Which place is cheaper, Ulaanbaatar or Rhodes?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Rhodes or Ulaanbaatar?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Rhodes 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.
Where Should I go: Rhodes or Ulaanbaatar?
Rhodes
Rhodes Island is one of the largest and most visited islands in Greece both because of its diversity of sights and its wonderful climate. On the island are some beautiful beaches, well preserved historic sights, and lovely towns. Rhodes City is the capital city on the island of Rhodes and is famous as the former site of the Colossus. Colossus is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world and the oldest inhabited medieval town in Europe. Today Rhodes City has an interesting old town that is surrounded by the medieval wall. Inside you'll find countless souvenir shops and restaurants that cater to tourists. Cruise ships also frequent the island, so it's best visited during the off season when the crowds may be slightly less. You will also find that prices drop when the crowds are thinner and the cruise ships are scarce.
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 2-Week Tours in Greece, The Best Bicycle Tours in Greece, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mongolia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Mongolia.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRhodes €135Ulaanbaatar €23
The average daily cost (per person) in Rhodes is €135, while the average daily cost in Ulaanbaatar is €23. 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 Rhodes and Ulaanbaatar in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRhodes €58Ulaanbaatar €11
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRhodes €116Ulaanbaatar €22
Compare Hotels in Rhodes and Ulaanbaatar
Looking for a hotel in Rhodes 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: Rhodes Hotel Prices and Ulaanbaatar Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Rhodes €48Ulaanbaatar €2.70
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rhodes
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Rhodes:
-
Taxi Ride€7.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rhodes
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rhodes:
- Rhodes Airport Transfer to Rhodes Town city or Faliraki (ONE WAY: $55
- Airport Transfer - From/To Airport - From/To Rhodes: $53
- Diagoras Airport: Private One-Way Transfer to/from Rhodes: $39
- East Coast Bay to Bay Full-Day Boat Trip with Transfers: $71
- From Lindos Round-Trip Bus Transfer with Free Time: $28
- Lindos Day Cruise from Rhodes Town with Swimming stops and Hotel Transfers: $55
- Lindos comfortable Transfer with aprx 5hrs Free Time: $22
- Lindos: Transfer to Lindos with 4-Hour Stop (Small Group): $24
- One Way Private Airport Transfers Rhodes Island: $60
- One Way Private Transfer Rhodes Airport to / from Ialyssos - Ixia: $24
- One Way Shuttle Transfer Rhodes Airport to / from Ialyssos-Ixia: $14
- Private One Way Rhodes Airport Transfer To or From Rhodes: $12
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 Rhodes or Ulaanbaatar?
Prices for flights to both Ulaanbaatar and Rhodes 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 dayRhodes €47Ulaanbaatar €8.30
Typical Food Prices in Rhodes
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rhodes:
-
Coffee€1.95
-
Dinner for Two€23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rhodes
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rhodes.
- All Inclusive Sunset Cruise with Dinner & Unlimited Aperol Spritz, Beer, Wine: $44
- Rhodes Sunset Cruise - Dinner with Live Music set: $44
- Sunset Catamaran Cruise with Dinner: $54
- Guided Rhodes City By Night with Live Music & Dinner: $70
- Rhodes by Night With Dinner - Laterna: $72
- Food & Wine Tour: 11- Course Lunch, Cooking Class, Wine Tasting: $75
- Vine & Dine Tale: 11-Plate Lunch, Wine Discovery, Cooking Mastery: $76
- Sunset Cruise w/ Gourmet Dinner, Drinks & Live Music: $77
- Rhodes Wine & Food Tour: 10 Meal Course Lunch, Wine Tasting, Cooking Class : $86
- Traditional Greek COOKING class and Wine Tasting in Rhodes: $86
- Winery Tour, Tasting and cooking with the Winemaker in Rhodes: $87
- Rhodes Exclusive Sunset Cruise incl. Gourmet Dinner, Drinks, Sax!: $88
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.Rhodes €19Ulaanbaatar €4.10
Tours and Activities in Rhodes
Here are a few actual costs in Rhodes for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Rhodes Old Town Highlights Self-Guided Treasure Hunt & Tour: $7.00
- Escape Game and Tour: $7.00
- Palace of the Grand Master Admission Ticket: $11
- Palace of the Grand Master E-Ticket & Optional Audio: $11
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Rhodes Town: Yellow Submarine Cruise with Underwater Views: $11
- Rhodes Town: 45’ Semi-Submarine Cruise with Drinks Included: $11
- Medieval City Self-Guided Game & Tour: $12
- The Palace of the Grand Master. Self-guided Audio Tour: $13
- Throne of Helios: The History of Rhodes 9D Experience: $14
- Submarine Cruise with Underwater Views from Rhodes: $16
- Lindos Bus Tour with Free Time to Explore: $16
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
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayRhodes €12Ulaanbaatar €3.56
Sample the Local Flavors in Rhodes
Also in Rhodes, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Private Wine Tasting Experience for Beginners: $38
- Rhodian Wines - Private Wine Tasting Under a Sommelier: $54
- 1 Day Rhodes Island Tour with Olive Oil, Honey and Wine Tasting : $55
- Enchanting Lindos, Old Town, History, Culture & Wine Tour: $56
- Rhodes Shore Excursion Including Olive Oil, Honey & Wine Tasting: $59
- Full Day Rhodes Island Tour with Wine Tasting Experience: $60
- Wine tasting in Rhodes, inside the vineyards with the Producer: $60
- Rhodes Island Tour: Lindos, Old Town, Pottery Workshop, Wine Tasting : $60
- Full-Day Rhodes Island Tour with Wine Tasting Experience: $63
- Private Wine Tasting Experience for Wine Lovers: $65
- Rhodes Deluxe Tour including Lindos, Old Town, Wine Tasting : $65
- Full-Day Сomprehensive Tour of Rhodes including Wine Tasting : $67
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Rhodes and Ulaanbaatar, we can see that Rhodes is more expensive. And not only is Ulaanbaatar much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Rhodes 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 Rhodes would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rhodes 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 Rhodes Expensive? and Is Ulaanbaatar Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Rhodes or Ulaanbaatar?
Ulaanbaatar has a larger population, and is about 46% larger than the population of Rhodes. When comparing the sizes of Rhodes 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.