Which place is cheaper, Valletta or Ulaanbaatar?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Ulaanbaatar or Valletta?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Ulaanbaatar or Valletta? 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 Valletta?
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.
Valletta
A harbor city and the capital city of the island of Malta, Valletta dates back to the 16th-century with a preserved architectural heritage that earned the city a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is best known for its museums, palaces, and churches.
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 Malta, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Malta.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayUlaanbaatar $25Valletta $124
The average daily cost (per person) in Ulaanbaatar is $25, while the average daily cost in Valletta is $124. 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 Valletta in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personUlaanbaatar $12Valletta $70
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomUlaanbaatar $24Valletta $140
Compare Hotels in Ulaanbaatar and Valletta
Looking for a hotel in Ulaanbaatar or Valletta? 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 Valletta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Ulaanbaatar $2.91Valletta $25
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Valletta
Also for Valletta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Malta Airport Private Transfers: $66
- Afternoon Harbours Cruise with Guide and Roundtrip Transfers: $39
- Airport Transfers (Private Group up to 15 people): $103
- Airport transfers to all locations in Malta (Private Groups or Families): $81
- Arrival Transfer: Malta Airport MLA to Malta Island by Van: $49
- Departure Transfer: Malta Island to Malta Airport MLA by Van: $47
- From Malta: Gozo Jeep Tour with Lunch and Hotel Transfers: $88
- From Private Malta Highlights Tour with Transfer: $151
- Malta Airport (MLA) Departure Transfer (Saint Julian's Hotels to Malta Airport): $49
- Malta Airport Transfers : $38
- Malta Intl Airport (MLA) to Valletta Cruise Port - Round-Trip Private Transfer : $28
- Malta Private Airport Transfer - Arrival: $44
Is it cheaper to fly into Ulaanbaatar or Valletta?
Prices for flights to both Valletta 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 $8.94Valletta $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
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Valletta
For Valletta, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Valletta Food Tour - Eat like a local: $46
- Valletta Food Tour: $49
- Folklore Evening Dinner Show at a Traditional Maltese Restaurant Incl. Transfers: $67
- Maltese Traditional Dinner and Folklore Show with Transfers: $71
- Fireworks Festival Cruise Including Dinner, Drinks and Transport: $77
- The Ultimate Valletta Evening Food Tour: $81
- Fernandes Sunset Cruise including Dinner with Open Bar: $81
- Christmas Tour in Gozo (afternoon) inc. Dinner: $87
- Blue Lagoon & Sunset Quad Tour in Gozo/Dinner: $101
- From Blue Lagoon and Gozo Tour w/Quads and Dinner: $118
- The Valletta Food Tour Experience, a private tour: $150
- Private Valletta Food Tour: $175
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Ulaanbaatar $4.42Valletta $29
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 Valletta
For Valletta, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Escape Game and Tour: $6.46
- Reliving The Sacra Infermeria Augmented Reality Tour: $6.55
- 30-Minute Mdina Experience Audio-Visual Show Ticket (Open Ticket): $6.55
- Valletta Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $7.10
- The Knights of Malta Museum Entry Ticket: $7.10
- City Nobles App Tour + Malta5D Entry (optional): $7.53
- Self-Guided Historical Walking Tour (Audio Guide): $7.53
- City Nobles App Tour + Optional Malta 5D Show Ticket: $7.64
- Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & City Tour: $8.07
- Self-Guided Audio Tour, Map and Directions: $8.61
- Entry Ticket for The Limestone Heritage Park and Gardens : $9.85
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayUlaanbaatar $3.83Valletta $17
Sample the Local Flavors in Valletta
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Valletta:
- Valletta Pub Crawl: $22
- Malta Pub Crawl: $22
- The Brewery Experience Self-Guided Tour with Tasting & Transport: $35
- The Brewery Experience & beer tasting including transport: $35
- Malta: The Three Cities and Wine Tasting Tour: $44
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ulaanbaatar and Valletta, we can see that Valletta 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 Valletta 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 Valletta would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Valletta 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 Valletta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Ulaanbaatar or Valletta?
Ulaanbaatar has a larger population, and is about 120 times larger than the population of Valletta. When comparing the sizes of Ulaanbaatar and Valletta, 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.