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 $543 per month in Ongata Rongai vs $619 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $846 per month in Ongata Rongai vs $1,079 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,149 per month in Ongata Rongai vs $1,539 in Mombasa, rent included.

Ongata Rongai is about 12% cheaper than Mombasa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ongata Rongai and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Ongata Rongai 59% lower, Mombasa 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.37 KES 695

$2.34 KES 302

129.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.50 KES 2,520

$19.58 KES 2,531

-0.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 KES 900

$8.87 KES 1,146

-21.53%

Cappuccino

$1.95 KES 251

$3.30 KES 426

-40.91%

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

$0.30 KES 38.22

$0.52 KES 66.8

-42.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 KES 52.7

$0.48 KES 61.5

-14.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 KES 296

$1.87 KES 242

22.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 KES 386

$2.89 KES 373

3.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.53 KES 68.8

$0.82 KES 105

-35.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.4

$0.54 KES 70.3

-9.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 KES 173

$1.44 KES 186

-6.94%

Eggs

$1.39 KES 179

$1.75 KES 226

-20.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.18 KES 541

$10.05 KES 1,299

-58.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 KES 454

$6.01 KES 777

-41.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.47 KES 448

$5.21 KES 673

-33.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 KES 156

$1.81 KES 234

-33.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$0.86 KES 111

26.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 KES 148

$1.53 KES 198

-25.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.4

$0.73 KES 94.8

-12.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 KES 96.3

$0.72 KES 92.9

4.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 KES 60.9

$1.07 KES 138

-56.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 KES 88.2

$0.62 KES 80.5

9.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 61.8

$0.58 KES 75.0

-17.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 KES 296

$3.44 KES 445

-33.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 KES 1,229

$7.94 KES 1,026

19.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 KES 296

$1.96 KES 254

16.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 KES 359

$2.84 KES 367

-2.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 KES 96.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.00 KES 4,524

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 203

$3.11 KES 402

-49.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 KES 175

$1.87 KES 242

-27.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 KES 368

$4.61 KES 596

-38.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 KES 197

$1.60 KES 206

-4.38%

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

$21.6K KES 2.8M

$12.2K KES 1.6M

77.08%

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

$20.4K KES 2.6M

$12.2K KES 1.6M

67.34%

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

$34.68 KES 4,482

$44.01 KES 5,688

-21.20%

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

$16.82 KES 2,174

$14.12 KES 1,825

19.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.13 KES 5,057

$44.43 KES 5,743

-11.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.28 KES 2,363

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.64 KES 2,538

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 KES 788

$4.59 KES 593

32.90%

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

$201 KES 25.9K

$86.0 KES 11.1K

133.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,993 KES 1.0M

$5,470 KES 707.0K

46.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.51 KES 2,392

$13.40 KES 1,732

38.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.77 KES 3,073

$13.87 KES 1,792

71.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 KES 8,614

$23.46 KES 3,032

184.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.4 KES 7,416

$46.74 KES 6,041

22.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$152 KES 19.7K

$181 KES 23.3K

-15.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.9K

$118 KES 15.2K

-2.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$228 KES 29.4K

$595 KES 76.9K

-61.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 KES 30.3K

$448 KES 57.8K

-47.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,454 KES 704.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,880 KES 501.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$314 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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $152 in Ongata Rongai versus $181 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 $20.00 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $130 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: $543 in Ongata Rongai, $619 in Mombasa – roughly 14% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $815 per month in Ongata Rongai and $929 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 $543 in Ongata Rongai and $619 in Mombasa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Ongata Rongai and $86.0 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 $543 in Ongata Rongai and $619 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.