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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $534 per month in Ongata Rongai vs $625 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $841 per month in Ongata Rongai vs $1,066 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,148 per month in Ongata Rongai vs $1,508 in Mombasa, rent included.

Ongata Rongai is about 15% cheaper than Mombasa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ongata Rongai and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Ongata Rongai 60% lower, Mombasa 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.49 KES 710

$2.34 KES 303

134.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.37 KES 2,506

$19.23 KES 2,489

0.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 KES 877

$8.63 KES 1,117

-21.44%

Cappuccino

$1.87 KES 242

$3.30 KES 427

-43.33%

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

$0.30 KES 38.32

$0.51 KES 66.6

-41.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 KES 52.2

$0.48 KES 62.2

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 KES 296

$1.98 KES 257

15.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 KES 385

$2.83 KES 366

5.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 KES 63.9

$0.85 KES 110

-42.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 KES 59.6

$0.50 KES 64.5

-8.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 KES 172

$1.44 KES 187

-7.64%

Eggs

$1.32 KES 171

$1.81 KES 235

-27.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 KES 563

$10.01 KES 1,295

-56.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 KES 454

$5.84 KES 756

-39.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.56 KES 461

$5.44 KES 704

-34.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 KES 157

$1.82 KES 236

-33.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 KES 134

$0.91 KES 117

13.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 KES 147

$1.52 KES 197

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 KES 83.9

$0.80 KES 103

-18.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 KES 97.5

$0.70 KES 91.1

7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 KES 57.3

$1.08 KES 140

-59.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 84.8

$0.62 KES 79.6

6.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KES 61.4

$0.60 KES 77.7

-21.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 KES 295

$3.44 KES 446

-33.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.08 KES 1,175

$7.78 KES 1,006

16.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 KES 282

$1.91 KES 247

14.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 366

$2.79 KES 361

1.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 104

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 KES 4,516

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

$3.02 KES 390

-49.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 KES 177

$1.90 KES 246

-27.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 KES 383

$4.61 KES 596

-35.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.65 KES 214

-4.24%

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

$22.0K KES 2.8M

$12.2K KES 1.6M

81.22%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

67.06%

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

$35.05 KES 4,536

$44.92 KES 5,813

-21.97%

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

$16.85 KES 2,180

$13.95 KES 1,805

20.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.84 KES 5,156

$43.46 KES 5,624

-8.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.80 KES 2,303

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.17 KES 2,480

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 KES 817

$4.73 KES 612

33.62%

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

$200 KES 25.9K

$88.7 KES 11.5K

125.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,945 KES 1.0M

$5,475 KES 708.5K

45.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.57 KES 2,403

$13.32 KES 1,724

39.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.57 KES 3,050

$13.48 KES 1,744

74.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.5 KES 8,481

$23.12 KES 2,992

183.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.2 KES 7,270

$45.71 KES 5,914

22.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 KES 20.2K

$182 KES 23.5K

-14.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.3K

0.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 KES 30.3K

$593 KES 76.8K

-60.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 KES 29.7K

$449 KES 58.1K

-48.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,322 KES 688.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,914 KES 506.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$313 KES 40.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

14.15%

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

Last update for Ongata Rongai: June 15, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $156 in Ongata Rongai versus $182 in Mombasa. 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 Ongata Rongai versus $19.00 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $128 vs $171 – 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 Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $534 in Ongata Rongai, $625 in Mombasa – roughly 17% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $801 per month in Ongata Rongai and $937 in Mombasa. 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 $534 in Ongata Rongai and $625 in Mombasa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $200 per month in Ongata Rongai and $88.7 in Mombasa. 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 $534 in Ongata Rongai and $625 in Mombasa, 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.