Trying to plan ahead so any know if card payments are common at hostels in Mongolia or cash is king?
I did a two-week stay and found that hostels usually quoted in tugrik and preferred notes at check-in. Some would let you transfer via bank app, but it was clunky. Cards were rare. If you’re landing in Ulaanbaatar, change money at the airport so you don’t scramble later.
I only ever managed to pay by card once in Mongolia, at a more touristy hostel near Chinggis Square. Everywhere else just shook their heads when I asked. It’s not that they don’t want to help, but internet and card machines are unreliable outside the capital. Carry cash to save the headache.
My experience was mixed - the bigger hostels around Peace Avenue in UB could take card, but once I went to smaller towns like Kharkhorin or Darkhan it was cash only. Don’t assume you can swipe. If you’re moving around Mongolia, it’s safest to always carry some tugrik.
Stayed in Ulaanbaatar last summer and most of the hostels I used wanted cash. Zaya Hostel and Sunpath Hostel both asked for tugrik on arrival, even though booking was online. They didn’t have card machines at the desk, which caught me off guard. Honestly it’s just easier to bring local cash because hostels here are often family-run and don’t want the fees that come with Visa or Mastercard.