Which place is cheaper, Dubrovnik or Ulaanbaatar?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ulaanbaatar or Dubrovnik?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ulaanbaatar or Dubrovnik? 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 Dubrovnik?
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.
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik, the "Pearl of the Adriatic", is a beautiful walled city in southern Croatia that sits on the edge of the Adriatic Sea. It's a small city, with only about 40,000 residents, but it's become one of the most significant tourist destinations in the Mediterranean. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The city was historically built on maritime trade, which is not surprising given its location near major Italian and Greek ports such as Venice, Bari, Corfu, and Trieste. It was a center of language and literature and was the home of many important poets, playwrights, painters, and scientists during the 15th and 16th centuries. Today its economy is dependent on tourism and it is one of the most popular destinations in the region. People visit the city for its impressive history, beautiful setting, great weather, and interesting architecture.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mongolia, The Best Adventure Tours to Mongolia, The Best 2-Week Tours from Split, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Croatia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayUlaanbaatar $25Dubrovnik $103
The average daily cost (per person) in Ulaanbaatar is $25, while the average daily cost in Dubrovnik is $103. 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 Dubrovnik in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personUlaanbaatar $12Dubrovnik $53
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomUlaanbaatar $24Dubrovnik $106
Compare Hotels in Ulaanbaatar and Dubrovnik
Looking for a hotel in Ulaanbaatar or Dubrovnik? 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 Dubrovnik Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ulaanbaatar $2.91Dubrovnik $13
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
- Airport - Ulaanbaatar transfer service: $40
- Private Transfer from Chinggis Khaan Airport to Ulaanbaatar: $37
- Private Transfer to Ulaanbaatar Airport ULN by Business Vehicle: $28
- 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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dubrovnik
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dubrovnik:
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Bus Around Town$1.52
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dubrovnik
Also for Dubrovnik, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Airport Private Transfer Dubrovnik: $27
- Airport Transfer Dubrovnik Town to Herceg Novi / Portonovi: $251
- Airport Transfer Dubrovnik to Herceg Novi / Portonovi: $262
- Arrival Private Transfer from Dubrovnik Airport DBV to Dubrovnik City by Minivan: $59
- Arrival Private Transfers: Dubrovnik Airport DBV to Dubrovnik in Luxury Van: $54
- Budva to Dubrovnik one way transfer: $205
- Bus transfer between Dubrovnik and Herceg Novi: $23
- Departure Private Transfer from Dubrovnik City to Dubrovnik Airport by Minivan: $55
- Departure Private Transfer: Dubrovnik City to Dubrovnik Airport by Business Car: $36
- Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) to Dubrovnik - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
- Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) to Dubrovnik Cruise Port Arrival Private Transfer: $28
- Dubrovnik Airport (DBV): Private Transfer to Dubrovnik: $182
Is it cheaper to fly into Ulaanbaatar or Dubrovnik?
Prices for flights to both Dubrovnik 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 $8.94Dubrovnik $35
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 Dubrovnik
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Dubrovnik:
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Seafood Dinner (for 2)$31
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dubrovnik
For Dubrovnik, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Sunset Dinner Cruise around the Old Town: $81
- Gastro Cruise | Dinner and Boat ride around Dubrovnik Old Town: $82
- Secrets of traditional Dalmatian cuisine with a cooking class: $128
- Old Town Food Tour: $144
- Dubrovnik Old Town Food Tour: Small-Group Experience: $147
- Konavle Wine& History&food Tour: $166
- Cooking Classes Traditional Meals of Konavle region: $179
- Traditional Dalmatian Cooking Class from Dubrovnik: $199
- Traditional Cooking Class in Dubrovnik Countryside: $203
- Authentic Garden to Table Cooking Class in Dubrovnik Countryside : $208
- Pelješac Full-Day Wine and Food Tour from Dubrovnik: $210
- Private Dinner with Wine and Homemade Tapas: $215
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ulaanbaatar $4.42Dubrovnik $20
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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Dubrovnik
For Dubrovnik, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Boat to Lokrum Island (for 2)$14
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Dubrovnik City Wall Tour (for 2)$56
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Dubrovnik Cable Car (for 2)$48
Tours and Activities in Dubrovnik
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dubrovnik.
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Selfguided tour of the old town of Dubrovnik: $5.38
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $6.46
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.46
- Medieval Adventure City Game: $6.99
- Time Travel Adventure Outdoor Escape Game in Dubrovnik: $7.12
- Shell Museum Private Guided Tour: $7.68
- Historic Center Self-Guided Audio Tour (ENG): $7.70
- Old Town Highlights Tour with Audio Guide: $8.61
- Private Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour in Dubrovnik Old Town: $8.74
- A Self-Guided Walking Tour of Dubrovnik's Old Town: $8.99
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayUlaanbaatar $3.83Dubrovnik $15
Sample the Local Flavors in Dubrovnik
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Dubrovnik:
- Columbo Pub Crawl Dubrovnik: $49
- Brewery Tour with Food included: $60
- Day Tour of Korcula Island from Dubrovnik with Wine Tasting: $70
- From Korcula Island Tour with Wine Tasting: $74
- Ston and Korcula Island Day Trip from Dubrovnik with Wine Tasting: $75
- Interactive Wine Tour: $81
- Day trip to Korčula and Pelješac with Wine Tasting: $84
- Konavle Valley Wine Tour from Dubrovnik with Train Ride and Wine Tasting: $84
- Interactive Wine Tour in Dubrovnik: $89
- 2 Hours Wine Tasting in Dubrovnik Old Town : $89
- 2-Hour Kayaking at Sunset with Wine Tasting and Appetizers: $93
- E-Bike Tour + Gourmet Snack + Wine Tasting (Small Group): $97
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ulaanbaatar and Dubrovnik, we can see that Dubrovnik 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 Dubrovnik 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 Dubrovnik would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dubrovnik 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 Dubrovnik Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ulaanbaatar or Dubrovnik?
Ulaanbaatar has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Dubrovnik. When comparing the sizes of Ulaanbaatar and Dubrovnik, 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.