Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulaanbaatar and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulaanbaatar and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,127 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,770 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,413 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ulaanbaatar is about 10% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ulaanbaatar and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ulaanbaatar 16% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 MNT 19.3K

$11.99 MX$210

-55.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.93 MNT 103.7K

$41.78 MX$731

-30.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 MNT 18.9K

$10.75 MX$188

-50.88%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MNT 9,154

$3.50 MX$61.1

-27.14%

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

$0.76 MNT 2,714

$1.45 MX$25.33

-47.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 MNT 1,830

$0.88 MX$15.47

-42.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 MNT 7,526

$2.95 MX$51.6

-28.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 MNT 8,379

$4.51 MX$78.9

-48.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MNT 5,132

$1.43 MX$25.04

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MNT 3,522

$1.84 MX$32.13

-46.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 MNT 7,567

$1.57 MX$27.42

34.39%

Eggs

$2.09 MNT 7,499

$2.51 MX$43.92

-16.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.62 MNT 56.0K

$8.28 MX$145

88.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.77 MNT 20.7K

$8.43 MX$147

-31.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.48 MNT 23.2K

$10.68 MX$187

-39.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 MNT 11.4K

$2.61 MX$45.62

21.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 MNT 9,554

$1.44 MX$25.15

85.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 MNT 15.4K

$1.96 MX$34.31

118.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 MNT 9,581

$2.09 MX$36.62

27.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MNT 2,589

$1.85 MX$32.37

-61.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 MNT 3,625

$2.17 MX$37.90

-53.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 MNT 4,638

$1.03 MX$18.04

25.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 MNT 2,534

$1.07 MX$18.78

-33.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.77 MNT 6,342

$4.10 MX$71.7

-56.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.38 MNT 37.2K

$10.17 MX$178

2.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 MNT 4,795

$1.68 MX$29.29

-20.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 MNT 6,092

$2.53 MX$44.17

-32.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 MNT 991

$0.51 MX$8.90

-45.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.81 MNT 31.6K

$26.04 MX$455

-66.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 MNT 2,011

$3.23 MX$56.5

-82.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MNT 2,024

$2.41 MX$42.06

-76.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.64 MNT 16.6K

$3.23 MX$56.5

43.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 MNT 3,860

$1.32 MX$23.10

-18.18%

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

$30.5K MNT 109.2M

$29.7K MX$519.2K

2.60%

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

$18.4K MNT 65.9M

$23.7K MX$413.7K

-22.29%

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

$82.7 MNT 296.4K

$82.0 MX$1,434

0.85%

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

$7.41 MNT 26.5K

$22.95 MX$401

-67.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.71 MNT 59.9K

$30.11 MX$527

-44.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 MNT 223.3K

$52.0 MX$909

19.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.72 MNT 49.2K

$18.53 MX$324

-25.96%

Cinema Ticket

$3.76 MNT 13.5K

$4.98 MX$87.0

-24.50%

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

$175 MNT 628.2K

$197 MX$3,452

-11.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,474 MNT 23.2M

$5,336 MX$93.3K

21.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 MNT 307.7K

$35.60 MX$622

141.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.8 MNT 250.3K

$40.33 MX$705

73.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MNT 375.0K

$78.8 MX$1,377

32.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 MNT 573.3K

$88.9 MX$1,555

79.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 MNT 1.8M

$947 MX$16.6K

-45.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MNT 1.5M

$474 MX$8,288

-14.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 MNT 5.4M

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-8.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 MNT 2.7M

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-37.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,934 MNT 6.9M

$4,056 MX$70.9K

-52.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$957 MNT 3.4M

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-85.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$596 MNT 2.1M

$654 MX$11.4K

-8.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-47.46%

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

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $511 in Ulaanbaatar versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 10% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Ulaanbaatar versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $249 – making Ulaanbaatar 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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,690 per month in Ulaanbaatar and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ulaanbaatar, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 196% less in Ulaanbaatar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ulaanbaatar, where all-in costs run around $1,127, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Ulaanbaatar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ulaanbaatar – 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 Ulaanbaatar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.