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: $1,169 in Ulaanbaatar versus $1,808 in Olsztyn.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,940 in Ulaanbaatar versus $2,733 in Olsztyn.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,712 in Ulaanbaatar versus $3,659 in Olsztyn.

Living in Ulaanbaatar costs roughly 35% less than in Olsztyn, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ulaanbaatar is 15% below, Olsztyn is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.69 MNT 20.5K

$13.39 zł 50.8

-57.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.11 MNT 115.4K

$51.9 zł 197

-38.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 MNT 20.3K

$9.10 zł 34.53

-38.13%

Cappuccino

$2.39 MNT 8,588

$3.45 zł 13.10

-30.72%

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

$0.89 MNT 3,183

$2.52 zł 9.57

-64.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 MNT 2,189

$1.98 zł 7.53

-69.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 MNT 8,546

$3.18 zł 12.06

-25.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MNT 12.2K

$3.98 zł 15.10

-14.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 MNT 5,232

$1.07 zł 4.07

36.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MNT 3,644

$1.37 zł 5.21

-26.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 MNT 7,195

$1.50 zł 5.69

33.33%

Eggs

$2.13 MNT 7,664

$4.06 zł 15.42

-47.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.47 MNT 44.8K

$10.13 zł 38.45

23.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 MNT 17.5K

$7.73 zł 29.34

-37.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.08 MNT 25.5K

$15.62 zł 59.3

-54.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 MNT 11.6K

$1.23 zł 4.68

163.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 MNT 8,468

$1.75 zł 6.62

34.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 MNT 13.1K

$1.87 zł 7.09

94.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 MNT 10.6K

$3.49 zł 13.25

-15.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 MNT 2,665

$1.02 zł 3.87

-27.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 MNT 3,717

$1.27 zł 4.83

-18.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 MNT 5,942

$1.36 zł 5.15

21.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 MNT 2,673

$0.75 zł 2.86

-1.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.68 MNT 6,045

$5.72 zł 21.72

-70.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.54 MNT 37.9K

$7.91 zł 30.02

33.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 MNT 5,180

$1.15 zł 4.36

25.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 MNT 6,244

$1.63 zł 6.17

6.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 MNT 1,054

$1.09 zł 4.13

-73.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.88 MNT 60.7K

$26.74 zł 102

-36.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 MNT 1,855

$2.07 zł 7.86

-74.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 MNT 1,960

$0.77 zł 2.91

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.38 MNT 22.9K

$10.58 zł 40.15

-39.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 MNT 3,842

$1.61 zł 6.11

-33.54%

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

$26.6K MNT 95.5M

$33.2K zł 126.1K

-20.06%

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

$34.7K MNT 124.6M

$29.8K zł 113.3K

16.14%

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

$72.0 MNT 258.9K

$305 zł 1,157

-76.38%

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

$7.48 MNT 26.9K

$9.77 zł 37.09

-23.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.82 MNT 49.7K

$18.85 zł 71.6

-26.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 MNT 247.9K

$52.6 zł 200

31.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.87 MNT 64.3K

$23.45 zł 89.0

-23.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.23 MNT 15.2K

$9.43 zł 35.78

-55.14%

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

$816 MNT 2.9M

$403 zł 1,531

102.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,598 MNT 30.9M

$14.6K zł 55.4K

-41.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.2 MNT 295.7K

$104 zł 393

-20.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.54 MNT 160.1K

$50.7 zł 192

-12.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MNT 369.2K

$105 zł 398

-1.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 MNT 676.5K

$108 zł 408

74.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 MNT 2.1M

$919 zł 3,487

-36.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 MNT 1.6M

$735 zł 2,791

-39.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,691 MNT 6.1M

$1,785 zł 6,777

-5.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,019 MNT 3.7M

$1,404 zł 5,329

-27.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,913 MNT 6.9M

$3,850 zł 14.6K

-50.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$967 MNT 3.5M

$2,698 zł 10.2K

-64.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$581 MNT 2.1M

$1,456 zł 5,528

-60.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.32

7.52

37.23%

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

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: September 15, 2026

Last update for Olsztyn: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $587 in Ulaanbaatar and $919 in Olsztyn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Olsztyn pays 151% 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: $32.00 in Ulaanbaatar vs $52.0 in Olsztyn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $249 per month, with Ulaanbaatar 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 Olsztyn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ulaanbaatar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 151% 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: $587 in Ulaanbaatar versus $919 in Olsztyn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Olsztyn. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ulaanbaatar – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $52.0 in Olsztyn. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,169 in Ulaanbaatar versus $1,808 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 55% less than in Olsztyn. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.