Budget/Backpacker Travel Guide: Mongolia

Experience authentic local culture on a shoestring budget with hostels, street food, and public transport

Daily Budget: $24-78 per day

Complete breakdown of costs for budget/backpacker travel in Mongolia

$8-25 per night

Ger camps with shared facilities, budget guesthouses in cities, hostels, or camping with your own equipment

$8-20 per day

Local canteens, street food, markets, self-prepared meals, traditional Mongolian dairy products and mutton dishes

$5-18 per day

Public buses within cities, shared transport to countryside, hitchhiking, walking, occasional local minibuses

$3-15 per day

Free hiking and nature exploration, visiting local markets, basic museum entries, self-guided cultural experiences

Currency: ₮ Mongolian Tugrik (MNT) - USD widely accepted in tourist areas

Curated experiences perfect for your budget/backpacker travel style

Stay in traditional ger camps outside peak summer months for 40-60% savings on accommodation

Eat at local canteens and markets instead of tourist restaurants (typically 60-80% cheaper)

Use public buses and shared transport instead of private vehicles (75-85% cost reduction)

Book multi-day tours directly with local operators rather than international agencies for 30-50% savings

Travel during shoulder seasons (May-June, September) for 25-40% lower accommodation rates

Buy supplies and snacks at local markets rather than tourist areas (50-70% cheaper)

Join group tours instead of private tours to split costs among multiple travelers

Only eating at tourist-oriented restaurants in Ulaanbaatar instead of local eateries (typically 100-200% markup)

Booking last-minute accommodation during Naadam festival season (prices increase 200-400%)

Taking taxis everywhere instead of using public transport (3-5x more expensive daily)

Not accounting for remote area premium pricing where supplies are 50-100% more expensive than cities