Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulaanbaatar and Olsztyn Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulaanbaatar and Olsztyn

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,127 in Ulaanbaatar versus $1,455 in Olsztyn.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,770 in Ulaanbaatar versus $1,981 in Olsztyn.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,413 in Ulaanbaatar versus $2,506 in Olsztyn.

Living in Ulaanbaatar costs roughly 23% less than in Olsztyn, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ulaanbaatar is 16% below, Olsztyn is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 MNT 19.3K

$10.64 zł 40.43

-49.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.93 MNT 103.7K

$46.03 zł 175

-37.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 MNT 18.9K

$7.54 zł 28.63

-29.97%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MNT 9,154

$3.02 zł 11.48

-15.56%

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

$0.76 MNT 2,714

$1.69 zł 6.41

-55.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 MNT 1,830

$1.90 zł 7.23

-73.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 MNT 7,526

$3.30 zł 12.53

-36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 MNT 8,379

$3.83 zł 14.55

-38.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MNT 5,132

$1.05 zł 3.99

36.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MNT 3,522

$1.36 zł 5.17

-27.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 MNT 7,567

$1.49 zł 5.66

41.61%

Eggs

$2.09 MNT 7,499

$3.27 zł 12.42

-36.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.62 MNT 56.0K

$8.87 zł 33.68

76.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.77 MNT 20.7K

$6.02 zł 22.86

-4.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.48 MNT 23.2K

$9.81 zł 37.24

-33.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 MNT 11.4K

$1.14 zł 4.33

178.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 MNT 9,554

$1.50 zł 5.68

78.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 MNT 15.4K

$2.01 zł 7.63

112.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 MNT 9,581

$2.69 zł 10.22

-0.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MNT 2,589

$0.75 zł 2.85

-4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 MNT 3,625

$1.19 zł 4.53

-15.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 MNT 4,638

$1.15 zł 4.39

12.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 MNT 2,534

$0.73 zł 2.78

-2.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.77 MNT 6,342

$5.44 zł 20.66

-67.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.38 MNT 37.2K

$8.04 zł 30.54

29.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 MNT 4,795

$0.99 zł 3.75

35.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 MNT 6,092

$1.71 zł 6.50

-0.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 MNT 991

$1.07 zł 4.05

-73.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.81 MNT 31.6K

$27.54 zł 105

-68.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 MNT 2,011

$1.99 zł 7.56

-71.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MNT 2,024

$0.71 zł 2.71

-21.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.64 MNT 16.6K

$13.84 zł 52.6

-66.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 MNT 3,860

$1.75 zł 6.65

-38.29%

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

$30.5K MNT 109.2M

$33.3K zł 126.3K

-8.41%

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

$18.4K MNT 65.9M

$31.2K zł 118.4K

-41.03%

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

$82.7 MNT 296.4K

$278 zł 1,055

-70.22%

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

$7.41 MNT 26.5K

$9.00 zł 34.20

-17.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.71 MNT 59.9K

$17.01 zł 64.6

-1.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 MNT 223.3K

$32.99 zł 125

88.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.72 MNT 49.2K

$16.57 zł 62.9

-17.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.76 MNT 13.5K

$8.12 zł 30.83

-53.69%

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

$175 MNT 628.2K

$136 zł 516

29.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,474 MNT 23.2M

$15.8K zł 60.0K

-59.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 MNT 307.7K

$96.4 zł 366

-10.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.8 MNT 250.3K

$47.27 zł 180

47.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MNT 375.0K

$80.9 zł 307

29.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 MNT 573.3K

$111 zł 423

43.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 MNT 1.8M

$640 zł 2,432

-20.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MNT 1.5M

$532 zł 2,020

-23.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 MNT 5.4M

$958 zł 3,638

56.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 MNT 2.7M

$596 zł 2,264

26.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,934 MNT 6.9M

$3,909 zł 14.8K

-50.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$957 MNT 3.4M

$2,714 zł 10.3K

-64.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$596 MNT 2.1M

$1,425 zł 5,413

-58.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.81

3.27%

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

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: July 12, 2026

Last update for Olsztyn: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $511 in Ulaanbaatar and $640 in Olsztyn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Olsztyn pays 139% 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 $46.00 in Olsztyn. Groceries flip the comparison at $247 vs $208, with Olsztyn 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 Olsztyn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ulaanbaatar is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 139% lower in Olsztyn. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $511 in Ulaanbaatar versus $640 in Olsztyn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Olsztyn pay roughly 19% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Ulaanbaatar – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $46.00 in Olsztyn. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,127 in Ulaanbaatar versus $1,455 in Olsztyn, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ulaanbaatar but tight or insufficient in Olsztyn. The gap between the two cities makes Ulaanbaatar 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 Olsztyn 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 Ulaanbaatar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Olsztyn. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.