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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,127 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $969 in Suzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,770 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $1,586 in Suzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,413 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $2,204 in Suzhou, rent included.

Ulaanbaatar costs about 16% more than Suzhou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ulaanbaatar and Suzhou are more affordable than the global median – Ulaanbaatar 16% lower, Suzhou 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 MNT 19.3K

$4.11 ¥27.84

30.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.93 MNT 103.7K

$41.41 ¥280

-30.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 MNT 18.9K

$5.52 ¥37.33

-4.35%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MNT 9,154

$3.85 ¥26.07

-33.77%

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

$0.76 MNT 2,714

$1.69 ¥11.41

-55.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 MNT 1,830

$0.78 ¥5.26

-34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 MNT 7,526

$4.23 ¥28.64

-50.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 MNT 8,379

$5.42 ¥36.68

-56.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MNT 5,132

$2.43 ¥16.46

-41.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MNT 3,522

$2.39 ¥16.17

-59.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 MNT 7,567

$1.12 ¥7.59

88.39%

Eggs

$2.09 MNT 7,499

$2.06 ¥13.92

1.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.62 MNT 56.0K

$20.81 ¥141

-24.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.77 MNT 20.7K

$3.74 ¥25.29

54.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.48 MNT 23.2K

$7.59 ¥51.4

-14.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 MNT 11.4K

$2.12 ¥14.32

49.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 MNT 9,554

$1.58 ¥10.67

68.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 MNT 15.4K

$1.57 ¥10.65

172.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 MNT 9,581

$1.31 ¥8.86

103.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MNT 2,589

$0.68 ¥4.63

5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 MNT 3,625

$1.15 ¥7.76

-12.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 MNT 4,638

$0.99 ¥6.73

30.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 MNT 2,534

$0.51 ¥3.43

39.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.77 MNT 6,342

$4.09 ¥27.67

-56.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.38 MNT 37.2K

$10.36 ¥70.1

0.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 MNT 4,795

$0.87 ¥5.87

54.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 MNT 6,092

$2.75 ¥18.58

-38.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 MNT 991

$0.29 ¥1.98

-3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.81 MNT 31.6K

$42.18 ¥285

-79.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 MNT 2,011

$1.78 ¥12.03

-68.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MNT 2,024

$0.33 ¥2.22

69.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.64 MNT 16.6K

$8.56 ¥57.9

-45.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 MNT 3,860

$1.14 ¥7.71

-5.26%

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

$30.5K MNT 109.2M

$21.2K ¥143.5K

43.66%

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

$18.4K MNT 65.9M

$23.9K ¥162.0K

-23.16%

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

$82.7 MNT 296.4K

$118 ¥801

-30.09%

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

$7.41 MNT 26.5K

$15.12 ¥102

-50.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.71 MNT 59.9K

$11.46 ¥77.5

45.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 MNT 223.3K

$64.7 ¥438

-3.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.72 MNT 49.2K

$19.10 ¥129

-28.17%

Cinema Ticket

$3.76 MNT 13.5K

$6.80 ¥46.03

-44.71%

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

$175 MNT 628.2K

$781 ¥5,286

-77.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,474 MNT 23.2M

$17.0K ¥115.2K

-61.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 MNT 307.7K

$53.2 ¥360

61.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.8 MNT 250.3K

$35.25 ¥239

98.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MNT 375.0K

$72.3 ¥489

44.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 MNT 573.3K

$93.8 ¥635

70.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 MNT 1.8M

$403 ¥2,727

26.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MNT 1.5M

$206 ¥1,392

96.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 MNT 5.4M

$966 ¥6,541

55.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 MNT 2.7M

$527 ¥3,567

43.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,934 MNT 6.9M

$5,406 ¥36.6K

-64.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$957 MNT 3.4M

$2,701 ¥18.3K

-64.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$596 MNT 2.1M

$1,338 ¥9,056

-55.44%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Suzhou: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $511 in Ulaanbaatar versus $403 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 124% 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 $29.00 in Ulaanbaatar versus $41.00 in Suzhou. Groceries tell a different story – $247 in Ulaanbaatar vs $243 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: $1,127 in Ulaanbaatar, $969 in Suzhou – roughly 16% apart. Ulaanbaatar costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,690 per month in Ulaanbaatar and $1,454 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 $1,127 in Ulaanbaatar and $969 in Suzhou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 379% 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 $969, than in Ulaanbaatar at $1,127. 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.