Which place is cheaper, Ulaanbaatar or Cairo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cairo or Ulaanbaatar?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Cairo and Ulaanbaatar can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Cairo or Ulaanbaatar?
Cairo
Cairo is the chaotic capital city of Egypt. With a population of more than 16 million, it is one of the largest cities in both Africa and the Middle East. As a traveler, you're likely to arrive and leave from here and you'll get your first orientation to the area during the chaotic and congestion filled taxi ride from the airport.
Ulaanbaatar
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 Family-Friendly Tours to Egypt, The Best Historical Tours in Egypt, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mongolia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Mongolia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCairo $17Ulaanbaatar $25
The average daily cost (per person) in Cairo is $17, 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 Cairo and Ulaanbaatar in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCairo $9.27Ulaanbaatar $12
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCairo $19Ulaanbaatar $24
Compare Hotels in Cairo and Ulaanbaatar
Looking for a hotel in Cairo 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Cairo Hotel Prices and Ulaanbaatar Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cairo $2.96Ulaanbaatar $2.91
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Cairo
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Cairo are as follows:
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Metro Ride$0.08
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Taxi Ride$0.31
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cairo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cairo:
- 2-Days Trip in Cairo & Giza (Including Free Transfer from the Airport): $143
- Cairo Airport Arrival Transfer: $20
- Cairo Airport Transfer to Hotel: $20
- Private Tour Giza Pyramids,Sphinx With Camel Ride,Lunch and Hotels Transfers: $27
- Private airport Transfer: $15
- Private transfer from Sonesta Hotel, Tower& Casino Cairo to Cairo airport: $9.60
- Transfer from Anywhere in Cairo to Cairo International Airport: $25
- Transfers From Cairo Airport: $10
- Private Transfer from/to Cairo International Airport: $26
- 01 way Private Transfer from your Hotel in Cairo to Cairo Airport: $10
- 01 way Transfer from Cairo airport to your Hotel in Giza: $10
- 01 way Transfer from hotel in Cairo to Alexandria: $35
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ulaanbaatar
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ulaanbaatar:
- 2024 Ulaanbaatar Airport Transfer & Taxi Shuttle Service - Best!: $18
- Airport - Ulaanbaatar transfer service: $40
- Airport transfer service: $50
- Mongolia Airport Transfer & Taxi Service -BEST!: $18
- New Ulaanbaatar International Airport Transfer Service: $45
- Private Departure Transfer: Ulaanbaatar Airport: $40
- Private Transfer Ulaanbaatar Airport ULN to Ulaanbaatar City : $28
- Private Transfer from Chinggis Khaan Airport to Ulaanbaatar: $37
- Private Transfer from Ulaanbaatar to or from Terelj National Park: $60
- Private Transfer to Ulaanbaatar Airport ULN by Business Vehicle: $28
Is it cheaper to fly into Cairo or Ulaanbaatar?
Prices for flights to both Ulaanbaatar and Cairo 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayCairo $4.70Ulaanbaatar $8.94
Typical Food Prices in Cairo
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cairo:
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Juice$0.04
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cairo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cairo.
- Cairo Dinner Cruise With Belly Dancer Show: $10
- Giza Dinner Cruise With Belly Dancer Show: $10
- Cairo Dinner Cruise, Belly Dancer Show With Pickup Service: $11
- Dinner Cruise on the Nile River: $13
- Nile Sunset, Dinner Cruise, Show and Private Transfer: $16
- 2-Hour Nile River Night Dinner Cruise from Cairo: $16
- Super Safari Quad Bike Jeep Safari Buggy and Dinner in Hurghada: $18
- Private Expert tour Giza Pyramids ,Sphinx ,Nile Dinner Cruise & Belly Dancer: $19
- food tour private tour from cairo or giza hotel: $19
- Dinner Cruise Cairo With Belly Dancer Show in The Nile River: $20
- Giza Pyramids, Camel Ride, ATV, shopping Tour and Dinner cruise: $20
- Giza pyramids and Nile dinner cruise private tour from Cairo Giza hotels: $22
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ulaanbaatar
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ulaanbaatar.
- Cooking Class in a Traditional Ger Home in Ulaanbaatar Suburbs: $100
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cairo $5.69Ulaanbaatar $4.42
Typical Entertainment Prices in Cairo
Here are a few typical costs in Cairo for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Entry to Camel Market for Two$0.84
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Egyptian Museum Entry for Two$6.43
Tours and Activities in Cairo
Here are a few actual costs in Cairo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Dahshur Pyramids Entry Tickets: $4.28
- El Sultan Hassan Mosque Entry Ticket : $4.56
- The Baron Empain Palace Entry Ticket: $4.60
- New Grand Egyptian Museum Tour with optional the pyramids tour..: $5.00
- 3-Hour Private Tour of Papyrus and Perfumes in Ancient Egypt: $5.00
- Mosque and Madrasa of Sultan Hasan Entry Ticket: $5.07
- Wonder Tour To Khufu, Khafre, Menkaure Pyramids and Great Sphinx : $5.56
- Cairo Museum of Islamic Arts Entry Ticket: $7.00
- Baron Palace Skip the line Access Entry Tickets: $7.00
- El Sultan Hassan Mosque Entry Ticket: $7.00
- Museum of Islamic Art Entry Ticket : $7.23
- Cairo Half day tours to Giza Pyramids and Sphinx: $8.00
Tours and Activities in Ulaanbaatar
Here are a few actual costs in Ulaanbaatar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Private custom tour with a local guide: $47
- Ulaanbatar : Private Custom Tour With A Local Guide : $48
- Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex and Sain Nomun Monastery Tour : $50
- Genghis Khan Statue Tour: 3-Hour Ticket Included: $65
- Genghis Khan Statue Tour: 3-Hour Ticket Included: $65
- Traditional Music and Dance Performance Ticket: $69
- Genghis Khan Statue One Day Tour +Bonus Terelj National Park And Aryabal Temple: $79
- Ancient Fine Arts with Honored Masters - UB City Experience: $82
- 1 Day Coach Tour of Terelj National Park Including Lunch And Free Camel Ride: $83
- 1 Day Coach Tour of Genghis Khan Statue Complex and Terelj National Park Including Lunch: $83
- Day Tour of Hustai National Park: $83
- Full Day Private Tour in Terelj National Park with Horse Riding: $85
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCairo $1.16Ulaanbaatar $3.83
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cairo and Ulaanbaatar, we can see that Ulaanbaatar is more expensive. And not only is Cairo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cairo is in Africa 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 Cairo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cairo 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 Ulaanbaatar would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ulaanbaatar than you might in Cairo.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cairo Expensive? and Is Ulaanbaatar Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cairo or Ulaanbaatar?
Cairo has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Ulaanbaatar. When comparing the sizes of Cairo 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.