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: $1,161 in Ulaanbaatar versus $615 in Erdenet.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,804 in Ulaanbaatar versus $862 in Erdenet.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,446 in Ulaanbaatar versus $1,110 in Erdenet.

Living in Ulaanbaatar is roughly 89% more expensive than Erdenet, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ulaanbaatar 13% lower, Erdenet 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.62 MNT 20.1K

$4.05 MNT 14.5K

38.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.99 MNT 107.2K

$29.03 MNT 103.8K

3.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.56 MNT 19.9K

$4.34 MNT 15.5K

28.11%

Cappuccino

$2.64 MNT 9,447

$1.59 MNT 5,696

66.04%

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

$0.75 MNT 2,693

$0.69 MNT 2,467

8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 MNT 1,705

$0.39 MNT 1,407

23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 MNT 7,547

$1.23 MNT 4,393

71.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 MNT 8,244

$1.32 MNT 4,735

75.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 MNT 5,317

$1.00 MNT 3,576

49.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MNT 3,489

$0.72 MNT 2,586

36.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 MNT 7,648

$1.80 MNT 6,419

18.89%

Eggs

$2.17 MNT 7,771

$2.13 MNT 7,621

1.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.06 MNT 57.4K

$9.84 MNT 35.2K

63.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 MNT 19.9K

$5.06 MNT 18.1K

9.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.27 MNT 22.4K

$3.97 MNT 14.2K

57.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 MNT 11.1K

$2.46 MNT 8,803

26.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 MNT 9,461

$2.03 MNT 7,248

30.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 MNT 15.9K

$2.62 MNT 9,373

69.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 MNT 9,566

$2.06 MNT 7,359

30.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 MNT 2,698

$0.76 MNT 2,730

-1.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 MNT 3,662

$0.94 MNT 3,351

8.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 MNT 4,534

$0.90 MNT 3,229

41.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 MNT 2,624

$0.68 MNT 2,442

7.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 MNT 6,384

$3.00 MNT 10.7K

-40.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.67 MNT 34.6K

$5.74 MNT 20.5K

68.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MNT 4,970

$1.16 MNT 4,144

19.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 MNT 6,132

$1.36 MNT 4,864

25.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 MNT 987

$0.10 MNT 359

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.61 MNT 30.8K

$4.68 MNT 16.7K

83.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 MNT 2,210

$0.43 MNT 1,525

44.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MNT 2,189

$0.68 MNT 2,446

-10.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 MNT 17.0K

$5.33 MNT 19.1K

-10.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 MNT 3,694

$0.88 MNT 3,131

17.05%

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

$30.2K MNT 108.0M

$12.6K MNT 44.9M

140.56%

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

$18.6K MNT 66.4M

$10.5K MNT 37.6M

76.62%

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

$81.4 MNT 291.0K

$63.4 MNT 226.6K

28.44%

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

$7.77 MNT 27.8K

$2.86 MNT 10.2K

171.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.99 MNT 60.7K

$14.88 MNT 53.2K

14.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 MNT 216.1K

$24.77 MNT 88.6K

144.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.47 MNT 48.2K

$4.36 MNT 15.6K

208.94%

Cinema Ticket

$3.76 MNT 13.5K

$2.72 MNT 9,738

38.24%

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

$177 MNT 632.8K

$195 MNT 696.1K

-9.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,504 MNT 23.3M

$2,663 MNT 9.5M

144.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.3 MNT 301.5K

$29.04 MNT 103.8K

190.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.5 MNT 248.6K

$29.89 MNT 106.9K

132.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MNT 375.2K

$90.1 MNT 322.0K

16.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 MNT 577.2K

$89.3 MNT 319.1K

80.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 MNT 1.8M

$180 MNT 642.5K

185.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MNT 1.4M

$135 MNT 482.5K

200.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,472 MNT 5.3M

$596 MNT 2.1M

146.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 MNT 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,967 MNT 7.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$953 MNT 3.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$601 MNT 2.1M

$221 MNT 790.1K

172.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: May 31, 2026

Last update for Erdenet: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $512 in Ulaanbaatar and $180 in Erdenet. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ulaanbaatar pays 172% 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: $30.00 in Ulaanbaatar vs $29.00 in Erdenet for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $181 per month, with Erdenet cheaper across the board.

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 89% in total monthly costs ($1,161 vs $615 including rent). Erdenet is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Ulaanbaatar pays 172% more on average, 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: $512 in Ulaanbaatar versus $180 in Erdenet. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $177 in Ulaanbaatar versus $195 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 $615 in Erdenet versus $1,161 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 89% less than in Ulaanbaatar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.