Chiang Mai vs Ulaanbaatar Cost of Living
Chiang Mai (Thailand) · Overall index 26.0 — Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia) · Overall index 27.1
Summary
- Overall, Ulaanbaatar is 4% more expensive than Chiang Mai.
- Rent in Ulaanbaatar is 21% more expensive than in Chiang Mai.
- Telecom in Ulaanbaatar is 7% more expensive than in Chiang Mai.
| Item | Chiang Mai | Ulaanbaatar | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +21% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $477 | $503 | +5% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $325 | $387 | +19% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $805 | $1,159 | +44% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $542 | $639 | +18% |
| Groceries | +3% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.53 | $0.44 | -17% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.44 | $1.33 | -8% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.68 | $1.78 | +6% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.78 | $1.9 | +7% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $4.79 | $5.11 | +7% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $4.84 | $5.28 | +9% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $6.72 | $7.5 | +12% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.14 | $2.34 | +9% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.79 | $0.83 | +5% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.82 | $1.79 | -2% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.21 | $1.89 | -14% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.07 | $1.09 | +2% |
| Onions (1kg) | $0.94 | $1.16 | +23% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.93 | $1 | +8% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.87 | $0.99 | +14% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $5.67 | $5.81 | +2% |
| Transport | -2% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.71 | $0.68 | -4% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $38.2 | $39.1 | +2% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.11 | $1.25 | +13% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.56 | $0.6 | +7% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.29 | $0.25 | -14% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $8,510 | $7,462 | -12% |
| Dining out | -2% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $6.98 | $6.7 | -4% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $40 | $39.1 | -2% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.87 | $3.82 | -1% |
| Cappuccino | $1.62 | $1.74 | +7% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.9 | $0.88 | -2% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.41 | $2.04 | -15% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.63 | $2.68 | +2% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.64 | $0.62 | -3% |
| Telecom | +7% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $24.9 | $28.6 | +15% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $26.6 | $31.2 | +17% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.15 | $0.14 | -7% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $6.1 | $6.31 | +3% |
| Utilities & household | +1% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $67.6 | $64.3 | -5% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.08 | $0.07 | -12% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.58 | $1.9 | +20% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.56 | $0.6 | +7% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $8.03 | $9.23 | +15% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $32.5 | $33.4 | +3% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $6.4 | $5.44 | -15% |
| Men's haircut | $10.6 | $11.5 | +8% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $9.66 | $8.89 | -8% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $810 | $814 | 0% |
3,313 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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