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 $614 per month in Mombasa vs $528 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,068 per month in Mombasa vs $837 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,523 per month in Mombasa vs $1,145 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 16% more than Ongata Rongai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mombasa and Ongata Rongai are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 54% lower, Ongata Rongai 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.33 KES 301

$5.47 KES 706

-57.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.28 KES 2,488

$19.55 KES 2,524

-1.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 KES 1,154

$6.92 KES 893

29.19%

Cappuccino

$3.25 KES 419

$1.96 KES 253

65.82%

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

$0.48 KES 61.7

$0.30 KES 38.47

60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 KES 57.8

$0.38 KES 48.75

18.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 KES 255

$2.36 KES 304

-16.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 KES 376

$2.95 KES 380

-1.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 KES 106

$0.50 KES 64.1

66.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 KES 69.8

$0.47 KES 60.1

14.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 KES 182

$1.29 KES 166

9.30%

Eggs

$1.82 KES 235

$1.32 KES 170

37.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 KES 1,279

$4.38 KES 566

126.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.87 KES 757

$3.38 KES 436

73.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 KES 676

$3.53 KES 455

48.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 KES 235

$1.23 KES 159

47.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 KES 112

$1.04 KES 135

-16.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KES 196

$1.17 KES 151

29.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.0

$0.64 KES 82.2

18.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 KES 85.7

$0.79 KES 102

-16.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$0.48 KES 62.0

122.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 KES 80.9

$0.69 KES 89.0

-8.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 KES 79.8

$0.48 KES 61.5

29.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 KES 429

$2.31 KES 298

43.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 KES 1,005

$9.32 KES 1,203

-16.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 252

$2.22 KES 287

-12.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

$2.71 KES 349

2.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 KES 94.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.27 KES 4,423

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 KES 408

$1.58 KES 203

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 KES 245

$1.35 KES 174

40.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.55 KES 587

$2.96 KES 381

53.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 KES 211

$1.58 KES 204

3.16%

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

$11.9K KES 1.5M

$21.3K KES 2.7M

-44.17%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$20.3K KES 2.6M

-41.94%

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

$44.31 KES 5,720

$34.74 KES 4,484

27.55%

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

$14.23 KES 1,837

$16.61 KES 2,144

-14.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.18 KES 5,702

$39.23 KES 5,063

12.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.34 KES 2,367

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.55 KES 2,523

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 KES 592

$6.11 KES 788

-24.88%

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

$85.7 KES 11.1K

$203 KES 26.2K

-57.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,452 KES 703.7K

$8,013 KES 1.0M

-31.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.12 KES 1,693

$18.27 KES 2,358

-28.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.86 KES 1,789

$24.24 KES 3,128

-42.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.60 KES 3,046

$65.5 KES 8,456

-63.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.61 KES 6,016

$56.4 KES 7,275

-17.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$179 KES 23.1K

$154 KES 19.9K

16.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.7K

$116 KES 15.0K

-2.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 KES 77.0K

$235 KES 30.3K

154.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 KES 58.8K

$235 KES 30.4K

93.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,498 KES 709.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,826 KES 493.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$319 KES 41.2K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ongata Rongai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $179 in Mombasa versus $154 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 $19.00 in Mombasa versus $20.00 in Ongata Rongai. Groceries tell a different story – $170 in Mombasa vs $128 in Ongata Rongai – so Ongata Rongai wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $614 in Mombasa, $528 in Ongata Rongai – roughly 16% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $921 per month in Mombasa and $792 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 $614 in Mombasa and $528 in Ongata Rongai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $85.7 per month in Mombasa and $203 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 $614 in Mombasa and $528 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.