Oaxaca vs Ulaanbaatar
Real cost of living, rent, internet, safety and visa terms for both cities, side by side — then open the interactive tool to weight them against your own priorities.
Oaxaca
Mexico's culinary capital — mole, mezcal, and colonial streets at ultra-low cost, with a fast-growing slow-travel nomad scene.
Ulaanbaatar
The world's coldest capital and gateway to the Mongolian steppe — ultra-low costs, a fast-emerging startup scene, and a frontier-nomad adventure unlike anywhere.
The short answer
- Oaxaca scores higher overall, 73/100 vs 50/100
- Ulaanbaatar is cheaper by $208/mo — about $2,496 a year
- Oaxaca is the safer of the two, 57/100 vs 49/100
- Oaxaca has faster internet, 35 Mbps vs 21 Mbps
Cost of living
Monthly figures for one person. Rent, meals and coworking are measured values, not shares of the total budget.
| Expense | Oaxaca | Ulaanbaatar |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable budgetper month, all in | $1,108 | $900✓ |
| Rent, 1BR city centre | $498 | $420✓ |
| Meal, mid-range | $8 | $7✓ |
| Coworking deskper month | $99 | n.a. |
| Cost of living indexlower is cheaper | 24.6✓ | 36.0 |
Quality of life
Scored 0–100 on the same attributes the match engine weights, so these agree with the interactive tool.
| Measure | Oaxaca | Ulaanbaatar |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | ||
| Healthcare | ||
| Walkability | ||
| English spoken | ||
| Food & dining | ||
| Nightlife | ||
| Outdoors | ||
| Nomad community | ||
| Climate quality | ||
| Public transit |
Scores, connectivity and paperwork
| Measure | Oaxaca | Ulaanbaatar |
|---|---|---|
| Freedom Score | 73/100✓ | 50/100 |
| Global rankof 100 cities | #38✓ | #100 |
| Internet | 35 Mbps✓ | 21 Mbps |
| Average temperature | 68°F | 30°F |
| Air quality | 42/100 | 78/100✓ |
| Airport connectivity | 42/100 | 52/100✓ |
| Nomad visa | Mexico DN visa | 30 days |
| Headline tax rateon local income | 15% | 10% |
Which should you choose?
Choose Oaxaca if internet is faster at 35 Mbps, it scores higher on safety (57 vs 49), it is more walkable and English is more widely spoken.
Choose Ulaanbaatar if runs $208/mo cheaper, rent is $78/mo lower and the headline tax rate is lower.
What each city is known for
Oaxaca
- Legendary food scene — mole, mezcal, and street markets
- Among the cheapest cities on this list — under $1,200/mo
- US market opens 8:30am local — early-bird trading
- Colonial UNESCO centre, walkable and deeply cultural
Ulaanbaatar
- Gateway to the Gobi Desert and the steppe
- World's coldest capital — pack warm
- Among the cheapest cities globally
- Frontier startup scene, few nomads yet