Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ongata Rongai and Malindi

For one person, living is cheaper in Malindi: $517 a month against $572 in Ongata Rongai, rent and utilities included – about $660 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ongata Rongai outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

28

Cost of Living Index in Ongata Rongai
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Ongata Rongai Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Malindi
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Malindi Living Index

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Ongata Rongai

🇰🇪 Kenya

$572

/mo nomad

Malindi

🇰🇪 Kenya

$517

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ongata Rongai and in Malindi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ongata Rongai and in Malindi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $572 per month in Ongata Rongai vs $517 in Malindi, rent included.

Ongata Rongai $572
Malindi $517

A couple spends around $881 per month in Ongata Rongai vs $803 in Malindi, rent included.

Ongata Rongai $881
Malindi $803

A family of three spends $1,190 per month in Ongata Rongai vs $1,090 in Malindi, rent included.

Ongata Rongai $1,190
Malindi $1,090

Ongata Rongai costs about 11% more than Malindi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Ongata Rongai and Malindi are more affordable than the global median – Ongata Rongai 58% lower, Malindi 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.56 KES 851

$2.14 KES 277

206.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.07 KES 2,475

$25.30 KES 3,284

-24.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.20 KES 805

$10.44 KES 1,355

-40.61%

Cappuccino

$1.95 KES 253

$2.70 KES 351

-27.78%

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

$0.29 KES 38.27

$0.68 KES 88.5

-57.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 KES 50.9

$0.52 KES 67.1

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 KES 297

$2.29 KES 298

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 KES 352

$3.23 KES 419

-16.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.44 KES 57.7

$0.90 KES 117

-51.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 61.9

$0.50 KES 64.3

-4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 KES 205

$1.25 KES 162

26.40%

Eggs

$1.37 KES 178

$1.83 KES 237

-25.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 KES 565

$11.40 KES 1,480

-61.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 KES 456

$4.98 KES 647

-29.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.37 KES 438

$4.89 KES 635

-31.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 KES 162

$2.07 KES 269

-39.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$0.78 KES 101

38.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 KES 153

$1.76 KES 228

-32.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 KES 84.2

$0.71 KES 91.7

-8.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 KES 95.2

$0.72 KES 93.7

1.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 KES 62.4

$0.65 KES 84.0

-26.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 KES 91.9

$0.59 KES 77.1

20.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 62.7

$0.45 KES 58.8

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 KES 297

$4.16 KES 540

-44.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.03 KES 1,173

$9.83 KES 1,276

-8.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 KES 285

$2.01 KES 261

9.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 KES 363

$2.96 KES 384

-5.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 205

$3.14 KES 408

-49.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 196

$1.78 KES 231

-15.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 KES 381

$4.59 KES 596

-36.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 KES 201

$1.37 KES 178

13.14%

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

$19.4K KES 2.5M

$12.0K KES 1.6M

60.78%

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

$22.1K KES 2.9M

$12.0K KES 1.6M

84.11%

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

$54.8 KES 7,115

$76.0 KES 9,870

-27.92%

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

$14.99 KES 1,946

$8.99 KES 1,166

66.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.02 KES 4,546

$30.23 KES 3,924

15.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.62 KES 5,013

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 KES 998

$15.42 KES 2,002

-50.13%

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

$273 KES 35.4K

$85.5 KES 11.1K

218.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K KES 1.6M

$5,381 KES 698.4K

130.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.87 KES 3,617

$13.28 KES 1,723

109.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.51 KES 3,830

$13.38 KES 1,737

120.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 KES 9,052

$23.49 KES 3,049

196.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.5 KES 7,725

$46.81 KES 6,076

27.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 KES 20.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 KES 15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$233 KES 30.2K

$379 KES 49.2K

-38.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 KES 30.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

13.15%

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

Last update for Ongata Rongai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Malindi: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Ongata Rongai

$129 22.5%

Malindi

$173 33.4% 33.9% $44

Accommodation & Living

Ongata Rongai

$116 20.2%

Malindi

- * 0% 100%

Eating Out

Ongata Rongai

$114 20%

Malindi

$104 20.1% 9.2% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ongata Rongai

$105 18.3%

Malindi

$115 22.3% 9.9% $10

Clothing & Footwear

Ongata Rongai

$84 14.7%

Malindi

$44 8.5% 48% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Ongata Rongai

$15 * 2.7%

Malindi

$69 13.5% 352% $54

Getting Around

Ongata Rongai

$9.1 * 1.6%

Malindi

$12 * 2.3% 32.2% $2.9

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Ongata Rongai versus $25 in Malindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $129 vs $173 – making Ongata Rongai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Ongata Rongai

🇰🇪 Malindi

🕒 Local time

18:57 6:57 PM

Same time as Ongata Rongai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

172,569

117,735

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.9 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.9 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Ongata Rongai Malindi 430 km

From you

Ongata Rongai
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Ongata Rongai costs about 11% more than Malindi, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $858 per month in Ongata Rongai and $775 in Malindi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Ongata Rongai and $25 in Malindi. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Ongata Rongai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $572 in Ongata Rongai and $517 in Malindi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Malindi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $517 in Malindi to $572 in Ongata Rongai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.