Which place is cheaper, Frankfurt or Ulaanbaatar?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ulaanbaatar or Frankfurt?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ulaanbaatar or Frankfurt? 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 Frankfurt?
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.
Frankfurt
Frankfurt is the financial and business hub of Germany. It houses the European Central Bank and the German Stock Exchange, and often plays host to trade shows and business fairs. It has the country's most modern skyline and the largest airport. It is also a transportation hub for Germany with many important train lines passing through. The city itself is situated on the River Main. Some of the most important sights are along the river near Romer Square and include museums and monuments. This area pulls in millions of tourists every year. Although many sights are clustered in this area, it's important to head into more off the beaten path areas that can be enjoyable to explore. These areas offer glimpses into daily life in Frankfurt.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mongolia, The Best Adventure Tours to Mongolia, The Best Coach Bus Tours in Germany, and The Best Adventure Tours to Germany.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayUlaanbaatar $25Frankfurt $131
The average daily cost (per person) in Ulaanbaatar is $25, while the average daily cost in Frankfurt is $131. 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 Frankfurt in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personUlaanbaatar $12Frankfurt $62
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomUlaanbaatar $24Frankfurt $124
Compare Hotels in Ulaanbaatar and Frankfurt
Looking for a hotel in Ulaanbaatar or Frankfurt? 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.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ulaanbaatar $2.91Frankfurt $27
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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Frankfurt
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Frankfurt:
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Car Rental$54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Frankfurt
Also for Frankfurt, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Private Transfer from Frankfurt Airport FRA to Frankfurt by business car: $54
- Arrival Private Transfer: Frankfurt Airport FRA to Frankfurt by Luxury Vehicle: $63
- Arrival Transfer: Frankfurt Airport FRA to Frankfurt in Car: $70
- Arrival Transfer: Frankfurt Airport FRA to Frankfurt in Van: $76
- BaronFleet Frankfurt- Arrival & Departure Airport Transfers: $132
- Departure Private Transfer: Frankfurt to Frankfurt Airport FRA by Luxury Vehicle: $63
- Departure Transfer: Frankfurt to Frankfurt Airport FRA by Van: $81
- Departure Transfer: Frankfurt to Frankfurt Airport FRA in Car: $70
- Departure Transfer: Frankfurt to Frankfurt Airport FRA in Van: $76
- Frankfurt Airport (FRA) to Baden-Baden Thermal - Arrival Transfer: $142
- Frankfurt Airport (FRA) to Frankfurt Arrival Private Transfer: $55
- Frankfurt Airport (FRA) to Frankfurt Round-Trip Private Transfer: $109
Is it cheaper to fly into Ulaanbaatar or Frankfurt?
Prices for flights to both Frankfurt 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 $8.94Frankfurt $44
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 Frankfurt
For Frankfurt, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Soda$2.14
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Bagel Sandwich and Latte$7.50
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Ham & Cheese Sandwich and Coffee$6.43
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Sandwich and Cola$7.50
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Frankfurt
For Frankfurt, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Sharing Plate Food Tour In Frankfurt: $65
- FOOD TOUR WITH 3-4 LOCAL INSIDER FOODSPOTS: $81
- FOOD TOUR TO 3-4 LOCAL FOODSPOTS: $81
- Eltz Castle Small-Group Tour from Frankfurt with Dinner: $282
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ulaanbaatar $4.42Frankfurt $39
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 Frankfurt
For Frankfurt, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Selfguided Audiotour "Frankfurt Old Town": $3.22
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Germany eSIM Tourist Roaming Data Plan: $4.31
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $4.84
- Frankfurt Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
- Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & City Tour: $7.00
- Struwwelpeter Museum Entry Ticket w/Audio Guide: $7.53
- Old Town Smartphone Audio Tour: $7.99
- A Self-Guided Audio Tour by Smartphone: $7.99
- Walking Tour with Audio Guide on App: $8.07
- Historisches Museum Entry Ticket: $8.61
- Discover Frankfurt's Heritage: Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayUlaanbaatar $3.83Frankfurt $32
Typical Alcohol Prices in Frankfurt
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Frankfurt:
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Becks Beer$2.14
Sample the Local Flavors in Frankfurt
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Frankfurt:
- Night Pub Crawl through Alt-Sachsenhausen: $22
- Weekend Night Pub Crawl through Alt-Sachsenhausen: $34
- Full Day Private Rhine Valley Wine Tour Experience from Frankfurt: $280
- Frankfurt Wine Tasting Tour with a Wine Expert: $282
- Frankfurt Wine Tasting Tour with a Wine Expert: $286
- Guided Walk Tour With Apple Wine Tasting: $336
- Bachelor(ette) Party with Pub Crawl: $404
- Private Premium Pub Crawl Tour: $517
- Private Rhine Valley tour with river cruise & wine tasting: $752
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ulaanbaatar and Frankfurt, we can see that Frankfurt 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 Frankfurt 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 Frankfurt would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Frankfurt 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 Frankfurt Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ulaanbaatar or Frankfurt?
Ulaanbaatar has a larger population, and is about 30% larger than the population of Frankfurt. When comparing the sizes of Ulaanbaatar and Frankfurt, 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.