Which place is cheaper, Cologne or Ulaanbaatar?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ulaanbaatar or Cologne?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ulaanbaatar or Cologne? 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 Cologne?
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.
Cologne
Spanning the Rhine River in western Germany, the city of Cologne dates back 2,000 years, once existing as the largest city of the Holy Roman Empire in medieval times. Today, it is the region's cultural hub - a center of museums, galleries, and towering Gothic cathedrals.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mongolia, The Best Adventure Tours to Mongolia, The Best Luxury Tours to Germany, and The Best Budget Tours to Germany.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayUlaanbaatar $25Cologne $172
The average daily cost (per person) in Ulaanbaatar is $25, while the average daily cost in Cologne is $172. 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 Cologne in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personUlaanbaatar $12Cologne $97
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomUlaanbaatar $24Cologne $194
Compare Hotels in Ulaanbaatar and Cologne
Looking for a hotel in Ulaanbaatar or Cologne? 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 Cologne Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ulaanbaatar $2.91Cologne $20
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cologne
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cologne:
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $55
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $110
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Cologne hotels - Round-trip Private Transfer : $98
- Cologne hotels to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) - Departure Private Transfer: $49
- Superior Private Transfer from Cologne City to Dortmund City: $64
- Transfer from Cologne Airport CGN to Cologne City by Luxury Car: $83
Is it cheaper to fly into Ulaanbaatar or Cologne?
Prices for flights to both Cologne 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 $8.94Cologne $54
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
Typical Food Prices in Cologne
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cologne:
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Dinner$15
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Donner Kebab$4.29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cologne
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cologne.
- Hard Rock Café with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $27
- Hard Rock Cafe Cologne With Set Lunch or Dinner: $29
- Köln Südstadt kulinarisch – Die Food Tour: $48
- 3-Hour Südstadt Food Tour: $484
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ulaanbaatar $4.42Cologne $22
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
Tours and Activities in Cologne
Here are a few actual costs in Cologne for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cologne Walking Tour: The essential and unmissable one: $3.22
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Original funky-fun Free Tour of Cologne: $3.23
- Germany eSIM Tourist Roaming Data Plan: $4.31
- Smartphone Scavenger Hunt Sightseeing Tour: $5.92
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
- Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
- Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $7.00
- Horrors of World War II Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.52
- Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Self Guided Walking Tour on your Phone: $7.63
- Cologne Self Guided Walking Tour Discovering the Horrors of WWII: $7.63
- Walking Tour with Audio Guide on App: $8.07
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayUlaanbaatar $3.83Cologne $24
Sample the Local Flavors in Cologne
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cologne:
- Public brewery tour in German in Cologne: $18
- Old Town Walking Tour with Brewery and Kölsch Beer: $18
- Guided tour of the old town with a visit to the brewery in Cologne: $19
- Old Town Walking Tour inkl Brewery Visit: $24
- Entertaining Brewery Tour: Feel Good Package including local beer: $27
- South Cologne Walking Tour with brewery visit: $27
- Pub Crawl Cologne Including Admission Fee for Bars and Shots: $27
- Brewery Tour with 3 Kölsch Beer Tastings: $30
- Brewery Tour with Beer Tasting and Halven Hahn: $31
- The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $32
- The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $33
- Cologne-Nippes: Gourmet wine tasting with cheese platter: $64
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ulaanbaatar and Cologne, we can see that Cologne 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 Cologne is in Europe, 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 Cologne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cologne 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 Cologne Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ulaanbaatar or Cologne?
Cologne has a larger population, and is about 14% larger than the population of Ulaanbaatar. When comparing the sizes of Ulaanbaatar and Cologne, 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.