Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Ongata Rongai Cost of Living Comparison Between Malindi and Ongata Rongai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $499 per month in Malindi vs $570 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

A couple spends around $795 per month in Malindi vs $864 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,091 per month in Malindi vs $1,158 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

Malindi is about 12% cheaper than Ongata Rongai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Malindi and Ongata Rongai are more affordable than the global median – Malindi 64% lower, Ongata Rongai 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 KES 269

$4.54 KES 587

-54.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 KES 3,038

$19.19 KES 2,483

22.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.44 KES 1,350

$6.00 KES 777

74.00%

Cappuccino

$3.70 KES 479

$1.88 KES 243

96.81%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 KES 122

$0.32 KES 41.82

193.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 KES 54.9

$0.41 KES 52.7

2.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 KES 297

$2.26 KES 293

1.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 KES 417

$2.67 KES 346

20.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 KES 116

$0.53 KES 68.9

69.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 67.5

$0.50 KES 64.3

4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 KES 165

$1.28 KES 166

-0.78%

Eggs

$1.73 KES 224

$1.36 KES 176

27.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 KES 1,443

$4.12 KES 533

170.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 KES 710

$3.39 KES 439

61.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.97 KES 643

$3.52 KES 456

41.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 KES 270

$1.27 KES 165

63.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 KES 97.0

$1.03 KES 133

-27.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 KES 228

$1.15 KES 149

53.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 KES 90.4

$0.64 KES 83.4

9.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 KES 91.1

$0.73 KES 94.9

-4.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.3

$0.44 KES 57.2

63.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 KES 78.6

$0.69 KES 89.4

-11.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 KES 55.5

$0.44 KES 56.7

-2.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.67 KES 605

$2.34 KES 302

99.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.68 KES 994

$9.30 KES 1,204

-17.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 KES 262

$2.32 KES 300

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 KES 384

$2.76 KES 357

7.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 KES 390

$1.58 KES 205

90.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 KES 228

$1.58 KES 205

11.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 KES 610

$2.86 KES 370

64.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 KES 179

$1.59 KES 205

-12.58%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$21.9K KES 2.8M

-44.86%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$12.0K KES 1.6M

$20.3K KES 2.6M

-41.03%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$55.7 KES 7,203

$62.1 KES 8,038

-10.38%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.01 KES 1,683

$15.84 KES 2,050

-17.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.64 KES 3,965

$36.52 KES 4,726

-16.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.93 KES 5,038

Cinema Ticket

$10.79 KES 1,397

$7.69 KES 995

40.31%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$85.9 KES 11.1K

$247 KES 32.0K

-65.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,448 KES 704.9K

$11.6K KES 1.5M

-52.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.91 KES 1,670

$27.63 KES 3,575

-53.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.86 KES 1,793

$28.32 KES 3,664

-51.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.72 KES 2,940

$70.6 KES 9,136

-67.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.60 KES 6,030

$58.9 KES 7,626

-20.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 KES 20.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 KES 15.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 KES 50.7K

$231 KES 29.8K

69.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 KES 29.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

-11.62%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Malindi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ongata Rongai: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Malindi versus $19.00 in Ongata Rongai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $128 – making Ongata Rongai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Malindi vs Ongata Rongai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ongata Rongai costs about 14% more than Malindi, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $749 per month in Malindi and $855 in Ongata Rongai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Malindi and $19.00 in Ongata Rongai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 33% cheaper in Ongata Rongai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $499 in Malindi and $570 in Ongata Rongai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Malindi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Malindi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ongata Rongai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.