Which place is cheaper, Cape Town or Ulaanbaatar?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ulaanbaatar or Cape Town?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ulaanbaatar or Cape Town? 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: Ulaanbaatar or Cape Town?
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.
Cape Town
Picture your travel bucket list. Is Cape Town on it? Yes, most people dream of visiting the "Mother City" of South Africa. As one of the most iconic places in the world, Cape Town is a world-class cosmopolitan city full of bustling nightlife, historical backdrops and a large gay community.
Cape Town is the most southern city in Africa with seasons turned upside down. In the southern hemisphere they experience the summer from December to February. During these months days can be hot and dry so be sure to gather in the shade and wear plenty of sunscreen. The winter from June to August is full of rainy days and cold nights.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mongolia, The Best Adventure Tours to Mongolia, The Best Camping Tours in South Africa, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in South Africa.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayUlaanbaatar $25Cape Town $98
The average daily cost (per person) in Ulaanbaatar is $25, while the average daily cost in Cape Town is $98. 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 Ulaanbaatar and Cape Town in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personUlaanbaatar $12Cape Town $39
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomUlaanbaatar $24Cape Town $78
Compare Hotels in Ulaanbaatar and Cape Town
Looking for a hotel in Ulaanbaatar or Cape Town? 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: Ulaanbaatar Hotel Prices and Cape Town Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ulaanbaatar $2.91Cape Town $17
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cape Town
Also for Cape Town, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Transport Shuttle Transfer to Camps Bay Cape Town: $18
- Airport transfers: $22
- 1 Day Durbanville Valley Wine Tasting Tour with Private Transfers: $178
- 1 Day Explore Cape Town Like a Local with Private Guided Transfer: $149
- 1 Day Helderberg Valley Winelands Tour with Private Transfers: $232
- 1 Day Hemel en Aarde Whale Coast Wine Tour with Private Transfers: $205
- 1 Day Tastes of Stellenbosch Wine Tour with Private Transfers: $220
- 1 Day West Coast Wonders Tour with Private Transfers: $177
- 1 Day Wine Lover Wander Connoisseur Tour with Private Transfers: $180
- 1-3 Passenger Private Arrival & Departure Cape Town - Airport Transfers: $54
- 1.Cape Town Airport Transfer (&Private tour trips during yo Stay): $17
- AIRPORT Transfer to and from Cape Town City: $27
Is it cheaper to fly into Ulaanbaatar or Cape Town?
Prices for flights to both Cape Town and Ulaanbaatar 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 dayUlaanbaatar $8.94Cape Town $42
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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dinner At Mandela's - Cultural Township Dinner Experience: $28
- Cape Malay Cooking Class in Bo-Kaap: $41
- 3-Hour Malay Cooking Class & Lunch in Bo-Kaap: $43
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $55
- Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $56
- Bo-Kapp Walking Tour and Malay Cooking Class: $59
- African Dinner, Drumming Experience with Transfer: $61
- African Dinner Experience from Cape Town: $61
- Authentic African Cuisine Cooking Experience: $62
- Cruise and Dine Dinner / Sunset Champagne Cruise and 3-Course Dinner: $71
- Cape Town Food tour (Includes all food) 4hrs: $76
- Private Cooking Class and Meal in Local Wynberg Cape Town Home: $80
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ulaanbaatar $4.42Cape Town $23
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
Tours and Activities in Cape Town
For Cape Town, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Muizenberg to Kalk Bay: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $2.99
- District Six Museum Skip-the-Line Entrance Ticket: $3.24
- Skip the Line: District Six Museum Admission Ticket: $3.60
- Kirstenbosch: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $3.99
- Cape Town 30-minute V&A Harbour Cruise: $4.15
- Hop-On Hop-Off Cape Town Canal Cruise: $4.15
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Down): $4.35
- Cape Point Flying Dutchman Funicular Ticket (One way Up): $4.35
- Meandering through Mouille Point: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $4.99
- V&A Waterfront: Seal & Harbour Cruise: $5.00
- Sea Point Promenade: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.13
- Muizenberg to Kalk Bay: Amble along the amazing False Bay Coast on an audio tour: $5.20
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayUlaanbaatar $3.83Cape Town $21
Sample the Local Flavors in Cape Town
Also in Cape Town, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Distillery Tour, rum and gin tasting: $7.13
- Experience South African Craft Rum tasting and distillery tour in Cape Town: $9.60
- African drum show & wine tasting at Silvermist: $24
- Drumstruck at Silvermist. Live African Drum Show & Wine tasting: $25
- Sip 15 Wines on a 3-Region Wine Tour with Cheese: $38
- Wine Tour: Paarl, Franschhoek & Stellenbosch incl 3 wineries: $38
- Three Region Wine Tour: $44
- Cape Winelands and Wine Tasting Full Day Tour: $47
- half day wine tour & Safaris[Morning /Afternoon]: $49
- Stellenbosch: Half-Day Wine Tour: $51
- Fullday Wine Tour: $51
- Stellenbosch Wine Tour half day from Cape Town: $54
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ulaanbaatar and Cape Town, we can see that Cape Town is more expensive. And not only is Ulaanbaatar much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Ulaanbaatar is in Asia and Cape Town is in Africa, 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 Cape Town would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cape Town 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 Ulaanbaatar Expensive? and Is Cape Town Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ulaanbaatar or Cape Town?
Cape Town has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Ulaanbaatar. When comparing the sizes of Ulaanbaatar and Cape Town, 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.