A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Hanoi vs. Ulaanbaatar for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Hanoi 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 Hanoi 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: Hanoi or Ulaanbaatar?

Hanoi

Hanoi is the chaotic capital of Vietnam, and it serves as a great introduction to the country for many travelers. It's the second largest city in the country after Saigon and is an interesting combination of East meets West. There's traditional Vietnamese culture with subtle influences brought by the French. The city continues to grow and change rapidly and it's easy to get lost amidst the chaos.

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 Adventure Tours to Vietnam, The Best Eco Tours in Vietnam, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mongolia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Mongolia.


Which place is cheaper, Ulaanbaatar or Hanoi?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Hanoi is $49, while the average daily cost in Ulaanbaatar is $26. 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 Hanoi and Ulaanbaatar in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Hanoi $25
    Ulaanbaatar $12
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Hanoi $50
    Ulaanbaatar $24
Compare Hotels in Hanoi and Ulaanbaatar

Looking for a hotel in Hanoi 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.

Hotels in Hanoi


Hotels in Ulaanbaatar


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: Hanoi Hotel Prices and Ulaanbaatar Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Hanoi $6.97
    Ulaanbaatar $2.97
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Hanoi

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Hanoi:


  • Taxi to Bus Station
    $1.21
  • Shuttle Bus From Airport (for Two)
    $3.23
  • Local Bus Ride (for Two)
    $0.40
  • Short Taxi Ride
    $1.37
  • Short Motorbike Ride (10 Minutes)
    $0.81

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hanoi

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hanoi:

  • Luxury Halong Bay Day Tour - 6 hours cruising - Limousine transfers: $119
  • ( Deluxe & Small Group ) Bai Dinh Trang An Mua Cave Tour with Limousine Transfer: $54
  • 1-Way Transfer between Hanoi and Ha Long via Limousine Bus: $22
  • 2 Days 1 night Ba Be Lake BEST ADVENTURE: transfer,homestay,boat,kayak,swim,cave: $153
  • 2 Days Halong Bay With Budget Cruise - Including Transfer From Hanoi: $148
  • 2-Day Adenture Pu Luong Motorbike Tour with Transfer from HANOI : $125
  • 2-Day Halong Bay Tou & Ninh binh Tour With Transfer: $120
  • 2-Day Hanoi - Ninh Binh - Ha Long Bay With Transfer: $190
  • 2-Day In Halong Bay Cruise With Transfer From Hanoi: $180
  • 2-Day Ninh Binh & Halong Bay With Transfer: $210
  • 2-Day Trekking Tour to Sapa from Hanoi by EXPRESSWAY TRANSFER Luxury Limousine: $122
  • 2-day Ha Long Bay Cruise included Transfer, Kayking and Swimming: $180

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ulaanbaatar

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ulaanbaatar:

  • 2024 Ulaanbaatar Airport Transfer & Taxi Shuttle Service - Best!: $18
  • Airport transfer service: $50
  • Private Transfer from Chinggis Khaan Airport to Ulaanbaatar: $31
  • Private Transfer from Ulaanbaatar to or from Terelj National Park: $60

Is it cheaper to fly into Hanoi or Ulaanbaatar?

Prices for flights to both Ulaanbaatar and Hanoi 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Hanoi $13
    Ulaanbaatar $9.12
Typical Food Prices in Hanoi

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Hanoi:


  • High End Dinner (for Two)
    $12
  • Casual Lunch (for Two)
    $4.44
  • Bowl of Pho
    $0.81
  • Italian Dinner (for Food)
    $6.26

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hanoi

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Hanoi.

  • Hanoi free food tour - Old Quarter food walking tour: $5.00
  • Hanoi Street Food Tour: $5.00
  • Private Traditional Vietnamese Food Cooking Class in Hanoi : $5.00
  • Street Food Tour (Group/Individual): $5.25
  • Hanoi food tour - Local street food walking tour: $19
  • Hanoi Best Local Food Tour Visit Train Street Old Quarter: $20
  • Local Food Tour & Train Street, food&guide included: $20
  • Hanoi Walking Street Food Tour: $20
  • Walking Street Food Tour Small Group with Local Guide: $22
  • Ngon ngon & Authentic Hanoi Food Tour: $23
  • Vietnamese Street Food Tour with a Local Guide: $23
  • Mad Monkey Hoi An Cooking Class & Bamboo Boats: $24

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
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Hanoi $8.60
    Ulaanbaatar $4.51
Typical Entertainment Prices in Hanoi

Here are a few typical costs in Hanoi for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Puppet Theater
    $1.61
  • The Hanoi Hilton Entrance
    $1.61
  • National History Museum
    $1.61
  • Puppet Theater Ticket
    $2.83

Tours and Activities in Hanoi

Here are a few actual costs in Hanoi for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Culture Exchange with Free Private Tour Guide: $3.67
  • Hanoi : City Tour | Free Private Tour Guide: $3.67
  • Skip the Line: Thang Long Water Puppet Theater Entrance Tickets: $4.90
  • Hanoi Old Quarter Free walking tour: $5.00
  • Half-day Private Walking Tour of Hanoi's Old Quarter: $5.00
  • Street Food Walking Tour in Hanoi: $5.00
  • Private Walking Tour of Hanoi City: $5.00
  • Half Day Hanoi Old Quarter Private Walking Tour: $5.00
  • (Evening) HANOI CUSTOMIZED Walking Tour: $5.00
  • Skip the line: Thang Long Water Puppet Theater Entrance Tickets: $5.00
  • Ho Chi Minh Complex & Temple of Literature Tour (half day): $5.13
  • Hanoi War Sites Walking Tour: $5.13

Tours and Activities in Ulaanbaatar

Here are a few actual costs in Ulaanbaatar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Terelj National Park: Tour with horse riding and hiking: $4.00
  • Private custom tour with a local guide: $48
  • Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex and Sain Nomun Monastery Tour : $50
  • Traditional Music and Dance Performance Ticket: $69
  • Day Coach Tour of Aglag Buteel Monastery and Meditation Center Including Lunch : $72
  • Genghis Khan Statue Tour + Bonus Gorkhi-Terelj National Park One Day tour: $79
  • 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 Genghis Khan Statue Complex and Terelj National Park Including Lunch: $83
  • Day Tour to Terelj Park Chinggs khaan statue, Zaisan Hill: $86
  • Night city tour all included: $90
  • City tour all included: $90

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Hanoi $7.78
    Ulaanbaatar $3.91

Sample the Local Flavors in Hanoi

Also in Hanoi, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Half-Day Guided Tour Australian Beef with Wine Tasting & Rickshaw in Hanoi: $106


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Hanoi and Ulaanbaatar, we can see that Hanoi is more expensive. And not only is Ulaanbaatar much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Hanoi would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hanoi 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 Hanoi Expensive? and Is Ulaanbaatar Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Hanoi or Ulaanbaatar?

Hanoi has a larger population, and is about 69% larger than the population of Ulaanbaatar. When comparing the sizes of Hanoi 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.