---
title: "Medan vs Ulaanbaatar for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/medan-vs-ulaanbaatar
description: "Under balanced weights Medan edges it, 47 to 39, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Medan is stronger on air quality, climate, visa ease; Ulaanbaatar on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.10.7 (2026-10-13)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Medan vs Ulaanbaatar for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Medan edges it, 47 to 39, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Medan is stronger on air quality, climate, visa ease; Ulaanbaatar on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | Medan | Ulaanbaatar | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 60 | 46 | Medan |
| Safety | 67 | 62 | Medan |
| Healthcare | 56 | 61 | Ulaanbaatar |
| Internet | 52 | 40 | Medan |
| Visa ease | 54 | 38 | Medan |
| Getting there & around | 42 | 45 | Ulaanbaatar |
| Climate | 25 | 8 | Medan |
| Air quality | 22 | 0 | Medan |
| Quality of life | 45 | 48 | Ulaanbaatar |

## Cost

| Metric | Medan | Ulaanbaatar | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,000 | $1,435 | Medan |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Medan | Ulaanbaatar | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 0.41 | 5.64 | Medan |
| Political stability (0–100) | 52.7 | 75.5 | Ulaanbaatar |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 67 | 70 | Ulaanbaatar |
| Life expectancy | 68.3 yrs | 70.1 yrs | Ulaanbaatar |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Medan | Ulaanbaatar | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 14.4 Mbps | 7 Mbps | Medan |
| Upload | 6.5 Mbps | 4.3 Mbps | Medan |

## Visa

| Metric | Medan | Ulaanbaatar | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | Remote worker visa (E33G) | none listed | Medan |
| Minimum income for the visa | $5,000/mo | no data | — |
| Entry, US passport | visa on arrival | 90 days | Ulaanbaatar |
| Entry, EU passport | visa on arrival | 30 days | Medan |
| Entry, UK passport | visa on arrival | 30 days | Medan |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Medan | Ulaanbaatar | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 26 | 35 | Ulaanbaatar |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 2 | tie |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 2 | tie |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Medan | Ulaanbaatar | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 3 | 1 | Medan |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 39.9 µg/m³ | 60 µg/m³ | Medan |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Medan or Ulaanbaatar?

Medan is cheaper: about $1,000 per month versus $1,435 for one person.

### Is Medan or Ulaanbaatar safer?

Medan scores higher on safety (67 vs 62), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Medan or Ulaanbaatar?

Medan: a measured median of 14.4 Mbps versus 7 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Medan](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/medan) · [Ulaanbaatar](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/ulaanbaatar). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map.

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/medan-vs-ulaanbaatar