Ulaanbaatar vs Seoul Cost of Living
Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia) · Overall index 27.1 — Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3
Summary
- Overall, Seoul is 97% more expensive than Ulaanbaatar.
- Rent in Seoul is 133% more expensive than in Ulaanbaatar.
- Transport in Seoul is 121% more expensive than in Ulaanbaatar.
| Item | Ulaanbaatar | Seoul | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +133% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $503 | $1,128 | +124% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $387 | $885 | +129% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,159 | $2,631 | +127% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $639 | $1,576 | +147% |
| Groceries | +87% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.44 | $0.97 | +120% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.33 | $3.03 | +128% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.78 | $3.33 | +87% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.9 | $3.32 | +75% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $5.11 | $9.47 | +85% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $5.28 | $8.39 | +59% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $7.5 | $14.8 | +97% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.34 | $4.15 | +77% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.83 | $1.53 | +84% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.79 | $3.36 | +88% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $1.89 | $3.73 | +97% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.09 | $2.22 | +104% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.16 | $1.86 | +60% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1 | $1.71 | +71% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.99 | $1.67 | +69% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $5.81 | $11.7 | +101% |
| Transport | +121% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.68 | $1.68 | +147% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $39.1 | $68.9 | +76% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.25 | $2.76 | +121% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.6 | $1.34 | +123% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.25 | $0.53 | +112% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $7,462 | $18,844 | +153% |
| Dining out | +111% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $6.7 | $14.8 | +121% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $39.1 | $84.8 | +117% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.82 | $7.96 | +108% |
| Cappuccino | $1.74 | $3.11 | +79% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.88 | $1.89 | +115% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.04 | $4.53 | +122% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.68 | $5.53 | +106% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.62 | $1.43 | +131% |
| Telecom | +61% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $28.6 | $45.1 | +58% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $31.2 | $47.3 | +52% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.14 | $0.22 | +57% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $6.31 | $11.3 | +79% |
| Utilities & household | +86% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $64.3 | $130 | +102% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.07 | $0.16 | +129% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.9 | $3.13 | +65% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.6 | $1.03 | +72% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $9.23 | $15.9 | +72% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $33.4 | $60.9 | +82% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $5.44 | $9.46 | +74% |
| Men's haircut | $11.5 | $22.9 | +99% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $8.89 | $16.6 | +87% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $814 | $1,561 | +92% |
2,994 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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