Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulaanbaatar and Erdenet Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulaanbaatar and Erdenet

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,127 in Ulaanbaatar versus $604 in Erdenet.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,770 in Ulaanbaatar versus $852 in Erdenet.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,413 in Ulaanbaatar versus $1,100 in Erdenet.

Living in Ulaanbaatar is roughly 87% more expensive than in Erdenet, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ulaanbaatar 16% lower, Erdenet 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 MNT 19.3K

$3.87 MNT 13.9K

39.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.93 MNT 103.7K

$29.70 MNT 106.4K

-2.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 MNT 18.9K

$4.44 MNT 15.9K

18.92%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MNT 9,154

$1.57 MNT 5,627

62.42%

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

$0.76 MNT 2,714

$0.64 MNT 2,283

18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 MNT 1,830

$0.40 MNT 1,419

27.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 MNT 7,526

$1.22 MNT 4,367

72.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 MNT 8,379

$1.33 MNT 4,779

75.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MNT 5,132

$1.02 MNT 3,640

40.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MNT 3,522

$0.72 MNT 2,581

36.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 MNT 7,567

$1.80 MNT 6,434

17.22%

Eggs

$2.09 MNT 7,499

$2.17 MNT 7,775

-3.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.62 MNT 56.0K

$9.76 MNT 35.0K

60.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.77 MNT 20.7K

$5.01 MNT 18.0K

15.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.48 MNT 23.2K

$3.80 MNT 13.6K

70.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 MNT 11.4K

$2.50 MNT 8,973

26.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 MNT 9,554

$2.10 MNT 7,527

27.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 MNT 15.4K

$2.62 MNT 9,372

63.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 MNT 9,581

$2.02 MNT 7,244

32.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MNT 2,589

$0.72 MNT 2,595

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 MNT 3,625

$1.00 MNT 3,581

1.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 MNT 4,638

$0.84 MNT 3,022

53.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 MNT 2,534

$0.69 MNT 2,487

2.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.77 MNT 6,342

$2.89 MNT 10.4K

-38.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.38 MNT 37.2K

$5.69 MNT 20.4K

82.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 MNT 4,795

$1.15 MNT 4,139

16.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 MNT 6,092

$1.32 MNT 4,716

28.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 MNT 991

$0.10 MNT 349

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.81 MNT 31.6K

$4.76 MNT 17.1K

85.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 MNT 2,011

$0.46 MNT 1,638

21.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MNT 2,024

$0.68 MNT 2,431

-17.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.64 MNT 16.6K

$5.28 MNT 18.9K

-12.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 MNT 3,860

$0.92 MNT 3,299

17.39%

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

$30.5K MNT 109.2M

$12.3K MNT 43.9M

148.60%

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

$18.4K MNT 65.9M

$10.5K MNT 37.6M

75.30%

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

$82.7 MNT 296.4K

$61.3 MNT 219.7K

34.95%

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

$7.41 MNT 26.5K

$2.91 MNT 10.4K

154.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.71 MNT 59.9K

$14.91 MNT 53.4K

12.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 MNT 223.3K

$25.29 MNT 90.7K

146.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.72 MNT 49.2K

$4.46 MNT 16.0K

207.62%

Cinema Ticket

$3.76 MNT 13.5K

$2.63 MNT 9,411

42.97%

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

$175 MNT 628.2K

$193 MNT 690.5K

-9.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,474 MNT 23.2M

$2,617 MNT 9.4M

147.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 MNT 307.7K

$28.90 MNT 103.6K

197.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.8 MNT 250.3K

$29.19 MNT 104.6K

139.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MNT 375.0K

$87.2 MNT 312.3K

20.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 MNT 573.3K

$89.5 MNT 320.7K

78.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 MNT 1.8M

$174 MNT 622.1K

194.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MNT 1.5M

$131 MNT 470.1K

208.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 MNT 5.4M

$580 MNT 2.1M

158.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 MNT 2.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,934 MNT 6.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$957 MNT 3.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$596 MNT 2.1M

$225 MNT 805.3K

165.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: July 12, 2026

Last update for Erdenet: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $511 in Ulaanbaatar and $174 in Erdenet. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ulaanbaatar pays 165% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $29.00 in Ulaanbaatar vs $30.00 in Erdenet. Groceries flip the comparison at $247 vs $180, with Erdenet cheaper for home cooking.

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 Erdenet: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ulaanbaatar and Erdenet differ by about 87% in total monthly costs ($1,127 vs $604 including rent). Erdenet is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 165% higher in Ulaanbaatar, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $511 in Ulaanbaatar versus $174 in Erdenet. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $175 in Ulaanbaatar versus $193 in Erdenet. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Ulaanbaatar. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $604 in Erdenet versus $1,127 in Ulaanbaatar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Erdenet but tight or insufficient in Ulaanbaatar. The gap between the two cities makes Erdenet the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ulaanbaatar and Erdenet are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Erdenet gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Ulaanbaatar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.