Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulaanbaatar and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulaanbaatar and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,161 in Ulaanbaatar versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,804 in Ulaanbaatar versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,446 in Ulaanbaatar versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Ulaanbaatar costs roughly 18% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ulaanbaatar is 13% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.62 MNT 20.1K

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

57.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.99 MNT 107.2K

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

-8.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.56 MNT 19.9K

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

12.32%

Cappuccino

$2.64 MNT 9,447

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

-2.58%

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

$0.75 MNT 2,693

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

-44.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 MNT 1,705

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

-31.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 MNT 7,547

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

-27.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 MNT 8,244

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

-41.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 MNT 5,317

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

-17.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MNT 3,489

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

-61.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 MNT 7,648

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

84.48%

Eggs

$2.17 MNT 7,771

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

-11.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.06 MNT 57.4K

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

9.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 MNT 19.9K

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

28.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.27 MNT 22.4K

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

-48.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 MNT 11.1K

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

-19.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 MNT 9,461

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

69.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 MNT 15.9K

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

56.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 MNT 9,566

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

15.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 MNT 2,698

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

-60.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 MNT 3,662

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-53.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 MNT 4,534

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

25.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 MNT 2,624

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

-6.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 MNT 6,384

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

-46.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.67 MNT 34.6K

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

-59.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MNT 4,970

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

-50.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 MNT 6,132

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

-40.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 MNT 987

$0.27 Rp 4,800

3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.61 MNT 30.8K

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

7.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 MNT 2,210

$0.46 Rp 8,150

34.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MNT 2,189

$0.45 Rp 8,037

35.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 MNT 17.0K

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

-21.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 MNT 3,694

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

30.38%

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

$30.2K MNT 108.0M

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

15.55%

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

$18.6K MNT 66.4M

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

-42.21%

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

$81.4 MNT 291.0K

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

1.80%

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

$7.77 MNT 27.8K

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

91.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.99 MNT 60.7K

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

-27.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 MNT 216.1K

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-38.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.47 MNT 48.2K

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

103.17%

Cinema Ticket

$3.76 MNT 13.5K

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

-9.40%

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

$177 MNT 632.8K

$304 Rp 5.4M

-41.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,504 MNT 23.3M

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

-1.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.3 MNT 301.5K

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

51.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.5 MNT 248.6K

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

81.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MNT 375.2K

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

18.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 MNT 577.2K

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

107.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 MNT 1.8M

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-49.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MNT 1.4M

$675 Rp 12.1M

-40.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,472 MNT 5.3M

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-57.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 MNT 2.6M

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-63.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,967 MNT 7.0M

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

-30.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$953 MNT 3.4M

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

-57.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$601 MNT 2.1M

$165 Rp 3.0M

263.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-54.82%

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

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $512 in Ulaanbaatar and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ulaanbaatar pays 264% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Ulaanbaatar vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $302 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 Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ulaanbaatar wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ulaanbaatar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Ulaanbaatar pays 264% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $512 in Ulaanbaatar versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $177 in Ulaanbaatar versus $304 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,161 in Ulaanbaatar versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ulaanbaatar but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Ulaanbaatar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ulaanbaatar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,161 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ulaanbaatar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ulaanbaatar and Ubud, Bali 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 22% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.