.2% $103

Eating Out

Ulaanbaatar

$113 9.5%

Erbil

$154 16.1% 36.6% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ulaanbaatar

$92 7.7%

Erbil

$148 15.5% 60.5% $56

Sport & Entertainment

Ulaanbaatar

$77 6.5%

Erbil

$76 8% 1.3% $1

Getting Around

Ulaanbaatar

$21 1.8%

Erbil

$51 5.3% 143% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $636 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 14% 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 $32 in Ulaanbaatar versus $37 in Erbil. Groceries tell a different story – $233 in Ulaanbaatar vs $174 in Erbil – so Erbil wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇲🇳 Ulaanbaatar

🇮🇶 Erbil

🕒 Local time

05:29 5:29 AM

00:29 12:29 AM

5 h behind Ulaanbaatar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,401,200 Capital

1,713,461

💱 Currency

Mongolian Tögrög MNT ₮

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 MNT = 2.78 USD

10,000 MNT = 2.5 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.95 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD, EUR to MNT – Mongolian Tögrög Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇳 Mongolian Tögrög (₮)

Mongolian Tögrög exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,594 MNT (10,000 MNT = 2.78 USD). 1 EUR = 4,001 MNT (10,000 MNT = 2.5 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,682 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.95 EUR).

USD to MNT in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Ulaanbaatar Erbil 5,200 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Ulaanbaatar
Erbil

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 Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ulaanbaatar is pricier by about 24%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,788 per month in Ulaanbaatar and $1,437 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $426 there versus $636 in Ulaanbaatar.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Ulaanbaatar, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Ulaanbaatar and $37 in Erbil. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

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.

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