Which place is cheaper, Ulaanbaatar or Phuket?
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 Phuket or Ulaanbaatar?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Phuket or Ulaanbaatar, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Phuket or Ulaanbaatar?
Phuket
Phuket Island is the holiday gem of southern Thailand. Known for its beaches and resorts, the island brings in a massive amount of travelers from all over the world, year round. Although the beaches are beautiful, Phuket has also become more westernized and tourist-oriented in recent decades, leaving many travelers to venture elsewhere to find that amazing beach with a more authentic Thai vibe. However, Phuket Island is quite large, and hidden gems can still be found.
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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in Thailand, The Best 2-Week Tours in Thailand, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mongolia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Mongolia.
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Phuket Prices
Thailand PricesUlaanbaatar Prices
Mongolia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPhuket $134Ulaanbaatar $30
The average daily cost (per person) in Phuket is $134, 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 Phuket and Ulaanbaatar in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPhuket $62Ulaanbaatar $11
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPhuket $124Ulaanbaatar $22
Compare Hotels in Phuket and Ulaanbaatar
Looking for a hotel in Phuket 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: Phuket Hotel Prices and Ulaanbaatar Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Phuket $12Ulaanbaatar $2.79
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Phuket
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Phuket:
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Longtail Taxi (for Two)$9.08
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Taxi from Airport to Phuket Town$7.57
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Phuket
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Phuket:
- (Privet)Phuket Transfer: $17
- ATV Bike 1 hr + ziplines 30 platforms with Roundtrip Transfer: $158
- ATV Bike 1 hr+ Skyline Adventure 28 platforms with free Transfer: $132
- Airport Transfer: Phuket Airport HKT to Phuket by Business Car: $112
- Airport Transfer: Phuket to Phuket Airport HKT by Business Car: $112
- Andamanda Phuket Water Park Ticket Include Transfers: $79
- Andamanda Phuket Water Park Tickets with Transfers: $112
- Andamanda Water Park Phuket Entry Ticket with Hotel Transfers: $75
- Comfortable Ferry Transfer from Phuket to Phi Phi Island: $21
- Comfortable Private Phuket Airport to Hotel Arrival Transfer: $26
- Departure Private Transfers from Phuket City to Phuket Airport HKT: $123
- Departure Transfer: Phuket to Phuket Airport HKT by Business Car: $112
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ulaanbaatar
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ulaanbaatar:
- Airport - Ulaanbaatar transfer service: $40
- BEST 5* Chinggis Khaan Airport UBN Ulaanbaatar Transfer Taxi 24/7: $23
- Best Price :Terelj National Park Best Non-Guided Transfers: $36
- Chinggis Khaan Airport (UBN) Taxi Transfers to/from Ulaanbaatar: $23
- Private Transfer from Chinggis Khaan Airport to Ulaanbaatar: $23
- Transfer Service to Khustai National Park: $178
- Transfer service to Kharkhorin: $240
- Ulaanbaatar Airport Transfer and Private Car with Driver: $40
- Ulaanbaatar Airport Transfers and Customized Day Tours: $90
- Airport Transfer Taxi Shuttle Pick Up: $23
- Chinggis Khaan Airport (UBN) Taxi Transfer 24/7: $23
- ULN Airport to Downtown|Hotels Private Transfer: $21
Is it cheaper to fly into Phuket or Ulaanbaatar?
Prices for flights to both Ulaanbaatar and Phuket 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 dayPhuket $42Ulaanbaatar $15
Typical Food Prices in Phuket
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Phuket:
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Casual Dinner (for Two)$8.75
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Casual Lunch (for Two)$5.14
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Sit Down Dinner (for Two)$13
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Thai Noodles$2.72
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Bananas$0.76
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Pizza (for Two)$9.08
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Phuket
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Phuket.
