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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,195 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $877 in Suzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,905 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $1,471 in Suzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,614 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $2,065 in Suzhou, rent included.

Ulaanbaatar costs about 36% more than Suzhou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ulaanbaatar and Suzhou are more affordable than the global median – Ulaanbaatar 13% lower, Suzhou 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.66 MNT 20.4K

$4.06 ¥27.22

39.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.72 MNT 114.0K

$29.66 ¥199

6.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 MNT 19.5K

$5.25 ¥35.25

3.24%

Cappuccino

$2.45 MNT 8,826

$3.30 ¥22.15

-25.76%

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

$0.84 MNT 3,025

$0.68 ¥4.59

23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 MNT 2,208

$0.41 ¥2.78

48.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 MNT 8,327

$2.21 ¥14.84

4.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MNT 12.2K

$4.39 ¥29.44

-22.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MNT 5,096

$1.99 ¥13.33

-28.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MNT 3,527

$2.03 ¥13.63

-51.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MNT 7,446

$1.29 ¥8.65

60.47%

Eggs

$2.14 MNT 7,689

$1.76 ¥11.83

21.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.25 MNT 44.0K

$17.56 ¥118

-30.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 MNT 17.1K

$3.49 ¥23.40

35.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.23 MNT 26.0K

$8.35 ¥56.0

-13.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 MNT 11.5K

$2.00 ¥13.45

60.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 MNT 8,916

$1.24 ¥8.29

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.69 MNT 13.3K

$1.39 ¥9.33

165.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.10 MNT 11.1K

$1.43 ¥9.58

116.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 MNT 2,538

$0.63 ¥4.22

12.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 MNT 3,880

$1.13 ¥7.56

-4.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 MNT 6,013

$0.84 ¥5.63

98.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 MNT 2,661

$0.60 ¥4.00

23.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.77 MNT 6,348

$4.55 ¥30.55

-61.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.59 MNT 38.1K

$8.79 ¥59.0

20.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 MNT 5,219

$1.09 ¥7.29

33.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 MNT 6,489

$2.14 ¥14.37

-15.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 MNT 967

$0.35 ¥2.37

-22.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.92 MNT 60.8K

$44.80 ¥301

-62.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 MNT 1,948

$1.69 ¥11.35

-68.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MNT 2,082

$0.36 ¥2.39

61.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 MNT 22.1K

$9.88 ¥66.3

-37.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 MNT 4,022

$1.26 ¥8.44

-11.11%

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

$26.5K MNT 95.3M

$19.6K ¥131.2K

35.48%

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

$34.5K MNT 123.9M

$18.2K ¥122.4K

88.98%

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

$71.4 MNT 256.7K

$102 ¥681

-29.65%

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

$7.50 MNT 27.0K

$13.18 ¥88.5

-43.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.86 MNT 49.8K

$10.93 ¥73.4

26.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.7 MNT 243.2K

$33.49 ¥225

102.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.02 MNT 64.8K

$18.75 ¥126

-3.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 MNT 14.7K

$5.78 ¥38.81

-29.24%

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

$827 MNT 3.0M

$1,217 ¥8,168

-32.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,512 MNT 30.6M

$21.4K ¥143.7K

-60.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.2 MNT 291.7K

$51.9 ¥348

56.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.86 MNT 161.3K

$41.54 ¥279

7.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MNT 371.9K

$82.3 ¥552

25.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$190 MNT 682.8K

$85.7 ¥575

121.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 MNT 2.1M

$446 ¥2,994

30.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 MNT 1.6M

$189 ¥1,267

139.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,676 MNT 6.0M

$1,037 ¥6,957

61.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 MNT 3.6M

$597 ¥4,006

68.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,959 MNT 7.0M

$5,446 ¥36.5K

-64.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$976 MNT 3.5M

$2,713 ¥18.2K

-64.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$582 MNT 2.1M

$1,357 ¥9,109

-57.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.32

3.53

192.35%

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

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: September 1, 2026

Last update for Suzhou: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $581 in Ulaanbaatar versus $446 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 133% 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 $32.00 in Ulaanbaatar versus $30.00 in Suzhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $220 – making Suzhou 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 Suzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,195 in Ulaanbaatar, $877 in Suzhou – roughly 36% apart. Ulaanbaatar costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,793 per month in Ulaanbaatar and $1,315 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 $1,195 in Ulaanbaatar and $877 in Suzhou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 165% 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 $877, than in Ulaanbaatar at $1,195. 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.