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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $570 per month in Ongata Rongai vs $499 in Malindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $864 per month in Ongata Rongai vs $795 in Malindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,158 per month in Ongata Rongai vs $1,091 in Malindi, rent included.

Ongata Rongai costs about 14% more than Malindi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Ongata Rongai and Malindi are more affordable than the global median – Ongata Rongai 58% lower, Malindi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.54 KES 587

$2.08 KES 269

118.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.19 KES 2,483

$23.48 KES 3,038

-18.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 KES 777

$10.44 KES 1,350

-42.53%

Cappuccino

$1.88 KES 243

$3.70 KES 479

-49.19%

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

$0.32 KES 41.82

$0.94 KES 122

-65.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 KES 52.7

$0.42 KES 54.9

-2.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 293

$2.29 KES 297

-1.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 KES 346

$3.22 KES 417

-17.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.53 KES 68.9

$0.90 KES 116

-41.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KES 64.3

$0.52 KES 67.5

-3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 KES 166

$1.27 KES 165

0.79%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$1.73 KES 224

-21.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.12 KES 533

$11.15 KES 1,443

-63.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 KES 439

$5.49 KES 710

-38.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.52 KES 456

$4.97 KES 643

-29.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 KES 165

$2.08 KES 270

-38.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 KES 133

$0.75 KES 97.0

37.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$1.76 KES 228

-34.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 83.4

$0.70 KES 90.4

-8.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.9

$0.70 KES 91.1

4.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 KES 57.2

$0.72 KES 93.3

-38.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.4

$0.61 KES 78.6

13.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 KES 56.7

$0.43 KES 55.5

2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 KES 302

$4.67 KES 605

-49.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.30 KES 1,204

$7.68 KES 994

21.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 KES 300

$2.03 KES 262

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 KES 357

$2.97 KES 384

-7.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 205

$3.01 KES 390

-47.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 205

$1.76 KES 228

-10.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 370

$4.71 KES 610

-39.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 KES 205

$1.39 KES 179

14.39%

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

81.34%

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

$20.3K KES 2.6M

$12.0K KES 1.6M

69.57%

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

$62.1 KES 8,038

$55.7 KES 7,203

11.59%

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

$15.84 KES 2,050

$13.01 KES 1,683

21.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.52 KES 4,726

$30.64 KES 3,965

19.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.93 KES 5,038

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 KES 995

$10.79 KES 1,397

-28.73%

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

$247 KES 32.0K

$85.9 KES 11.1K

187.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K KES 1.5M

$5,448 KES 704.9K

112.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.63 KES 3,575

$12.91 KES 1,670

114.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.32 KES 3,664

$13.86 KES 1,793

104.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 KES 9,136

$22.72 KES 2,940

210.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.9 KES 7,626

$46.60 KES 6,030

26.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 KES 20.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 KES 15.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 KES 29.8K

$392 KES 50.7K

-41.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 KES 29.9K

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: September 12, 2026

Last update for Malindi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Ongata Rongai versus $23.00 in Malindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $128 vs $170 – 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

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

Ongata Rongai costs about 14% more than Malindi, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $855 per month in Ongata Rongai and $749 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 $19.00 in Ongata Rongai and $23.00 in Malindi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 33% cheaper in Ongata Rongai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $570 in Ongata Rongai and $499 in Malindi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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