Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Mongolia Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Mongolia

Name: Mongolia
Address: MN

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,643 per month in United States vs $646 in Mongolia, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in United States vs $1,007 in Mongolia, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,070 per month in United States vs $1,367 in Mongolia, rent included.

United States costs about 309% more than Mongolia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

United States sits 97% above the global median, while Mongolia is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$4.75 MNT 17.0K

321.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$28.76 MNT 102.8K

164.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 $11.42

$5.35 MNT 19.1K

113.46%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$2.51 MNT 8,976

114.74%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$0.73 MNT 2,612

249.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.45 MNT 1,594

353.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$1.88 MNT 6,731

226.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$2.31 MNT 8,256

210.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.37 MNT 4,910

-24.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$0.91 MNT 3,237

301.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$1.86 MNT 6,640

154.30%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$2.08 MNT 7,455

110.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$13.13 MNT 47.0K

-2.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$5.52 MNT 19.7K

125.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$5.38 MNT 19.2K

205.02%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$2.95 MNT 10.5K

83.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.53 MNT 9,036

-34.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.72 MNT 13.3K

23.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$2.60 MNT 9,288

88.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$0.69 MNT 2,483

323.19%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.01 MNT 3,611

209.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.06 MNT 3,796

113.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.71 MNT 2,521

223.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$1.73 MNT 6,198

471.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

$9.56 MNT 34.2K

57.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.26 MNT 4,495

51.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$1.61 MNT 5,765

127.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.21 MNT 756

1080.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

$7.86 MNT 28.1K

724.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 $3.84

$0.57 MNT 2,034

573.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.62 MNT 2,207

183.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.58 $30.58

$4.42 MNT 15.8K

591.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.00 MNT 3,559

-4.00%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$21.5K MNT 77.0M

41.58%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$16.3K MNT 58.4M

61.53%

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

$204 $204

$73.5 MNT 262.7K

177.86%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$7.57 MNT 27.1K

656.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$14.38 MNT 51.4K

395.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 $46.67

$49.69 MNT 177.7K

-6.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.12 $22.12

$12.94 MNT 46.3K

70.94%

Cinema Ticket

$13.84 $13.84

$3.58 MNT 12.8K

286.59%

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

$1,384 $1,384

$175 MNT 626.1K

690.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$6,577 MNT 23.5M

245.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$73.4 MNT 262.5K

-27.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 $43.17

$59.8 MNT 213.8K

-27.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 $90.6

$99.8 MNT 357.0K

-9.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$133 MNT 474.3K

-13.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$487 MNT 1.7M

262.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$375 MNT 1.3M

289.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 $2,832

$1,320 MNT 4.7M

114.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 $2,411

$718 MNT 2.6M

235.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,287 $3,287

$1,825 MNT 6.5M

80.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$960 MNT 3.4M

175.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 $4,379

$596 MNT 2.1M

634.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

8.50%

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

Last update for United States: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mongolia: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,637 in United States vs $205 in Mongolia. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,591 in Washington, DC and $512 in Ulaanbaatar.

Average salary: $4,500 in United States vs $454 in Mongolia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 699% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 232% more in United States.

Public transport is 733% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 891% higher in United States, giving United States stronger purchasing power.

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

United States vs Mongolia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mongolia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 453% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in United States, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but United States consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Mongolia, contributing to the overall 453% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Mongolia, but in United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Mongolia is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.