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 $674 per month in Mombasa vs $570 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,121 per month in Mombasa vs $864 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,569 per month in Mombasa vs $1,158 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 18% more than Ongata Rongai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mombasa and Ongata Rongai are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 51% lower, Ongata Rongai 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.27 KES 294

$4.54 KES 587

-50.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.05 KES 2,982

$19.19 KES 2,483

20.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.29 KES 1,332

$6.00 KES 777

71.50%

Cappuccino

$3.69 KES 478

$1.88 KES 243

96.28%

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

$1.01 KES 131

$0.32 KES 41.82

215.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 KES 55.0

$0.41 KES 52.7

4.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 KES 306

$2.26 KES 293

4.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 KES 423

$2.67 KES 346

22.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 122

$0.53 KES 68.9

77.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KES 64.6

$0.50 KES 64.3

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.28 KES 166

21.88%

Eggs

$1.75 KES 227

$1.36 KES 176

28.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 KES 1,429

$4.12 KES 533

167.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 KES 712

$3.39 KES 439

62.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.31 KES 687

$3.52 KES 456

50.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 KES 281

$1.27 KES 165

70.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 KES 154

$1.03 KES 133

15.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 KES 239

$1.15 KES 149

60.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.4

$0.64 KES 83.4

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 KES 87.1

$0.73 KES 94.9

-8.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$0.44 KES 57.2

138.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 KES 72.8

$0.69 KES 89.4

-18.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 KES 55.3

$0.44 KES 56.7

-2.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 KES 589

$2.34 KES 302

94.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.52 KES 973

$9.30 KES 1,204

-19.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 KES 248

$2.32 KES 300

-17.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 KES 364

$2.76 KES 357

1.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 103

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.16 KES 4,938

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 KES 404

$1.58 KES 205

97.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 KES 232

$1.58 KES 205

13.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 KES 612

$2.86 KES 370

65.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 KES 200

$1.59 KES 205

-2.52%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$21.9K KES 2.8M

-45.05%

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

$11.7K KES 1.5M

$20.3K KES 2.6M

-42.21%

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

$56.0 KES 7,246

$62.1 KES 8,038

-9.85%

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

$13.27 KES 1,717

$15.84 KES 2,050

-16.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 KES 4,352

$36.52 KES 4,726

-7.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.32 KES 2,371

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.23 KES 2,488

Cinema Ticket

$10.61 KES 1,373

$7.69 KES 995

37.97%

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

$87.8 KES 11.4K

$247 KES 32.0K

-64.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,364 KES 694.0K

$11.6K KES 1.5M

-53.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.27 KES 1,717

$27.63 KES 3,575

-51.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.59 KES 1,758

$28.32 KES 3,664

-52.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.09 KES 2,987

$70.6 KES 9,136

-67.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.00 KES 5,953

$58.9 KES 7,626

-21.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$230 KES 29.8K

$156 KES 20.2K

47.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 20.0K

$117 KES 15.2K

31.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$551 KES 71.3K

$231 KES 29.8K

139.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 KES 51.7K

$231 KES 29.9K

72.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,493 KES 710.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,917 KES 506.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$315 KES 40.8K

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 Mombasa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ongata Rongai: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $230 in Mombasa versus $156 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 $23.00 in Mombasa versus $19.00 in Ongata Rongai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $674 in Mombasa, $570 in Ongata Rongai – roughly 18% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,010 per month in Mombasa and $855 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 $674 in Mombasa and $570 in Ongata Rongai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $87.8 per month in Mombasa and $247 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 $674 in Mombasa and $570 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.