Which place is cheaper, Munich or Ulaanbaatar?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ulaanbaatar or Munich?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ulaanbaatar or Munich? 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 Munich?
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.
Munich
Munich is the capital city of Bavaria and a top travel destination within Germany. It has stunning architecture and a cultural scene that rivals Berlin. It has some of the country's top museums, festivals, and concerts. Munich is most famous for its Oktoberfest, which is easily the busiest time of year in the city. The architecture is what surprises most travelers. It's quite impressive and truly adds to the character of the city. Although much of Munich was destroyed during World War II, the city has successfully rebuilt most of the buildings in their previous style. Much of the city remains as it was in the 1800s. There are two major research universities in Munich, helping to make it a center for engineering, business, and the sciences.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mongolia, The Best Adventure Tours to Mongolia, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Germany, and The Best Walking Tours in Germany.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayUlaanbaatar $25Munich $158
The average daily cost (per person) in Ulaanbaatar is $25, while the average daily cost in Munich is $158. 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 Munich in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personUlaanbaatar $12Munich $96
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomUlaanbaatar $24Munich $192
Compare Hotels in Ulaanbaatar and Munich
Looking for a hotel in Ulaanbaatar or Munich? 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 Munich Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ulaanbaatar $2.91Munich $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
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Munich
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Munich:
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Single Zone Trip on Subway$2.46
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Inner District Subway Day Pass$5.57
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City transport day ticket$12
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Munich
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Munich:
- First Class Transfer in Munich Airport MUC: $197
- Arrival Private Transfer from Munich Airport MUC to Munich in Business Car: $161
- Arrival Transfer Munich Train Station to Munich by Luxury Van: $65
- Arrival Transfer from Munich Airport to Munich City by Sedan: $93
- Arrival Transfer from Munich Train Station to Munich by Sedan: $60
- Departure Private Transfer: Munich City to Munich Airport MUC in Business Car: $161
- Departure Private Transfer: Munich City to Munich Airport MUC in Luxury Car: $250
- From Munich Airport to Nuremberg - Private Transfer - punctual & friendly Driver: $193
- From Munich Airport to Salzburg - Private Transfer - punctual & friendly Driver: $208
- Mercedes Benz V-Class Airport Transfers: $159
- Munich Airport (MUC) to Arber Resort - Arrival Private Transfer: $88
- Munich Airport (MUC) to Erding Thermal - Arrival Private Transfer: $38
Is it cheaper to fly into Ulaanbaatar or Munich?
Prices for flights to both Munich 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 $8.94Munich $29
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 Munich
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Munich:
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Bratwurst$5.36
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Leberkässemmeln (Veal & Pork Sandwich)$2.09
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Munich
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Munich.
- Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $27
- Food Tour Beer- 3 small beers & "Brotzeit" in GERMAN: $80
- 6 gears dinner show menu: $100
- Original Munich Christmas Market Food Tour - all tastings included: $137
- Lunch Like a Local: Munich's ORIGINAL Viktualienmarkt Food Tour: $141
- Private Full Day Bavarian Beer and Food Tour in Munich: $210
- Munich Food Tour & Food Market with German Delicacies: $265
- Salzburg Semi-Private Guided Day Tour from Munich with Dinner : $273
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ulaanbaatar $4.42Munich $31
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
Typical Entertainment Prices in Munich
Here are a few typical costs in Munich for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
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Schack Gallery Entrance$4.29
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Munich Zoo Entrance$9.64
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Pub Crawl Munich Tour$15
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Neuschwanstein Castle (2)$26
Tours and Activities in Munich
Here are a few actual costs in Munich for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Selfguided Audiotour "Munich Old Town": $3.22
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Victuals Market Self-Guided Audio Tour: $3.77
- Germany eSIM Tourist Roaming Data Plan: $4.31
- Guided tour through the Sudeten German Museum: $5.38
- Escape Game and Tour: $5.38
- From Germany eSIM Tourist Roaming Data Plan: $5.38
- Munich through the Centuries: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
- Self-guided Walking Tour to River Isar Landmarks: $6.35
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.40
- Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt and Tour: $7.00
- City Center Self-Guided Historical Walking Tour: $7.52
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayUlaanbaatar $3.83Munich $39
Typical Alcohol Prices in Munich
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Munich:
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Hofbrauhaus$13
Sample the Local Flavors in Munich
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Munich:
- Exclusive Brewery Tour & Tasting of 4 Organic Beers: $29
- Munich's Original Pub Crawl: $31
- English Guided Brewery Tour in Munich beertasting 4 beers: $38
- Interactive Wine Tasting Experience @ Max & Moritz: $38
- Cheese & Wine tasting: $96
- The ORIGINAL Munich Christmas Market Festive Wine Tour -with food: $141
- Private Wine Tasting Tour in Munich with a Wine Expert: $290
- Private Wine Tasting Tour in Munich with a Wine Expert: $294
- Bachelor(ette) Party with Pub Crawl: $404
- Bachelor(ette) Party with Pub Crawl: $404
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ulaanbaatar and Munich, we can see that Munich 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 Munich 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 Munich would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Munich 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 Munich Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ulaanbaatar or Munich?
Munich has a larger population, and is about 49% larger than the population of Ulaanbaatar. When comparing the sizes of Ulaanbaatar and Munich, 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.