Cost of Living Comparison Between Az-zarqa' and Bujumbura Cost of Living Comparison Between Az-zarqa' and Bujumbura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $685 per month in Az-zarqa' vs $492 in Bujumbura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,043 per month in Az-zarqa' vs $935 in Bujumbura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,401 per month in Az-zarqa' vs $1,379 in Bujumbura, rent included.

Az-zarqa' costs about 39% more than Bujumbura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Az-zarqa' and Bujumbura are more affordable than the global median – Az-zarqa' 49% lower, Bujumbura 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 JOD 3.08

$1.81 BIF 5,392

140.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.23 JOD 17.86

$34.02 BIF 101.2K

-25.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.56 JOD 3.94

$3.78 BIF 11.3K

47.09%

Cappuccino

$0.78 JOD 0.56

$3.51 BIF 10.4K

-77.78%

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

$0.43 JOD 0.30

$1.65 BIF 4,909

-73.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 JOD 0.24

$1.09 BIF 3,230

-68.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.19 JOD 2.97

$2.13 BIF 6,345

96.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 JOD 4.84

$5.89 BIF 17.5K

16.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 JOD 0.97

$0.85 BIF 2,538

61.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 JOD 0.36

$1.35 BIF 4,014

-61.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 JOD 1.20

$1.64 BIF 4,872

3.66%

Eggs

$1.89 JOD 1.34

$3.48 BIF 10.4K

-45.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.82 JOD 4.83

$10.48 BIF 31.2K

-34.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 JOD 3.04

$9.61 BIF 28.6K

-55.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.43 JOD 6.67

$9.92 BIF 29.5K

-4.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 JOD 1.10

$5.74 BIF 17.1K

-73.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 JOD 0.96

$0.51 BIF 1,530

164.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 JOD 0.71

$1.75 BIF 5,218

-42.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 JOD 0.55

$1.34 BIF 4,000

-42.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 JOD 0.54

$0.47 BIF 1,388

63.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 JOD 0.53

$0.60 BIF 1,791

23.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 JOD 0.37

$0.51 BIF 1,506

1.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$1.61 BIF 4,797

-68.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 JOD 2.42

$2.41 BIF 7,184

42.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.87 JOD 4.86

$11.43 BIF 34.0K

-39.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 JOD 2.98

$1.96 BIF 5,839

115.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 JOD 3.08

$3.23 BIF 9,614

34.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 JOD 0.43

$1.05 BIF 3,111

-41.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.50 JOD 15.22

$30.06 BIF 89.5K

-28.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 JOD 0.49

$6.57 BIF 19.5K

-89.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 JOD 0.68

$3.55 BIF 10.6K

-72.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 JOD 3.45

$30.07 BIF 89.5K

-83.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 JOD 0.96

$1.37 BIF 4,077

-1.46%

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

$27.5K JOD 19.4K

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

$27.7K JOD 19.6K

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

$99.1 JOD 70.2

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

$13.49 JOD 9.55

$2.66 BIF 7,911

407.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.41 JOD 16.57

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.48 JOD 20.87

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.90 JOD 6.30

Cinema Ticket

$10.08 JOD 7.14

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

$81.5 JOD 57.7

$106 BIF 314.7K

-22.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,833 JOD 2,006

$10.7K BIF 31.7M

-73.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.90 JOD 15.50

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.30 JOD 18.62

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.16 JOD 31.97

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 JOD 39.53

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$162 JOD 115

$288 BIF 856.6K

-43.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$124 JOD 87.5

$74.2 BIF 220.8K

66.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 JOD 195

$486 BIF 1.4M

-43.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 JOD 163

$293 BIF 870.9K

-21.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$574 JOD 406

$2,033 BIF 6.0M

-71.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$347 JOD 245

$1,620 BIF 4.8M

-78.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$496 JOD 351

$361 BIF 1.1M

37.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.27

14.17

-48.69%

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

Last update for Az-zarqa': July 26, 2026

Last update for Bujumbura: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $162 in Az-zarqa' versus $288 in Bujumbura. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 37% higher in Az-zarqa', which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Az-zarqa' versus $34.00 in Bujumbura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $260 – making Az-zarqa' 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

Az-zarqa' vs Bujumbura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $685 in Az-zarqa', $492 in Bujumbura – roughly 39% apart. Az-zarqa' costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,027 per month in Az-zarqa' and $738 in Bujumbura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bujumbura, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 40% less in Bujumbura. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $81.5 per month in Az-zarqa' and $106 in Bujumbura. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $685 in Az-zarqa' and $492 in Bujumbura, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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