Which place is cheaper, Ulaanbaatar or Tokyo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Tokyo or Ulaanbaatar?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Tokyo or Ulaanbaatar? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Tokyo or Ulaanbaatar?
Tokyo
Tokyo, the capital of Japan, is by far the most populous city in the world with a staggering 37 million people. As a worldwide hub for technology and business, it hosts millions of visitors annually. But Tokyo is not just a place for business trips. With its incredible mixture of historical temples and shrines, remarkably beautiful parks, endless shopping malls, and genuinely wonderful people, Tokyo is a terrific place to visit and to explore.
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 Japan, The Best Bicycle Tours in Japan, 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 dayTokyo $157Ulaanbaatar $25
The average daily cost (per person) in Tokyo is $157, while the average daily cost in Ulaanbaatar is $25. 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 Tokyo and Ulaanbaatar in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTokyo $76Ulaanbaatar $12
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTokyo $152Ulaanbaatar $24
Compare Hotels in Tokyo and Ulaanbaatar
Looking for a hotel in Tokyo 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: Tokyo Hotel Prices and Ulaanbaatar Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Tokyo $17Ulaanbaatar $2.91
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tokyo
Also for Tokyo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Tokyo to Narita Airport: $225
- Airport Transfer between Narita and Tokyo or Disney or Yokohama: $224
- Airport transfer between Haneda and Tokyo or Disney or Yokohama: $124
- Arrival Private Transfer: Haneda Airport HND to Tokyo in Sedan: $277
- Departure Private Transfer Tokyo to Haneda Airport (HND): $185
- Departure Private Transfer: Tokyo to Haneda Airport HND in Sedan: $277
- Departure Transfer from Tokyo City to Haneda Airport HND by van: $76
- From Haneda Airport: 1-Way Private Transfer to Tokyo City: $91
- Fuji-Q Highland 1-Day Pass with Private Transfer: $239
- Hakuba: Private transfer from/to Tokyo/HND by minibus max 9: $834
- Haneda Airport (HND) Private Transfer to Central Tokyo: $99
- Haneda Airport (HND) Private Transfer to/from Central Tokyo: $112
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ulaanbaatar
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ulaanbaatar:
- Private Transfer from Ulaanbaatar to or from Terelj National Park: $60
- Airport transfer service: $50
- New Ulaanbaatar International Airport Transfer Service: $45
- Private Departure Transfer: Ulaanbaatar Airport: $40
- Private Transfer from Chinggis Khaan Airport to Ulaanbaatar: $37
- Private Transfer Ulaanbaatar Airport ULN to Ulaanbaatar City : $28
- 2024 Ulaanbaatar Airport Transfer & Taxi Shuttle Service - Best!: $18
- Mongolia Airport Transfer & Taxi Service -BEST!: $18
Is it cheaper to fly into Tokyo or Ulaanbaatar?
Prices for flights to both Ulaanbaatar and Tokyo 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 dayTokyo $37Ulaanbaatar $8.94
Typical Food Prices in Tokyo
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Tokyo:
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Late Night Noodles$5.22
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Conveyor Belt Sushi Snack$5.22
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Meal at Airport$6.80
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tokyo
For Tokyo, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Takoyaki cooking experience in Kabukicho, Shinjuku: $23
- Easy Ramen Cooking Experience in Kabukicho, Shinjuku: $26
- 2 Hours Japanese Style Pub and Food Tour in Ueno: $33
- 【Contemporary Culture】food tour I Always Visit in Shibuya: $36
- Private Sushi Roll Cooking Class in Japan: $38
- 【Contemporary Culture】Food tour I Always Visit in Shibuya: $39
- Ueno Private Walking Tour and Night Food Tour: $40
- Tokyo Best Cooking Class! Sushi Making Experience in Tsukiji: $54
- Japanese Traditional Cooking Class: $60
- Wagyu and 7 Japanese Dishes Cooking Class: $60
- Tokyo Wagyu Culinary Tour Cooking Culture and Tasting: $66
- Small-Group Wagyu Beef and 7 Japanese Dishes Tokyo Cooking Class: $68
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.Tokyo $68Ulaanbaatar $4.42
Tours and Activities in Tokyo
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Tokyo.
- Japan: Zen and Tea Ceremony Audio Guided Tour: $3.23
- Samurai and Bushido Audio Guided Tour: $4.66
- 24-hour, 48-hour, or 72-hour Subway Ticket: $5.17
- Asakusa（Tokyo）: Smartphone Audio Guide Tour: $6.47
- Audio Guide Tour: Deeper Experience of Shinjuku Sightseeing: $6.47
- Harajuku: Audio Guide Tour of Takeshita Street: $6.47
- Akihabara (Tokyo): English Audio Guide Tour: $6.47
- Tokyo Local Bar Hopping Tour in Shibuya: $6.47
- Local Food and Bar Tour in Ginza: $6.47
- Ueno Park Self-Guided Tour with Audio Guide: $6.47
- Shibuya Sightseeing with an Audio Guide: $6.47
- Ueno: Self-Guided Tour of Ameyoko and Hidden Gems: $6.47
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: Khustai National Park: $193
- 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: $98
- 12 day Great Gobi and Central Mongolia full adventure: $1,950
- 2 Day Local experience by train visit Tunkhel town: $340
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTokyo $33Ulaanbaatar $3.83
Typical Alcohol Prices in Tokyo
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Tokyo:
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Sake$3.91
Sample the Local Flavors in Tokyo
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Tokyo:
- Tokyo Pub Crawl: $25
- Low-cost local pub & bar crawling: $30
- 3-Hour Tokyo Pub Crawl Weekly Welcome Guided Tour in Shibuya: $52
- TOKYO | Temple, Shrine, Sake Bar Crawling: $62
- barhopping tour&bar crawl in Retro Town Shimokitazawa: $84
- Toshimaya Sake Brewery Tour with Sake Tasting: $91
- Tokyo | 3 Hours Brewery Tour with Sake Sommelier: $103
- Private Sake Tasting at 300 Years Old Sake Brewery in Tokyo : $106
- 【Harajuku】Night Pub Crawl with Local Japanese: $125
- Private Local Craft Brewery Tour in Tokyo: $150
- Wooden Barrel Sake Brewery Tour and Unlimited Tasting Near Tokyo: $165
- Private Walking Tour with Sake Brewery Visit in Chichibu: $190
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tokyo and Ulaanbaatar, we can see that Tokyo 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 Tokyo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tokyo 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 Tokyo Expensive? and Is Ulaanbaatar Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Tokyo or Ulaanbaatar?
Tokyo has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Ulaanbaatar. When comparing the sizes of Tokyo 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.