Mongolia
Mongolia on a budget: daily costs and money-saving tips
A budget trip in Mongolia costs about ₮100,000–230,000 per person per day (roughly US$30–65) for a hostel bed, guanz meals, buses or a shared group tour. Travel June–September and share a vehicle with three or four people: transport is priced per car per day, so a solo traveller pays several times more. July Naadam pricing changes the maths.
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GuideMongolia
Key facts
- Backpacker daily total
- ₮100,000–230,000 per person (2026 estimate)
- Biggest cost lever
- Vehicle sharing: a car and driver-guide runs ₮500,000–900,000 a day for the whole vehicle
- Cheapest monthscheck
- June and September, outside the July Naadam peak
- Cash vs card
- Cards work in Ulaanbaatar hotels, malls and larger restaurants; carry cash for markets, taxis and everything outside the city
- ATMs
- Common in Ulaanbaatar, rare outside it — withdraw before a countryside trip
- Guanz meal
- Buuz ₮8,000–15,000; tsuivan ₮12,000–20,000
- Currency
- Mongolian tögrög (MNT, ₮); tours and camps often quote US$ but charge in tögrög at the day's rate
Details
Mongolia's costs are unusual because the country is not expensive — the distances are. A dorm bed and a plate of buuz cost little anywhere. What empties a budget is moving between places: a private car and driver-guide is priced per vehicle per day, not per person, so the same loop costs a solo traveller four times what it costs a group of four.
Build the trip in this order. First, fix your dates in the June–September window and avoid the Naadam week in July unless you specifically want it, because accommodation and transport prices rise and fill early. Second, decide how many travellers you are sharing with; four is the practical number for splitting a vehicle. Third, book the countryside loop as a shared group departure from Ulaanbaatar rather than a private car, or join other travellers at a guesthouse to fill seats. Fourth, keep Ulaanbaatar nights cheap and use the city as the base for the first and last two or three nights.
On the ground, eat at guanz (small canteens) rather than hotel restaurants, use city buses with a U-Money card instead of taxis, and buy water and snacks at supermarkets rather than shops aimed at tours. Ger camp stays are usually full board, so a night there replaces both your bed and your meals — compare the full-board rate against a guesthouse plus food before deciding it is out of reach.
Cash discipline matters more than thrift. Withdraw tögrög in Ulaanbaatar before any countryside trip, because ATMs outside the city are rare. Exchange at banks or licensed counters, never on the street. If a tour quotes in US$ but will charge in tögrög, agree the currency and the rate before you pay a deposit.
- Travel with three or four people to split the vehicle cost.
- Book shared group departures instead of a private car and guide.
- Stay in hostels or guesthouses in Ulaanbaatar; save ger camps for one or two nights.
- Eat at guanz; buuz and tsuivan are the cheap staples.
- Use city buses with a U-Money card rather than taxis.
- Withdraw cash in the capital before heading out.
- Travel June or September rather than July.
Summary table
Per person per day, sharing a room and a vehicle with one other person at mid and comfort tiers. International flights and visas are not included. 2026 estimate; July Naadam raises prices.
| Tier | Bed | Food | Transport | Sights | Extras | Daily total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | ₮30,000–50,000 | ₮30,000–50,000 | ₮20,000–80,000 | ₮10,000–30,000 | ₮10,000–20,000 | ₮100,000–230,000 |
| Mid-range | ₮100,000–250,000 | ₮50,000–100,000 | ₮250,000–400,000 | ₮20,000–50,000 | ₮20,000–50,000 | ₮440,000–850,000 |
| Comfort | ₮400,000–900,000 | ₮100,000–200,000 | ₮500,000–1,000,000 | ₮50,000–100,000 | ₮50,000–150,000 | ₮1,100,000–2,350,000 |
A private car and driver-guide costs ₮500,000–900,000 a day for the vehicle; divide by the number of travellers. Domestic flights, one way with a bag, run about ₮650,000.
Tips
The single biggest saving is not a cheaper bed — it is filling a vehicle. Ask at guesthouses and hostels in Ulaanbaatar for travellers heading the same way, and agree the split before departure.
Prices are seasonal in a way that is easy to miss: July doubles many prices, and the Naadam opening ceremony ticket alone runs ₮80,000–350,000 from official sellers, with resale far higher. June and September give you the same weather window with softer prices and easier bookings.
Keep a cash buffer. Outside Ulaanbaatar, cards are rarely accepted, and a broken-down vehicle or a changed plan is easier to solve with tögrög in hand.
FAQ
Questions people ask
How much does a budget trip to Mongolia cost per day?
About ₮100,000–230,000 per person per day (roughly US$30–65) for a hostel bed, guanz meals, buses or a shared group tour. That assumes you share transport. A solo traveller with a private car pays several times more, because the vehicle is priced per day, not per person.
What is the cheapest month to visit Mongolia?
June and September are usually the value months: the travel season is open but the July Naadam peak is over or not yet started, so beds and vehicles are easier to book and cheaper. July raises many prices and fills early.
How can I save money in Mongolia?
Share a vehicle with three or four travellers, book shared group departures instead of a private car and guide, sleep in hostels or guesthouses in Ulaanbaatar, eat at guanz, use city buses with a U-Money card, and withdraw tögrög in the capital before heading to the countryside.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialMongolia – official tourism information
- officialBank of Mongolia – exchange rates
- secondaryWikivoyage – Mongolia