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Jakarta vs Ulaanbaatar cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฎ๐ฉ Jakarta
๐ฒ๐ณ Ulaanbaatar
At a glance
- Where Ulaanbaatar is clearly cheaper: SIM card (29%โ)
- Where Jakarta is clearly cheaper: Street food (70%โ), Local meal (66%โ), Laundry (56%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Jakarta is easier to travel (2.8 vs 3.4). Biggest gap: language โ Jakarta 3 vs Ulaanbaatar 5. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Jakarta | Ulaanbaatar | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | Rp 30,000$1.84 | โฎ 19,000$5.35 | Jakarta โ66% |
| Street food1 item | Rp 14,000$0.86 | โฎ 10,000$2.82 | Jakarta โ70% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | Rp 180,000$11 | โฎ 55,000$15.5 | Jakarta โ29% |
| Coffeeone cup | Rp 38,000$2.33 | โฎ 10,000$2.82 | Jakarta โ17% |
| Beerone bottle | Rp 45,000$2.76 | โฎ 9,000$2.54 | Ulaanbaatar โ8% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | Rp 130,000$7.98 | โฎ 30,000$8.45 | Jakarta โ6% |
| Bottled water | Rp 4,500$0.28 | โฎ 1,500$0.42 | Jakarta โ35% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | Rp 6,000$0.37 | โฎ 2,500$0.7 | Jakarta โ48% |
| Taxi5 km in town | Rp 42,000$2.58 | โฎ 11,000$3.1 | Jakarta โ17% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | Rp 15,000$0.92 | โฎ 5,000$1.41 | Jakarta โ35% |
| Transitone ride | Rp 3,500$0.21 | โฎ 1,000$0.28 | Jakarta โ24% |
| Scooter rentalper day | Rp 100,000$6.13 | โฎ 40,000$11.3 | Jakarta โ46% |
| Hotel night3-star | Rp 650,000$39.9 | โฎ 230,000$64.8 | Jakarta โ38% |
| Studio rent (month) | Rp 5,000,000$307 | โฎ 1,900,000$535 | Jakarta โ43% |
| Laundry | Rp 12,000$0.74 | โฎ 6,000$1.69 | Jakarta โ56% |
| SIM card1 week data | Rp 97,000$5.95 | โฎ 15,000$4.23 | Ulaanbaatar โ29% |
| Haircutcut | Rp 50,000$3.07 | โฎ 18,000$5.07 | Jakarta โ40% |
| Massage1 hour | Rp 170,000$10.4 | โฎ 70,000$19.7 | Jakarta โ47% |
| Half-day tourper person | Rp 450,000$27.6 | โฎ 125,000$35.2 | Jakarta โ22% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | Rp 97,000$5.95 | โฎ 30,000$8.45 | Jakarta โ30% |
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%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Jakarta or Ulaanbaatar?
Jakarta is 39% cheaper than Ulaanbaatar. Daily budget $69.7 vs $112; a month $1,138 vs $1,925.
Which is easier to travel, Jakarta or Ulaanbaatar?
Jakarta is easier: Jakarta 2.8/5 vs Ulaanbaatar 3.4/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Jakarta and Ulaanbaatar?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Jakarta is about $1,138 and Ulaanbaatar about $1,925 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
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.