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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $619 per month in Mombasa vs $543 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,079 per month in Mombasa vs $846 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,539 per month in Mombasa vs $1,149 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 14% more than Ongata Rongai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mombasa and Ongata Rongai are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 53% lower, Ongata Rongai 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 KES 302

$5.37 KES 695

-56.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.58 KES 2,531

$19.50 KES 2,520

0.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 KES 1,146

$6.96 KES 900

27.44%

Cappuccino

$3.30 KES 426

$1.95 KES 251

69.23%

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

$0.52 KES 66.8

$0.30 KES 38.22

73.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 61.5

$0.41 KES 52.7

17.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 KES 242

$2.29 KES 296

-18.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 KES 373

$2.98 KES 386

-3.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 KES 105

$0.53 KES 68.8

54.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 70.3

$0.49 KES 63.4

10.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 KES 186

$1.34 KES 173

7.46%

Eggs

$1.75 KES 226

$1.39 KES 179

25.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.05 KES 1,299

$4.18 KES 541

140.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 KES 777

$3.51 KES 454

71.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.21 KES 673

$3.47 KES 448

50.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 KES 234

$1.21 KES 156

49.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 KES 111

$1.09 KES 141

-21.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.14 KES 148

34.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.8

$0.64 KES 82.4

14.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 92.9

$0.75 KES 96.3

-4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$0.47 KES 60.9

127.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 KES 80.5

$0.68 KES 88.2

-8.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 KES 75.0

$0.48 KES 61.8

20.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 KES 445

$2.29 KES 296

50.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 KES 1,026

$9.50 KES 1,229

-16.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 254

$2.29 KES 296

-14.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 KES 367

$2.78 KES 359

2.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 KES 96.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.00 KES 4,524

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 KES 402

$1.57 KES 203

98.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 KES 242

$1.35 KES 175

38.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 KES 596

$2.84 KES 368

62.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 206

$1.53 KES 197

4.58%

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

$12.2K KES 1.6M

$21.6K KES 2.8M

-43.53%

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

$12.2K KES 1.6M

$20.4K KES 2.6M

-40.24%

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

$44.01 KES 5,688

$34.68 KES 4,482

26.90%

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

$14.12 KES 1,825

$16.82 KES 2,174

-16.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.43 KES 5,743

$39.13 KES 5,057

13.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.28 KES 2,363

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.64 KES 2,538

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 KES 593

$6.10 KES 788

-24.75%

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

$86.0 KES 11.1K

$201 KES 25.9K

-57.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,470 KES 707.0K

$7,993 KES 1.0M

-31.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.40 KES 1,732

$18.51 KES 2,392

-27.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.87 KES 1,792

$23.77 KES 3,073

-41.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.46 KES 3,032

$66.7 KES 8,614

-64.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.74 KES 6,041

$57.4 KES 7,416

-18.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 KES 23.3K

$152 KES 19.7K

18.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.2K

$115 KES 14.9K

2.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$595 KES 76.9K

$228 KES 29.4K

161.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 KES 57.8K

$235 KES 30.3K

90.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,454 KES 704.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,880 KES 501.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$314 KES 40.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

-12.40%

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

Last update for Mombasa: July 26, 2026

Last update for Ongata Rongai: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $181 in Mombasa versus $152 in Ongata Rongai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Mombasa versus $19.00 in Ongata Rongai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $130 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $619 in Mombasa, $543 in Ongata Rongai – roughly 14% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $929 per month in Mombasa and $815 in Ongata Rongai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ongata Rongai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $619 in Mombasa and $543 in Ongata Rongai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $86.0 per month in Mombasa and $201 in Ongata Rongai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $619 in Mombasa and $543 in Ongata Rongai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ongata Rongai – 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 Ongata Rongai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mombasa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.