UB bargains

Prices in Mongolia are generally pretty good, and if you keep your eyes open, you can find some real bargains. In general, things made in Mongolia or China are the cheapest. For example, a box of staples is 200 togrog, about 12 cents. Should I stock up, Bill? And then there is the Black Market, where prices are even better. I bought 2 notebooks there for 500 togrog total and later that day saw the exact same notebook being sold singly for 450 togrog. Yesterday I bought 2 of something (but I can't say what because they're gifts for my guys) that were 10,000 togrog a piece. The same thing at the State Department Store costs 29,000 togrog each.

Services are an exceptional bargain. Taxis (almost every car is a freelance taxi) rarely charge more than 3000 togrog, about $2, and since there is no tipping, it's an even bigger bargain. I've mentioned the hour-long massage I had for 15,000 togrog. Recently I went to a hair salon & got a cut, color and blow-dry for 18,000 togrog, about $12, and my students tell me I paid too much. They say they usually pay 5,000 togrog for a cut and blow-dry. A manicure is 6,000 togrog, $4.