Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulaanbaatar and Mandalgovi Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulaanbaatar and Mandalgovi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,161 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $490 in Mandalgovi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,804 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $759 in Mandalgovi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,446 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $1,027 in Mandalgovi, rent included.

Ulaanbaatar costs about 137% more than Mandalgovi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ulaanbaatar and Mandalgovi are more affordable than the global median – Ulaanbaatar 13% lower, Mandalgovi 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.62 MNT 20.1K

$2.71 MNT 9,697

107.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.99 MNT 107.2K

$13.27 MNT 47.5K

126.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.56 MNT 19.9K

$5.28 MNT 18.9K

5.30%

Cappuccino

$2.64 MNT 9,447

$1.95 MNT 6,969

35.38%

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

$0.75 MNT 2,693

$0.54 MNT 1,939

38.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 MNT 1,705

$0.30 MNT 1,083

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 MNT 7,547

$1.65 MNT 5,887

27.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 MNT 8,244

$1.88 MNT 6,712

22.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 MNT 5,317

$1.15 MNT 4,127

29.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MNT 3,489

$0.71 MNT 2,523

38.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 MNT 7,648

$1.00 MNT 3,593

114.00%

Eggs

$2.17 MNT 7,771

$1.80 MNT 6,449

20.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.06 MNT 57.4K

$8.95 MNT 32.0K

79.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 MNT 19.9K

$5.23 MNT 18.7K

6.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.27 MNT 22.4K

$4.60 MNT 16.5K

36.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 MNT 11.1K

$2.36 MNT 8,455

31.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 MNT 9,461

$2.22 MNT 7,947

19.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 MNT 15.9K

$1.95 MNT 6,958

127.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 MNT 9,566

$2.32 MNT 8,301

15.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 MNT 2,698

$0.50 MNT 1,801

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 MNT 3,662

$1.00 MNT 3,590

2.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 MNT 4,534

$1.27 MNT 4,541

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 MNT 2,624

$0.61 MNT 2,164

19.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 MNT 6,384

$1.35 MNT 4,821

32.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.67 MNT 34.6K

$10.00 MNT 35.7K

-3.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MNT 4,970

$1.34 MNT 4,804

3.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 MNT 6,132

$1.72 MNT 6,141

-0.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 MNT 987

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.61 MNT 30.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 MNT 2,210

$0.28 MNT 990

121.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MNT 2,189

$0.30 MNT 1,088

103.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 MNT 17.0K

$4.59 MNT 16.4K

3.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 MNT 3,694

$0.82 MNT 2,929

25.61%

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

$30.2K MNT 108.0M

$19.7K MNT 70.4M

53.53%

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

$18.6K MNT 66.4M

$13.0K MNT 46.6M

42.40%

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

$81.4 MNT 291.0K

$41.71 MNT 149.1K

95.11%

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

$7.77 MNT 27.8K

$7.43 MNT 26.6K

4.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.99 MNT 60.7K

$10.61 MNT 37.9K

60.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 MNT 216.1K

$29.91 MNT 106.9K

102.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.47 MNT 48.2K

$4.47 MNT 16.0K

201.34%

Cinema Ticket

$3.76 MNT 13.5K

$2.29 MNT 8,193

64.19%

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

$177 MNT 632.8K

$101 MNT 361.5K

75.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,504 MNT 23.3M

$6,340 MNT 22.7M

2.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.3 MNT 301.5K

$15.92 MNT 56.9K

429.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.5 MNT 248.6K

$19.05 MNT 68.1K

264.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MNT 375.2K

$44.42 MNT 158.9K

136.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 MNT 577.2K

$35.73 MNT 127.8K

351.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 MNT 1.8M

$104 MNT 372.4K

392.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MNT 1.4M

$72.6 MNT 259.8K

457.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,472 MNT 5.3M

$224 MNT 800.5K

557.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 MNT 2.6M

$133 MNT 477.2K

454.85%

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

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 Mandalgovi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $512 in Ulaanbaatar versus $104 in Mandalgovi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Ulaanbaatar versus $13.00 in Mandalgovi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $187 – making Mandalgovi 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 Mandalgovi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,161 in Ulaanbaatar, $490 in Mandalgovi – roughly 137% apart. Ulaanbaatar costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,742 per month in Ulaanbaatar and $735 in Mandalgovi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,161 in Ulaanbaatar and $490 in Mandalgovi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $177 per month in Ulaanbaatar and $101 in Mandalgovi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mandalgovi, where all-in costs run around $490, than in Ulaanbaatar at $1,161. In Mandalgovi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ulaanbaatar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mandalgovi – 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 Mandalgovi. 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.