Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulaanbaatar and Suzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulaanbaatar and Suzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,161 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $971 in Suzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,804 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $1,597 in Suzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,446 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $2,223 in Suzhou, rent included.

Ulaanbaatar costs about 20% more than Suzhou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ulaanbaatar and Suzhou are more affordable than the global median – Ulaanbaatar 13% lower, Suzhou 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.62 MNT 20.1K

$4.23 ¥28.59

32.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.99 MNT 107.2K

$41.28 ¥279

-27.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.56 MNT 19.9K

$5.71 ¥38.61

-2.63%

Cappuccino

$2.64 MNT 9,447

$3.93 ¥26.54

-32.82%

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

$0.75 MNT 2,693

$1.66 ¥11.22

-54.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 MNT 1,705

$0.74 ¥4.97

-35.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 MNT 7,547

$4.26 ¥28.82

-50.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 MNT 8,244

$5.70 ¥38.52

-59.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 MNT 5,317

$2.43 ¥16.44

-38.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MNT 3,489

$2.50 ¥16.93

-60.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 MNT 7,648

$1.15 ¥7.81

86.09%

Eggs

$2.17 MNT 7,771

$1.98 ¥13.37

9.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.06 MNT 57.4K

$20.82 ¥141

-22.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 MNT 19.9K

$3.71 ¥25.09

49.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.27 MNT 22.4K

$7.76 ¥52.5

-19.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 MNT 11.1K

$2.14 ¥14.49

44.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 MNT 9,461

$1.63 ¥11.02

62.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 MNT 15.9K

$1.58 ¥10.69

181.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 MNT 9,566

$1.36 ¥9.22

97.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 MNT 2,698

$0.69 ¥4.63

8.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 MNT 3,662

$1.18 ¥7.95

-13.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 MNT 4,534

$0.99 ¥6.68

28.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 MNT 2,624

$0.50 ¥3.39

46.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 MNT 6,384

$4.20 ¥28.38

-57.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.67 MNT 34.6K

$10.30 ¥69.7

-6.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MNT 4,970

$0.93 ¥6.29

49.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 MNT 6,132

$2.78 ¥18.81

-38.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 MNT 987

$0.29 ¥1.96

-3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.61 MNT 30.8K

$41.59 ¥281

-79.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 MNT 2,210

$1.76 ¥11.91

-64.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MNT 2,189

$0.35 ¥2.37

74.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 MNT 17.0K

$8.46 ¥57.2

-43.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 MNT 3,694

$1.18 ¥7.99

-12.71%

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

$30.2K MNT 108.0M

$21.2K ¥143.2K

42.69%

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

$18.6K MNT 66.4M

$23.3K ¥157.8K

-20.44%

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

$81.4 MNT 291.0K

$117 ¥794

-30.65%

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

$7.77 MNT 27.8K

$14.88 ¥101

-47.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.99 MNT 60.7K

$11.54 ¥78.0

47.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 MNT 216.1K

$63.8 ¥431

-5.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.47 MNT 48.2K

$19.08 ¥129

-29.40%

Cinema Ticket

$3.76 MNT 13.5K

$6.88 ¥46.50

-45.35%

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

$177 MNT 632.8K

$787 ¥5,324

-77.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,504 MNT 23.3M

$16.8K ¥113.4K

-61.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.3 MNT 301.5K

$54.1 ¥365

56.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.5 MNT 248.6K

$35.30 ¥239

96.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MNT 375.2K

$72.1 ¥487

45.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 MNT 577.2K

$93.1 ¥629

73.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 MNT 1.8M

$408 ¥2,758

25.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MNT 1.4M

$204 ¥1,379

98.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,472 MNT 5.3M

$971 ¥6,566

51.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 MNT 2.6M

$528 ¥3,572

40.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,967 MNT 7.0M

$5,287 ¥35.7K

-62.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$953 MNT 3.4M

$2,783 ¥18.8K

-65.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$601 MNT 2.1M

$1,339 ¥9,055

-55.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.86

55.44%

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

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: May 31, 2026

Last update for Suzhou: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $512 in Ulaanbaatar versus $408 in Suzhou. 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 123% higher in Suzhou, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Ulaanbaatar versus $41.00 in Suzhou. Groceries tell a different story – $247 in Ulaanbaatar vs $245 in Suzhou – so Suzhou wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Suzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,161 in Ulaanbaatar, $971 in Suzhou – roughly 20% 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 $1,456 in Suzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Suzhou, 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 $971 in Suzhou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 383% less in Suzhou. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Suzhou, where all-in costs run around $971, than in Ulaanbaatar at $1,161. In Suzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ulaanbaatar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Suzhou – 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 Suzhou. 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.