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 $605 per month in Mombasa vs $534 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,067 per month in Mombasa vs $840 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,528 per month in Mombasa vs $1,147 in Ongata Rongai, rent included.

Mombasa costs about 13% more than Ongata Rongai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mombasa and Ongata Rongai are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 55% lower, Ongata Rongai 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.39 KES 310

$5.31 KES 688

-54.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.38 KES 2,513

$18.98 KES 2,461

2.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 KES 1,135

$7.00 KES 908

25.00%

Cappuccino

$3.14 KES 408

$1.96 KES 254

60.20%

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

$0.51 KES 66.7

$0.30 KES 38.63

70.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 KES 61.0

$0.41 KES 52.8

14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 KES 246

$2.37 KES 308

-19.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 KES 387

$2.96 KES 384

0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 KES 107

$0.55 KES 70.7

50.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 69.2

$0.49 KES 63.9

8.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 KES 184

$1.28 KES 167

10.94%

Eggs

$1.80 KES 233

$1.36 KES 177

32.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 KES 1,268

$4.18 KES 542

133.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 KES 773

$3.57 KES 463

66.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.40 KES 701

$3.54 KES 459

52.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 KES 241

$1.26 KES 163

47.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 KES 113

$1.04 KES 135

-16.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 KES 204

$1.18 KES 154

33.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$0.64 KES 83.4

21.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.3

$0.75 KES 97.2

-4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$0.48 KES 62.5

125.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 KES 80.7

$0.64 KES 82.8

-3.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 KES 75.1

$0.48 KES 62.4

20.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 KES 447

$2.30 KES 298

49.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.75 KES 1,004

$9.31 KES 1,207

-16.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 KES 254

$2.28 KES 296

-14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 359

$2.68 KES 347

3.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 KES 95.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.22 KES 4,566

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 KES 398

$1.57 KES 203

95.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 KES 253

$1.36 KES 176

43.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 KES 586

$2.88 KES 373

56.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 KES 213

$1.59 KES 206

3.77%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$21.4K KES 2.8M

-43.30%

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

$12.0K KES 1.6M

$19.9K KES 2.6M

-39.98%

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

$45.06 KES 5,842

$34.17 KES 4,430

31.87%

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

$14.19 KES 1,840

$16.85 KES 2,185

-15.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.51 KES 5,641

$39.20 KES 5,082

10.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.03 KES 2,337

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.24 KES 2,494

Cinema Ticket

$4.65 KES 604

$6.11 KES 792

-23.90%

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

$85.5 KES 11.1K

$204 KES 26.4K

-58.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,329 KES 691.0K

$8,009 KES 1.0M

-33.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.41 KES 1,739

$18.31 KES 2,374

-26.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.57 KES 1,760

$23.90 KES 3,099

-43.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.90 KES 2,970

$64.4 KES 8,350

-64.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.05 KES 6,101

$57.6 KES 7,463

-18.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 23.0K

$156 KES 20.3K

13.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 KES 14.8K

$115 KES 14.9K

-0.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 KES 76.9K

$229 KES 29.7K

159.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 KES 59.6K

$235 KES 30.4K

96.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,473 KES 709.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,912 KES 507.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$319 KES 41.3K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ongata Rongai: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $177 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 $19.00 in Mombasa versus $19.00 in Ongata Rongai. Groceries tell a different story – $171 in Mombasa vs $129 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: $605 in Mombasa, $534 in Ongata Rongai – roughly 13% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $908 per month in Mombasa and $800 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 $605 in Mombasa and $534 in Ongata Rongai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $85.5 per month in Mombasa and $204 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 $605 in Mombasa and $534 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.