Which place is cheaper, Paris or Ulaanbaatar?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ulaanbaatar or Paris?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ulaanbaatar or Paris? 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 Paris?
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.
Paris
Paris is a dream destination for many people. It's location on the river Seine contributes to its stunning beauty and you can spend many days wandering through its wonderfully diverse neighborhoods. It's known as a city of culture, fashion, food and fun. There is never a shortage of entertainment and activities around town and a highlight of many people's trips to Paris is to explore the city at night, when it truly comes to life. It is not hard to see why this city has received the nickname as the "City of Lights."
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mongolia, The Best Adventure Tours to Mongolia, The Best Historical Tours in France, and The Best 10-Day Tours in France.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayUlaanbaatar $25Paris $249
The average daily cost (per person) in Ulaanbaatar is $25, while the average daily cost in Paris is $249. 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 Paris in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personUlaanbaatar $12Paris $162
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomUlaanbaatar $24Paris $324
Compare Hotels in Ulaanbaatar and Paris
Looking for a hotel in Ulaanbaatar or Paris? 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 Paris Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ulaanbaatar $2.91Paris $23
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 Paris
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Paris are as follows:
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Metro$6.86
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Train from Airport$9.64
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Metro tickets$7.29
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Train$21
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Paris
Also for Paris, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Disneyland Private Transfer - Luxury Minivan Service: $185
- Private Roundtrip Airport Transfer for 1 to 3 Persons in Paris: $197
- Private Transfer from Paris to Charles de Gaulle Airport: $84
- Private transfer from Beauvais airport to Paris or back: $268
- Airport Transfer Service Shuttle Disneyland Paris Taxi: $120
- Airport Transfer: Paris Airport CDG to Paris City by Business Car: $101
- Airport Transfer: Paris Airport CDG to Paris City by Luxury EQS: $143
- Airport Transfer: Paris City to Paris Airport CDG by Luxury EQS: $143
- Airport transfer from Paris to Disneyland Paris/Parc Asterix (8pax): $185
- Airport: Private transfer to/from Paris - Charles de Gaulle: $108
- Arrival Private Transfer Paris Airport CDG to Paris by Sedan : $87
- Arrival Private Transfer: Airport Charles de Gaulle OR Orly TO La Defense: $23
Is it cheaper to fly into Ulaanbaatar or Paris?
Prices for flights to both Paris 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 $8.94Paris $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 Paris
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Paris:
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Ice Cream$8.57
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Breakfast$7.50
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Breakfast for 2$32
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Dinner on River Cruise$92
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Dinner$61
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Cheese$14
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Paris
For Paris, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 1h30 Cooking Activity in English: $22
- Hard Rock Cafe Paris with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner : $33
- Authentic Indian Dinner in Paris : $49
- Paris Capitaine Fracasse 3 Course Seine River Dinner Cruise: $52
- Paris : Seine River Bistronomic Dinner Cruise: $53
- Seine Cruise Departure from Pont Alexandre III with Dinner Included: $64
- Seine River Panoramic Views Dinner Cruise: $67
- Eat, play, love Montmartre: 3H Walking Food Tour -Kids friendly-: $68
- No Diet Club - Paris : Night food tour - Montmartre: $68
- Paris en Scene 3 Course Seine River Dinner Cruise: $68
- 1-Hour Sightseeing Cruise with Bistro Dinner: $68
- Le Marais Guided Food Tour with Tastings: $69
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ulaanbaatar $4.42Paris $83
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 Paris
For Paris, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Louvre Entry for Two$19
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Admission to Pantheon$5.36
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Catacombs (2)$25
Tours and Activities in Paris
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Paris.
- Free Walking Tour of Montmartre: $2.15
- Montmartre Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt Tour: $3.23
- Montmartre Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $3.26
- Self Guided Tours in Paris with 100 Captivating Audio Stories: $3.28
- Marais Walk Self Guided Audio Tour: $4.36
- Paris, Arc de Triomphe: tour with audio guide: $5.38
- Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt and Tour: $5.38
- Père-Lachaise Cemetery audio guide tour: $5.38
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Paris: $5.45
- Paris Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $5.46
- Self-Guided Tour - Père Lachaise Cemetery Audioguide, Paris: $5.46
- Self-Guided Tour - Louvre Audioguide, Paris: $5.46
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayUlaanbaatar $3.83Paris $26
Typical Alcohol Prices in Paris
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Paris are as follows:
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Wine$15
Sample the Local Flavors in Paris
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Paris:
- Daily Paris Pub Crawl : Meet, Drink & Party: $11
- Original Pub Crawl: $16
- Daily Paris Pub Crawl : Meet, Drink & Party: $20
- Latin Quarter Guided Pub Crawl to Bars and Clubs: $22
- Paris Bar Crawl: $24
- Paris Pub Crawl: $25
- Audio guided tour and wine tasting at Caves du Louvre: $32
- Paris Craft gin distillery guided Tour & Tasting in French: $32
- Wine Museum Guided Tour with Wine Tasting: $39
- Guided Visit and Wine Tasting in a Royal Wine Cellar in Paris: $39
- Vineyard tour and wine tasting in Davron: $43
- Paris St Germain Wine Tasting: $43
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ulaanbaatar and Paris, we can see that Paris 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 Paris 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 Paris would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Paris 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 Paris Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ulaanbaatar or Paris?
Paris has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Ulaanbaatar. When comparing the sizes of Ulaanbaatar and Paris, 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.