Which place is cheaper, Ulaanbaatar or Vilnius?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Vilnius or Ulaanbaatar?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Vilnius and Ulaanbaatar. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Vilnius or Ulaanbaatar?
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital and largest city in the country of Lithuania. It has a population of more than 500,000 residents and is located in the valley between the Neris River and the Vilnia River in the southeastern part of the country. Visitors come to the city for its beautiful Old Town, impressive architecture, and fascinating culture. In 2009 it was named the European Capital of Culture along with the city of Linz, in Austria.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Vilnius, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Lithuania, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mongolia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Mongolia.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayVilnius €94Ulaanbaatar €23
The average daily cost (per person) in Vilnius is €94, while the average daily cost in Ulaanbaatar is €23. 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 Vilnius and Ulaanbaatar in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personVilnius €42Ulaanbaatar €11
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomVilnius €84Ulaanbaatar €22
Compare Hotels in Vilnius and Ulaanbaatar
Looking for a hotel in Vilnius or Ulaanbaatar? 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: Vilnius Hotel Prices and Ulaanbaatar Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Vilnius €8.30Ulaanbaatar €2.70
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vilnius
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Vilnius:
- Arrival Transfer from Vilnius VNO Airport to Vilnius by Minivan: $46
- From Druskininkai & Grutas Park Tour with Transfer: $517
- Private Transfer: Vilnius to Klaipeda or Klaipeda to Vilnius via Trakai Castle: $241
- Private Vilnius Airport Arrival Transfer: $27
- Riga / Tallinn / Vilnius. Transfer Between Baltic States: $645
- Riga: Bus Transfer to/from Vilnius: $20
- Transfer from Kaunas Airport to Vilnius: $215
- Vilnius Airport (VNO): Bus Transfer to/from Gdansk: $52
- Vilnius Airport Transfer: $52
- Vilnius Airport: Bus Transfer to/from Riga: $24
- Vilnius Airport: Bus Transfer to/from Warsaw: $36
- Vilnius Private 1-Way Airport Transfer: $54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ulaanbaatar
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ulaanbaatar:
- Mongolia Airport Transfer & Taxi Service -BEST!: $18
- 2024 Ulaanbaatar Airport Transfer & Taxi Shuttle Service - Best!: $18
- Private Transfer to Ulaanbaatar Airport ULN by Business Vehicle: $28
- Private Transfer Ulaanbaatar Airport ULN to Ulaanbaatar City : $28
- Private Transfer from Chinggis Khaan Airport to Ulaanbaatar: $37
- Airport - Ulaanbaatar transfer service: $40
- Private Departure Transfer: Ulaanbaatar Airport: $40
- New Ulaanbaatar International Airport Transfer Service: $45
- Airport transfer service: $50
- Private Transfer from Ulaanbaatar to or from Terelj National Park: $60
Is it cheaper to fly into Vilnius or Ulaanbaatar?
Prices for flights to both Ulaanbaatar and Vilnius 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 dayVilnius €40Ulaanbaatar €8.30
Typical Food Prices in Vilnius
Some typical examples of dining costs in Vilnius are as follows:
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Dinner for Two€13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vilnius
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Vilnius.
- Private National Dinner with Folk Show: $60
- Dinner in local family: $74
- Flavors of Vilnius - Private Walking Food Tour: $191
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Vilnius €9.72Ulaanbaatar €4.10
Typical Entertainment Prices in Vilnius
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Vilnius are as follows:
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Walking Tour€5.79
Tours and Activities in Vilnius
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Vilnius are as follows:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.46
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $6.46
- Vilnius Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.56
- Secrets of Old Vilnius Smartphone App GPS Audio Walking Tour: $7.50
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Skip the Line: Europos Parkas, Open-Air Museum Ticket Vilnius, Lithuania: $12
- Vibrant Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour: $14
- Regular walking tour of Jewish Vilnius: $19
- Regular walking tour of Soviet Vilnius: $19
- Private Europos Parkas Tour with Entrance Ticket: $19
- Regular walking tour of Jewish Vilnius: $19
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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayVilnius €6.38Ulaanbaatar €3.56
Typical Alcohol Prices in Vilnius
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Vilnius from other travelers:
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Beer€4.34
Sample the Local Flavors in Vilnius
Also in Vilnius, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Beer degustation at Bear & Boar Brewery Taproom: $43
- Vilnius Private Pub & Bar Crawl Tour & Hidden Gems: $46
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Vilnius and Ulaanbaatar, we can see that Vilnius is more expensive. And not only is Ulaanbaatar much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Vilnius is in Europe and Ulaanbaatar is in Asia, 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 Vilnius would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Vilnius 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 Vilnius Expensive? and Is Ulaanbaatar Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Vilnius or Ulaanbaatar?
Ulaanbaatar has a larger population, and is about 56% larger than the population of Vilnius. When comparing the sizes of Vilnius and Ulaanbaatar, 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.