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 $2,642 per month in United States vs $643 in Mongolia, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in United States vs $1,001 in Mongolia, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,072 per month in United States vs $1,359 in Mongolia, rent included.

The cost of living in United States is about 311% higher than in Mongolia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

United States sits 98% above the global median, while Mongolia is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$4.67 MNT 16.7K

320.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.4 $75.4

$28.79 MNT 103.2K

162.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 $11.57

$5.28 MNT 18.9K

119.13%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$2.58 MNT 9,263

102.33%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$0.75 MNT 2,671

232.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.45 MNT 1,601

357.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$1.87 MNT 6,717

216.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$2.28 MNT 8,174

212.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.37 MNT 4,905

-20.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$0.98 MNT 3,497

263.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$1.86 MNT 6,655

154.84%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$2.14 MNT 7,655

102.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 $12.68

$13.09 MNT 46.9K

-3.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$5.54 MNT 19.9K

121.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 $16.60

$5.66 MNT 20.3K

193.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$3.05 MNT 10.9K

69.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.51 MNT 9,004

-32.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.70 MNT 13.3K

20.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$2.68 MNT 9,591

79.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$0.65 MNT 2,332

350.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.02 MNT 3,668

202.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.10 MNT 3,955

101.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.69 MNT 2,487

226.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 $9.90

$1.82 MNT 6,521

443.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$9.79 MNT 35.1K

56.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.25 MNT 4,485

52.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.70 MNT 6,078

110.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.16 MNT 588

1437.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 $64.6

$7.52 MNT 26.9K

759.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 $3.77

$0.58 MNT 2,065

550.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.60 MNT 2,164

185.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.08 $30.08

$4.33 MNT 15.5K

594.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.02 MNT 3,670

-5.88%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$21.8K MNT 78.2M

36.87%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$16.1K MNT 57.7M

62.37%

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

$210 $210

$72.0 MNT 257.9K

192.00%

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

$56.3 $56.3

$7.19 MNT 25.8K

682.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$14.26 MNT 51.1K

410.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.39 $45.39

$48.95 MNT 175.4K

-7.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.60 $21.60

$12.88 MNT 46.2K

67.70%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 $14.04

$3.59 MNT 12.9K

291.09%

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

$1,377 $1,377

$174 MNT 623.0K

692.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K $22.4K

$6,450 MNT 23.1M

246.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 $52.7

$75.2 MNT 269.5K

-29.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.41 $42.41

$61.4 MNT 220.1K

-30.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

$99.5 MNT 356.6K

-7.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$132 MNT 473.9K

-14.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$480 MNT 1.7M

267.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 $1,462

$372 MNT 1.3M

292.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,849 $2,849

$1,346 MNT 4.8M

111.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 $2,369

$740 MNT 2.7M

220.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,364 $3,364

$1,828 MNT 6.6M

84.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,665 $2,665

$932 MNT 3.3M

185.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,378 $4,378

$595 MNT 2.1M

636.14%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mongolia: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,635 in United States vs $206 in Mongolia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,625 in Washington, MI and $511 in Ulaanbaatar.

Average salary: $4,500 in United States vs $451 in Mongolia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 694% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 232% more in United States.

Public transport is 733% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 898% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

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 478% 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 478% 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.