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 $570 per month in Ongata Rongai vs $674 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $864 per month in Ongata Rongai vs $1,121 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,158 per month in Ongata Rongai vs $1,569 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 58% lower, Mombasa 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.54 KES 587

$2.27 KES 294

100.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.19 KES 2,483

$23.05 KES 2,982

-16.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 KES 777

$10.29 KES 1,332

-41.69%

Cappuccino

$1.88 KES 243

$3.69 KES 478

-49.05%

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

$0.32 KES 41.82

$1.01 KES 131

-68.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 KES 52.7

$0.43 KES 55.0

-4.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 293

$2.37 KES 306

-4.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 KES 346

$3.27 KES 423

-18.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.53 KES 68.9

$0.94 KES 122

-43.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KES 64.3

$0.50 KES 64.6

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 KES 166

$1.56 KES 202

-17.95%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$1.75 KES 227

-22.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.12 KES 533

$11.04 KES 1,429

-62.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 KES 439

$5.50 KES 712

-38.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.52 KES 456

$5.31 KES 687

-33.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 KES 165

$2.17 KES 281

-41.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 KES 133

$1.19 KES 154

-13.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$1.85 KES 239

-37.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 83.4

$0.64 KES 82.4

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 KES 94.9

$0.67 KES 87.1

8.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 KES 57.2

$1.05 KES 136

-58.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.4

$0.56 KES 72.8

23.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 KES 56.7

$0.43 KES 55.3

2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 KES 302

$4.55 KES 589

-48.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.30 KES 1,204

$7.52 KES 973

23.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 KES 300

$1.92 KES 248

20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 KES 357

$2.81 KES 364

-1.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 103

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.16 KES 4,938

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 205

$3.12 KES 404

-49.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 205

$1.79 KES 232

-11.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 370

$4.73 KES 612

-39.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 KES 205

$1.55 KES 200

2.58%

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

$12.1K KES 1.6M

81.99%

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

$20.3K KES 2.6M

$11.7K KES 1.5M

73.05%

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

$62.1 KES 8,038

$56.0 KES 7,246

10.93%

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

$15.84 KES 2,050

$13.27 KES 1,717

19.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.52 KES 4,726

$33.64 KES 4,352

8.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.32 KES 2,371

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.23 KES 2,488

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 KES 995

$10.61 KES 1,373

-27.52%

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

$247 KES 32.0K

$87.8 KES 11.4K

181.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K KES 1.5M

$5,364 KES 694.0K

115.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.63 KES 3,575

$13.27 KES 1,717

108.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.32 KES 3,664

$13.59 KES 1,758

108.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 KES 9,136

$23.09 KES 2,987

205.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.9 KES 7,626

$46.00 KES 5,953

28.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 KES 20.2K

$230 KES 29.8K

-32.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 KES 15.2K

$154 KES 20.0K

-24.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 KES 29.8K

$551 KES 71.3K

-58.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 KES 29.9K

$400 KES 51.7K

-42.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,493 KES 710.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,917 KES 506.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$315 KES 40.8K

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 Mombasa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $156 in Ongata Rongai versus $230 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 $23.00 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $128 vs $175 – 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: $570 in Ongata Rongai, $674 in Mombasa – roughly 18% apart. Mombasa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $855 per month in Ongata Rongai and $1,010 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 $570 in Ongata Rongai and $674 in Mombasa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $247 per month in Ongata Rongai and $87.8 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 $570 in Ongata Rongai and $674 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.