Which place is cheaper, Ulaanbaatar or Dubai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Dubai or Ulaanbaatar?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Dubai and Ulaanbaatar can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Dubai or Ulaanbaatar?
Dubai
Ever wonder what it would be like to see the lifestyles of the rich and famous up close. There's no more upscale destination than Dubai. It's by far and away the spot for shopping, partying, sunbathing, fine dining and the most luxurious of luxury. As the most modern and progressive of the seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates, this area has experienced an unbelievable economic boom and tourism spike. It's a desert city with an amazing infrastructure.
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 3-Day Tours from Dubai, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in United Arab Emirates, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mongolia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Mongolia.
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Dubai Prices
UAE PricesUlaanbaatar Prices
Mongolia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDubai $289Ulaanbaatar $30
The average daily cost (per person) in Dubai is $289, while the average daily cost in Ulaanbaatar is $30. 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 Dubai and Ulaanbaatar in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDubai $170Ulaanbaatar $11
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDubai $340Ulaanbaatar $22
Compare Hotels in Dubai and Ulaanbaatar
Looking for a hotel in Dubai 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: Dubai Hotel Prices and Ulaanbaatar Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dubai $13Ulaanbaatar $2.79
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dubai
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dubai:
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Taxi Ride$12
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Airport Taxi$12
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Sea Taxi$0.54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dubai
Also for Dubai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- 1 Hour Marina Yacht Tour with Optional Transfer: $45
- 1-Hour Quad Biking Tour with Transfer from Dubai: $140
- 2 Dives for Certified Divers in Fujairah with transfer: $167
- 3-Hour Ice Skating Experience in Dubai with optional Transfer: $69
- A Guided Tour To Quranic Park and Jumeirah Mosque With Transfer: $95
- A Japanese Business Lunch Experience in Dubai with Transfer: $119
- AYA Universe Dubai Ticket with Transfer option: $33
- AYA Universe Dubai with Transfer Option: $42
- AYA Universe Experience with Private Transfers: $73
- AYA Universe Light and Sound Park in Dubai with Optional Transfer: $63
- AYA Universe and Dubai Frame Tour with Private Transfer: $155
- Abu Dhabi City Tour transfer from Dubai Shared Bus: $52
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ulaanbaatar
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ulaanbaatar:
- VIP Airport Transfer-Cadillac Escalade (6 Passengers+6 Luggage): $266
- Private Airport Transfer and City Ride: $139
- Ulaanbaatar Airport Transfers and Customized Day Tours: $90
- Private Minivan Transfer, Chinggis Khaan International Airport: $67
- Private Transfer to Ulaanbaatar Airport UBN by private Vehicule: $51
- New Ulaanbaatar International Airport Transfer Service: $45
- Airport - Ulaanbaatar transfer service: $40
- Ulaanbaatar Airport Transfer and Private Car with Driver: $40
- Best Price :Terelj National Park Best Non-Guided Transfers: $36
- Private Airport Transfer taxi in Ulaanbaatar: $30
- UBN Airport Private Transfer to/from City Center: $29
- Chinggis Khaan Airport (UBN) Taxi Transfers to/from Ulaanbaatar: $23
Is it cheaper to fly into Dubai or Ulaanbaatar?
Prices for flights to both Ulaanbaatar and Dubai 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 dayDubai $96Ulaanbaatar $15
Typical Food Prices in Dubai
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Dubai:
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French bread$0.95
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Sumo salad in Dubai Mall + Juice$10
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Lemon Mint Tea$4.36
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Coffee & Cake$6.54
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Smoothie$5.45
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Shawarma$1.91
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dubai
For Dubai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Evening Desert Safari With BBQ dinner & live shows: $5.55
- VIP Red Sand Safari,Pick/Drop,Camel Ride,Quad Bike& Dinner: $6.42
- Premium Desert Safari with Camel Ride, Sandboard Dinner with BBQ: $6.78
- Dubai Desert Safari - Free Pick&Drop Red Dunes Live Shows Dinner: $6.78
- VIP Desert Safari, Quad Bike 30 Minutes ,Camel Ride, Dinner,Shows: $6.78
- Dubai Desert Safari Tour Hotel Transfer, Camel Ride & BBQ Dinner: $6.78
- VIP Dubai Red Dune Desert Safari 4x4, Camel Ride and BBQ Dinner: $8.75
- Dubai Desert Safari With4x4 Pick/Drop camel ride BBQ dinner shows: $8.89
- Premium Desert Safari, Pick/Drop, Camel Ride, Quad bike & Dinner: $8.96
- Budget-Friendly Evening Desert Safari + BBQ Dinner & Live Shows: $8.99
- Desert Safari,Premium sofa,Quad Bike,CamelRide,BBQ Dinner,Shows: $9.21
- Vip Red Dune Desert Safari, Quad Bike, Camel Ride, Dinner & Shows: $9.60
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ulaanbaatar
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ulaanbaatar.
- Ulaanbaatar Walking Tour & Cooking Class in a Mongolian Home: $99
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dubai $19Ulaanbaatar $4.24
Typical Entertainment Prices in Dubai
For Dubai, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Visit to the Dubai Museum$0.82
Tours and Activities in Dubai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dubai.
- Dubai's Hidden Gems: Self Guided City Tour: $1.12
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Dubai: $5.72
- Dubai Walking Tour: Self-Guided City Game: $5.84
- A Self-Guided Tour of Dubai’s Origins in Deira: $5.99
- Dubai Walking Tour 1h00 and 9 audio reviews: $7.26
- Miracle Garden and Global Village Entrance Ticket: $9.77
- Maze Mirror Inside Creek Park Entry Ticket: $9.77
- Private Evening Desert Safari Dubai Tour: $10
- DUBAI MARINA Jet Ski Adventure: $10
- Dubai Butterfly Garden Ticket Deals: $10
- 60 Min Burj Khalifa Tour in Wooden Boat: $11
- Al Shindagha Museum Ticket: $13
Tours and Activities in Ulaanbaatar
Here are a few actual costs in Ulaanbaatar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day -Nomad Naadam Experience: $115
- 1 Day Aglag Buteel Temple Tour- Meditation and Nature: $218
- 1 Day Chinggis Khaan Statue & Terelj National Park Private tour: $180
- 1 Day Khustai National Park Tour- Wild Horse (Takhi): $252
- 1 Day Semi-Gobi All-included tour: $146
- 1 Day Semi-Gobi Tour Including Lunch And Free Camel +Bonus Khustai National Park: $169
- 1 Day Semi-Gobi Tour with Lunch And Enjoying Camel or Horseback: $138
- 1 Day Terelj Tour from Ulaanbaatar: $250
- 1 Day Tour: Terelj National Park And Chinggis Statue: $212
- 1 Day Ulaanbaatar City Tour- Culture and History: $241
- 12 day Great Gobi and Central Mongolia full adventure: $2,210
- 2 Day Local experience by train visit Tunkhel town: $380
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDubai $23Ulaanbaatar $3.67
Typical Alcohol Prices in Dubai
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Dubai:
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A Couple Drinks$25
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dubai and Ulaanbaatar, we can see that Dubai is more expensive. And not only is Ulaanbaatar much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dubai is in Middle East 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 Dubai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dubai 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 Dubai Expensive? and Is Ulaanbaatar Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dubai or Ulaanbaatar?
Dubai has a larger population, and is about 35% larger than the population of Ulaanbaatar. When comparing the sizes of Dubai 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.