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Cost of living in Mongolia

Mongolia is 64% cheaper than the US, ranking #138 of 203 countries we cover for cost of living.

World Bank data through 2024 · last reviewed 2026-06.

Cost of living · US = 100
35.8
Ranks #138 of 203 · 64% cheaper than the US
GDP / capita (PPP)
$19,145
GNI / capita (PPP)
$17,000
Inflation · YoY
6.2%
Population
3.5M
Capital
Ulaanbaatar
Density
2 /km²
Urban
71%
Area
1.6M km²

What drives the cost here

Price levels by category, where the world average = 100. Above 100 is pricier than the global norm; below it is cheaper.

In Mongolia, communication is the priciest category relative to the world (79), while health is the most affordable (23).

Communication 79
Food & groceries 76
Transport 57
Housing & utilities 49
Restaurants & hotels 44
Health 23

Category price levels: World Bank ICP 2021 (world average = 100) · source

Mongolia on the map

What your money is worth here

A $100,000 US lifestyle would cost roughly $36,000 in Mongolia.

Quality of life

73/100 · #112 of 198

Beyond cost — health, safety, and connectivity. The score is a transparent, equal-weight composite of the verified metrics below (see methodology).

Quality-of-life score
73 / 100
Our transparent equal-weight composite
Life expectancy
72 yrs
World Bank · 2024 · source
Safety · homicide /100k
5.9
UNODC · 2023 · source
Infant mortality /1k
11
World Bank · 2024 · source
Internet users
85%
ITU · 2024 · source
Safe drinking water
43%
WHO/UNICEF · 2024 · source
Air quality · PM2.5
30 µg/m³
WHO · 2020 · source

About Mongolia

The peoples of Mongolia have a long history under a number of nomadic empires dating back to the Xiongnu in the 4th century B.C., and the name Mongol goes back to at least the 11th century A.D. The most famous Mongol, TEMÜÜJIN (aka Genghis Khan), emerged as the ruler of all Mongols in the early 1200s. By the time of his death in 1227, he had created through conquest a Mongol Empire that extended across much of Eurasia.

Read the full background

His descendants, including ÖGÖDEI and KHUBILAI (aka Kublai Khan), continued to conquer Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and the rest of China, where KHUBILAI established the Yuan Dynasty in the 1270s. The Mongols attempted to invade Japan and Java before their empire broke apart in the 14th century. In the 17th century, Mongolia fell under the rule of the Manchus of the Chinese Qing Dynasty. After Manchu rule collapsed in 1911, Mongolia declared independence, finally winning it in 1921 with help from the Soviet Union. Mongolia became a socialist state (the Mongolian People’s Republic) in 1924. Until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, Mongolia was a Soviet satellite state and relied heavily on economic, military, and political assistance from Moscow. The period was also marked by purges, political repression, economic stagnation, and tensions with China. Mongolia peacefully transitioned to an independent democracy in 1990. In 1992, it adopted a new constitution and established a free-market economy. Since the country's transition, it has conducted a series of successful presidential and legislative elections. Throughout the period, the ex-communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party -- which took the name Mongolian People’s Party (MPP) in 2010 -- has competed for political power with the Democratic Party and several other smaller parties. For most of its democratic history, Mongolia has had a divided government, with the presidency and the parliamentary majority held by different parties but that changed in 2021, when the MPP won the presidency after having secured a supermajority in parliament in 2020. Mongolia’s June 2021 presidential election delivered a decisive victory for MPP candidate Ukhnaagiin KHURELSUKH. Mongolia maintains close cultural, political, and military ties with Russia, while China is its largest economic partner. Mongolia’s foreign relations are focused on preserving its autonomy by balancing relations with China and Russia, as well as its other major partners, Japan, South Korea, and the US.

Background from the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived 2026-06-03.

Frequently asked

Is Mongolia expensive to live in?

Mongolia is 64% cheaper than the US, ranking #138 of the 203 countries we track. Its most expensive category relative to the world is communication; health costs the least.

How much money do you need to live in Mongolia?

A lifestyle that costs $100,000 in the United States would cost roughly $36,000 in Mongolia, going by overall price levels. The salary translator turns your own figure into a local equivalent.

Is Mongolia cheaper than the United States?

Yes. Its overall price level is 35.8, against 100 for the United States.

What is the quality of life in Mongolia?

Mongolia scores 73 out of 100 on our quality-of-life index (#112 of 198), a composite of life expectancy, safety, health, and connectivity, with life expectancy around 72 years.

Every number, sourced.

We cite the exact source and year for each figure. Derived values are computed at build time, never hand-entered.

Price level index (US = 100)
Derived: nominal ÷ PPP GDP per capita, indexed to the US
35.8
GDP per capita (PPP)
World Bank · 2024 · source
$19,145
GNI per capita (PPP)
World Bank · 2024 · source
$17,000
Inflation (annual %)
World Bank · 2024 · source
6.2%
Population
World Bank · 2024 · source
3.5M
Population density
World Bank · 2023 · source
2 /km²
Urban population
World Bank · 2024 · source
71%
Surface area
World Bank · 2023 · source
1.6M km²

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