Which place is cheaper, Ulaanbaatar or Bucharest?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Bucharest and Ulaanbaatar. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Bucharest is the capital and largest city in the country of Romania. With about 2 million residents living in the city and about 2.4 million in the surrounding urban area, it is also one of the largest cities in Southeastern Europe. As such, it is the economic, industrial and commercial center for the country. As a visitor, you will likely enter Romania by arriving in Bucharest. The city continues to grow and change, and there are ongoing infrastructure projects that continue to modernize the city. It is not uncommon to find historic churches on the same block as modern office buildings and Communist style apartment buildings. There are also many sights around town and the city continues to grow as a trendy and fascinating city.
Ulaanbaatar is Mongolia's capital city. It has a population of slightly over two million people, or about sixty percent of the country's entire population. You are likely to arrive in Ulaanbaatar either by train, coming from China or Russia, or by plane. Many people use Ulaanbaatar as a stop off while doing the Transsiberian Railway. The city is a great place to organize a tour of the surrounding countryside. It's also good city to relax, so make sure you allow yourself a few days to recover from your tour, enjoy some of the great food options, and see some of the fascinating cultural sights around town.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Bucharest, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Romania, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mongolia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Mongolia.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Bucharest is $139, while the average daily cost in Ulaanbaatar is $25. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Bucharest and Ulaanbaatar in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Bucharest or Ulaanbaatar? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bucharest:
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ulaanbaatar:
Prices for flights to both Ulaanbaatar and Bucharest change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bucharest.
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ulaanbaatar.
Here are a few actual costs in Bucharest for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
Here are a few actual costs in Ulaanbaatar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
Also in Bucharest, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bucharest and Ulaanbaatar, we can see that Bucharest is more expensive. And not only is Ulaanbaatar much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Bucharest is in Europe and Ulaanbaatar is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Ulaanbaatar would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ulaanbaatar and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Bucharest would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bucharest than you might in Ulaanbaatar.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bucharest Expensive? and Is Ulaanbaatar Expensive?.
Bucharest has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Ulaanbaatar. When comparing the sizes of Bucharest and Ulaanbaatar, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.