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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,127 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $479 in Mandalgovi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,770 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $762 in Mandalgovi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,413 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $1,046 in Mandalgovi, rent included.

Ulaanbaatar costs about 135% more than Mandalgovi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ulaanbaatar and Mandalgovi are more affordable than the global median – Ulaanbaatar 16% lower, Mandalgovi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 MNT 19.3K

$2.66 MNT 9,536

102.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.93 MNT 103.7K

$13.50 MNT 48.4K

114.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 MNT 18.9K

$5.46 MNT 19.6K

-3.30%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MNT 9,154

$1.89 MNT 6,790

34.92%

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

$0.76 MNT 2,714

$0.54 MNT 1,952

40.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 MNT 1,830

$0.30 MNT 1,087

70.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 MNT 7,526

$1.60 MNT 5,738

31.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 MNT 8,379

$1.97 MNT 7,047

18.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MNT 5,132

$1.20 MNT 4,293

19.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MNT 3,522

$0.72 MNT 2,566

36.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 MNT 7,567

$1.01 MNT 3,613

108.91%

Eggs

$2.09 MNT 7,499

$1.73 MNT 6,214

20.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.62 MNT 56.0K

$9.04 MNT 32.4K

72.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.77 MNT 20.7K

$5.18 MNT 18.5K

11.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.48 MNT 23.2K

$4.63 MNT 16.6K

39.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 MNT 11.4K

$2.34 MNT 8,370

35.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 MNT 9,554

$2.25 MNT 8,078

18.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 MNT 15.4K

$1.89 MNT 6,763

126.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 MNT 9,581

$2.39 MNT 8,574

11.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MNT 2,589

$0.51 MNT 1,814

41.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 MNT 3,625

$1.02 MNT 3,647

-0.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 MNT 4,638

$1.30 MNT 4,643

-0.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 MNT 2,534

$0.60 MNT 2,157

18.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.77 MNT 6,342

$1.34 MNT 4,819

32.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.38 MNT 37.2K

$10.55 MNT 37.8K

-1.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 MNT 4,795

$1.34 MNT 4,788

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 MNT 6,092

$1.77 MNT 6,341

-3.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 MNT 991

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.81 MNT 31.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 MNT 2,011

$0.28 MNT 990

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MNT 2,024

$0.30 MNT 1,087

86.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.64 MNT 16.6K

$4.82 MNT 17.3K

-3.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 MNT 3,860

$0.77 MNT 2,764

40.26%

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

$30.5K MNT 109.2M

$19.9K MNT 71.4M

52.91%

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

$18.4K MNT 65.9M

$13.2K MNT 47.5M

38.80%

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

$82.7 MNT 296.4K

$41.07 MNT 147.2K

101.39%

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

$7.41 MNT 26.5K

$7.63 MNT 27.3K

-2.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.71 MNT 59.9K

$10.39 MNT 37.2K

60.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 MNT 223.3K

$29.77 MNT 106.7K

109.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.72 MNT 49.2K

$4.54 MNT 16.3K

202.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.76 MNT 13.5K

$2.30 MNT 8,246

63.48%

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

$175 MNT 628.2K

$104 MNT 372.2K

68.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,474 MNT 23.2M

$6,450 MNT 23.1M

0.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 MNT 307.7K

$15.99 MNT 57.3K

436.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.8 MNT 250.3K

$19.15 MNT 68.6K

264.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MNT 375.0K

$44.27 MNT 158.6K

136.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 MNT 573.3K

$35.75 MNT 128.1K

347.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 MNT 1.8M

$101 MNT 362.1K

406.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MNT 1.5M

$74.3 MNT 266.3K

445.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 MNT 5.4M

$223 MNT 800.1K

572.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 MNT 2.7M

$133 MNT 477.0K

468.48%

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

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 Mandalgovi: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $511 in Ulaanbaatar versus $101 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 $29.00 in Ulaanbaatar versus $14.00 in Mandalgovi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $189 – 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: $1,127 in Ulaanbaatar, $479 in Mandalgovi – roughly 135% apart. Ulaanbaatar costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,690 per month in Ulaanbaatar and $718 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 $1,127 in Ulaanbaatar and $479 in Mandalgovi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $175 per month in Ulaanbaatar and $104 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 $479, than in Ulaanbaatar at $1,127. 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.