Which place is cheaper, Ulaanbaatar or Tallinn?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Tallinn or Ulaanbaatar?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Tallinn 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: Tallinn or Ulaanbaatar?
Tallinn
Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland. It has a population of more than 430,000 people and is a charming, yet cosmopolitan place to visit. The Old Town is at the center of the city's tourism, and the beauty and architecture is very impressive. The city's close proximity to Helsinki makes it a popular day trip from Finland, but cheap plane flights have also encouraged visitors from around Europe to spend several days in this city. In particular, summer months can become quite crowded.
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 from Tallinn, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Estonia, 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 dayTallinn €95Ulaanbaatar €23
The average daily cost (per person) in Tallinn is €95, 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 Tallinn and Ulaanbaatar in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTallinn €47Ulaanbaatar €11
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTallinn €94Ulaanbaatar €22
Compare Hotels in Tallinn and Ulaanbaatar
Looking for a hotel in Tallinn 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: Tallinn Hotel Prices and Ulaanbaatar Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Tallinn €12Ulaanbaatar €2.70
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Tallinn
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Tallinn:
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Tram Around Town for Two€1.66
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tallinn
Also for Tallinn, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Private Transfer from Tallinn Airport or Port to Tallinn City by minibus: $91
- Arrival Private Transfer from Tallinn Airport or Port to Tallinn by Luxury Car : $91
- Arrival private transfer from Tallinn Airport or Port to Tallinn by Luxury Van: $41
- Departure private transfer from Tallinn to Tallinn Airport or Port by Luxury Car: $91
- Departure private transfer from Tallinn to Tallinn TLL Airport by Luxury Van: $41
- From Helicopter transfer to Helsinki: $2,664
- Private Transfer from Tallinn Airport(TLL) to Tallinn Cruise Port: $16
- Private Transfer from Tallinn Cruise Port to Tallinn Airport(TLL): $16
- Private Transfer from Tallinn Cruise Port to Tallinn hotels : $16
- Talinn Airport and City Private Transfer: $44
- Tallinn Airport (TLL) to Tallinn Cruise Port - Round-Trip Privat Transfer: $33
- Tallinn Arrival Private Airport Transfer in Minivan: $118
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ulaanbaatar
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ulaanbaatar:
- Private Transfer to Ulaanbaatar Airport ULN by Business Vehicle: $28
- Private Transfer from Ulaanbaatar to or from Terelj National Park: $60
- Private Transfer from Chinggis Khaan Airport to Ulaanbaatar: $37
- Private Transfer Ulaanbaatar Airport ULN to Ulaanbaatar City : $28
- Private Departure Transfer: Ulaanbaatar Airport: $40
- New Ulaanbaatar International Airport Transfer Service: $45
- Mongolia Airport Transfer & Taxi Service -BEST!: $18
- Airport transfer service: $50
- Airport - Ulaanbaatar transfer service: $40
- 2024 Ulaanbaatar Airport Transfer & Taxi Shuttle Service - Best!: $18
Is it cheaper to fly into Tallinn or Ulaanbaatar?
Prices for flights to both Ulaanbaatar and Tallinn 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 dayTallinn €36Ulaanbaatar €8.30
Typical Food Prices in Tallinn
For Tallinn, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two€7.68
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Dessert€1.15
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tallinn
For Tallinn, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Tallinn TV Tower evening dinner (2-course meal): $56
- Tallinn TV Tower evening dinner (3-course meal): $64
- Tallinn Russian Dinner: $84
- Tallinn Food Tour: $116
- Tallinn 3-Hour Estonian Food Tour: $127
- Tallinn Food Tour with Round-trip Transfer Port-City: $137
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.Tallinn €5.63Ulaanbaatar €4.10
Tours and Activities in Tallinn
For Tallinn, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
- Tallinn Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.56
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt and Tour: $7.00
- Aegna Island: Self-Guided Discovery Tour: $8.60
- Tales of Reval Smartphone App Self-Guided GPS Walking Tour: $11
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Tallinn Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- Tour to the Paljassaare Special Protection Area: $14
- Terrific Tallinn Self-Guided Audio Tour: $15
- Self-Guided Tour to Most Instagrammable Places in Tallinn: $15
- Virtual Time Travel Experience VR Tallinn 1939/44 I: $16
Tours and Activities in Ulaanbaatar
Here are a few actual costs in Ulaanbaatar for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day Chinggis Khaan Statue & Terelj National Park Private tour: $180
- 1 Day Coach Tour of Genghis Khan Statue Complex and Terelj National Park Including Lunch: $83
- 1 Day Coach Tour of Terelj National Park Including Lunch And Free Camel Ride: $83
- 1 Day Semi-Gobi All-included tour : $141
- 1 Day Semi-Gobi Tour Including Lunch And Free Camel +Bonus Khustai National Park: $169
- 1 Day Semi-Gobi Tour Including Lunch And Free Camel or Horseback Ride: $145
- 1 Day Tour: Terelj National Park And Chinggis Statue: $193
- 1 Session with Shaman and know your future tour: $149
- 1 day tour Chinggis khan statue, Terelj national park: $95
- 12 day Great Gobi and Central Mongolia full adventure: $1,950
- 2 Day Horse ride and Terelj national park tour: $350
- 2 Day Local experience by train visit Tunkhel town: $340
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTallinn €15Ulaanbaatar €3.56
Sample the Local Flavors in Tallinn
Also in Tallinn, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Mad Monk’s Pub Crawl Tallinn: $22
- Tallinn Pub Crawl (Ex The Epic Bar Crawl): $27
- Tallinn Exclusive Pub & Bar Crawl - Free Drinks, Local Guide: $42
- Tallinn Brewery Fiesta: $72
- Tallinn Guided Bar Crawl: $124
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tallinn and Ulaanbaatar, we can see that Tallinn is more expensive. And not only is Ulaanbaatar much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Tallinn 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 Tallinn would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tallinn 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 Tallinn Expensive? and Is Ulaanbaatar Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Tallinn or Ulaanbaatar?
Ulaanbaatar has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Tallinn. When comparing the sizes of Tallinn 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.