Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money · Updated September 2026
| Item | Jakarta | Ulaanbaatar | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | Rp 30,000$1.84 | ₮ 15,000$4.23 | Jakarta −56% |
| Street food1 item | Rp 14,000$0.86 | ₮ 6,800$1.92 | Jakarta −55% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | Rp 180,000$11 | â‚® 40,000$11.3 | similar |
| Coffeeone cup | Rp 38,000$2.33 | â‚® 8,000$2.25 | similar |
| Beerone bottle | Rp 50,000$3.07 | ₮ 7,000$1.97 | Ulaanbaatar −36% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | Rp 130,000$7.98 | ₮ 18,000$5.07 | Ulaanbaatar −36% |
| Bottled water | Rp 5,000$0.31 | ₮ 1,500$0.42 | Jakarta −27% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | Rp 13,000$0.8 | ₮ 3,800$1.07 | Jakarta −25% |
| Taxi5 km in town | Rp 30,000$1.84 | ₮ 12,000$3.38 | Jakarta −46% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | Rp 24,000$1.47 | â‚® 5,000$1.41 | similar |
| Transitone ride | Rp 3,500$0.21 | ₮ 500$0.14 | Ulaanbaatar −34% |
| Scooter rentalper day | Rp 97,000$5.95 | ₮ 50,000$14.1 | Jakarta −58% |
| Hotel night3-star | Rp 650,000$39.9 | ₮ 200,000$56.3 | Jakarta −29% |
| Studio rent (month) | Rp 9,000,000$552 | ₮ 1,600,000$451 | Ulaanbaatar −18% |
| Laundry | Rp 19,000$1.17 | ₮ 6,000$1.69 | Jakarta −31% |
| SIM card1 week data | Rp 97,000$5.95 | ₮ 15,000$4.23 | Ulaanbaatar −29% |
| Haircutcut | Rp 53,000$3.25 | ₮ 21,000$5.92 | Jakarta −45% |
| Massage1 hour | Rp 150,000$9.2 | ₮ 60,000$16.9 | Jakarta −46% |
| Half-day tourper person | Rp 480,000$29.4 | ₮ 150,000$42.3 | Jakarta −30% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | Rp 97,000$5.95 | ₮ 15,000$4.23 | Ulaanbaatar −29% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
Jakarta is 18% cheaper than Ulaanbaatar. Daily budget $67.8 vs $95; a month $1,679 vs $1,603.
With a short-term studio and living costs, Jakarta is about $1,679 and Ulaanbaatar about $1,603 per month.
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.