- One Day Experience Cooking at Phuket Patong Thailand: $28
- Authentic Peranakan Cooking Class & Tasting Menu in Phuket: $30
- Pum Thai Express Cooking Experience with Recipe Book: $37
- Old Town Food Tour | Travstore OG F.A.T: $45
- Siam Niramit Show with Optional Dinner: $47
- Siam Niramit Ticket with Round Transfer and Dinner: $50
- Elephant Experience with Lunch or Dinner and Pickup: $51
- Coral Island Catamaran Cruise with Sunset Dinner: $52
- Phuket 10+ Tastings Food Tour & Charming Old Town: $52
- Coral Island Catamaran Cruise with Sunset Dinner: $52
- Catamaran Sunset Cruise in Phuket with Dinner at Promthep Cape: $53
- Phuket Express Thai Cooking Course with Authentic Recipes: $53
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: $89
- Cooking Class in a Traditional Ger Home in Ulaanbaatar Suburbs: $235
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Phuket $47Ulaanbaatar $4.24
Typical Entertainment Prices in Phuket
Here are a few typical costs in Phuket for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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One Day Boat Tour$27
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Scuba Diving (Two Dives)$76
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Thai Oil Massage$19
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Surfboard Rental$9.08
Tours and Activities in Phuket
Here are a few actual costs in Phuket for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Phuket Self Guided Island Tour: $3.56
- Oto Indoor Play Park Entrance Ticket in Phuket: $7.84
- Adventure Village Chalong 1 Hour Entry Ticket | -10% OFF: $13
- Phuket Tour with Wat Chalong, Karon View Point, Old Town: $15
- Rock Beach Swing Entry Ticket: $15
- Feed Me Banana Elephant Experience Short Activity: $16
- Phuket City Tour & Scenic Viewpoints / Night Market: $17
- Phuket Old Town: Authentic Thai Costume Cultural Experience: $18
- Phuket Bird Park Admission Ticket: $18
- Half Day Phuket City tour + Hotel Pick Up and Drop Off: $19
- Simon Cabaret Show Phuket Admission E-Ticket: $20
- Phuket Highlights: Half Day City Tour with Landmark & Viewpoint: $20
Tours and Activities in Ulaanbaatar
Here are a few actual costs in Ulaanbaatar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Terelj National Park Via Genghis Khan Statue Full Day Tour: $35
- Gobi Cashmere Flagship Store Shopping Tour: $35
- Terelj national park transport /Best price tour: $36
- Mongolian Wrestling Bökh Tournament Experience: $40
- Private custom walking tour with a local guide: $40
- Ulaanbaatar Private Custom Walking Tour With a Local Guide: $45
- Genghis Khan Tour – Mongolia’s #1 Daily Escape: $50
- Genghis Khan Tour – Mongolia’s #1 Daily Escape: $50
- Private custom tour with a local guide: $52
- From UB: Day Tour to Chinggis khaan statue and Terelj NP.: $58
- Chinggis Khaan Statue and Turtle Rock Day Tour: $59
- Private Tour drive to Chinggis Khan Statue & Terelj National Park: $60
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPhuket $7.05Ulaanbaatar $3.67
Typical Alcohol Prices in Phuket
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Phuket from other travelers:
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Cocktails (for Two)$6.05
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Beer$2.57
Sample the Local Flavors in Phuket
Also in Phuket, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Pub Crawl Rooftop, Bars, GoGo & 3 Clubs with Shots: $15
- Phuket Guided Pub Crawl: $29
- Bar Crawl Tour: $29
- Cocktail Workshop with Distillery Visit & Tasting: $39
- Chalong Bay Rum Distillery Experience and Lunch: $53
- Phuket Real City Tour with Rum Cocktail Distillery: $88
- Big Buddha & The Distillery Phuket: $134
- Phuket Rum Distillery Cocktail Workshop And Wat Chalong Temple: $172
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Phuket and Ulaanbaatar, we can see that Phuket 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 Phuket would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Phuket 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 Phuket Expensive? and Is Ulaanbaatar Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Phuket or Ulaanbaatar?
Ulaanbaatar has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Phuket. When comparing the sizes of Phuket 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.