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Ulaanbaatar's Economic Tightrope: Unemployment, Growth, and My Kitchen Knife

@Ruby Wilder2/8/2026blog
Ulaanbaatar's Economic Tightrope: Unemployment, Growth, and My Kitchen Knife

so here i am, chopping carrots in this ger camp kitchen, thinking about u-b's economy while my fingers go numb in -15°C. the unemployment rate’s hovering around 8.5% officially, but everyone knows it’s higher in the outskirts. heard whispers at the night market that real job growth’s stuck at 3.2% - barely enough to cover inflation that’s making my flour prices scream. rent’s a joke too - that crumbling apartment near the railway? 900,000 mnt a month, which is like $300 usd for a place where the heating breaks in november.


the air out here’s so dry your snot freezes mid-drip. but hey, drive two hours north and you’re in mountains so blue they look fake. or hop a cheap flight to beijing for instant smog therapy - talk about neighbors with attitude problems.

an aerial view of a city at night


> 'heard from a taxi driver: 'the government’s new unemployment plan? just printing more tourism brochures. more paper, less jobs.'

> 'overheard at a mining camp mess hall: 'they say gdp’s growing 5.3% but my paycheck’s shrinking like a forgotten potato.'

> 'local grandma pulled my apron strings: 'boy, if you see a 'guaranteed job' poster, check if it’s selling sheep insurance.'

safety’s weird here. downtown’s chill except for pickpockets who work like clockwork near the state department store. but get outside the city? some roads turn into lunar landscapes - pot holes so deep you could lose a yak. tried finding housing on r/ulaanbaatar and got warned about landlords who collect rent then vanish into the steppe.

a view of a city from a high point of view


my kitchen’s economic indicator: when orders for buuz (dumplings) drop 40% in winter, it’s either tourists freezing or locals skipping meals. checked yelp’s u-b listings - most restaurants have 3 stars max, which is fair when your mutton tastes like regret.

honestly? the growth’s all in mining and fancy hotels while the rest of us juggle three gigs. my sous chef moonlights as a tuk-tuk driver, the dishwasher sells airag (fermented mare’s milk) on weekends. tried applying for that digital marketing job at the new mall - turns out they wanted ‘fluent kazakh’ and i barely speak mongolian.

found this gem on tripadvisor’s u-b forum: 'unemployment’s not a problem if you’re willing to herd goats with a frozen smile.' not wrong, but also not comforting when my knife’s sharper than my job prospects.


anyway, back to chopping. maybe i’ll open a knife-sharpening service next. inflation can’t dull blades... right?

p.s. if you’re reading this from a warm office, send soup. send jobs. send anything that isn’t -20°C wind.

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About the author: Ruby Wilder

Unapologetically enthusiastic about niche topics.

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