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 $682 per month in Az-zarqa' vs $501 in Bujumbura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,061 per month in Az-zarqa' vs $924 in Bujumbura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,440 per month in Az-zarqa' vs $1,347 in Bujumbura, rent included.

Az-zarqa' costs about 36% 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

$4.27 JOD 3.02

$1.87 BIF 5,558

128.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.08 JOD 17.76

$34.05 BIF 101.1K

-26.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 JOD 3.87

$3.74 BIF 11.1K

46.26%

Cappuccino

$0.81 JOD 0.57

$3.34 BIF 9,915

-75.75%

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

$0.45 JOD 0.32

$1.74 BIF 5,167

-74.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 JOD 0.26

$1.13 BIF 3,362

-68.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.17 JOD 2.95

$2.13 BIF 6,320

95.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.01 JOD 4.96

$5.78 BIF 17.2K

21.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 JOD 1.03

$0.83 BIF 2,465

74.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$1.38 BIF 4,104

-63.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 JOD 1.19

$1.61 BIF 4,784

4.35%

Eggs

$1.88 JOD 1.33

$3.34 BIF 9,918

-43.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.55 JOD 4.64

$10.19 BIF 30.3K

-35.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.27 JOD 3.02

$10.05 BIF 29.9K

-57.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 JOD 6.71

$10.17 BIF 30.2K

-6.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 JOD 1.14

$6.04 BIF 17.9K

-73.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 JOD 0.94

$0.50 BIF 1,488

166.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 JOD 0.71

$1.75 BIF 5,186

-42.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 JOD 0.52

$1.35 BIF 4,021

-45.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 JOD 0.57

$0.51 BIF 1,501

56.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 JOD 0.51

$0.60 BIF 1,777

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 JOD 0.35

$0.47 BIF 1,405

4.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 JOD 0.39

$1.70 BIF 5,033

-67.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 JOD 2.44

$2.37 BIF 7,028

45.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.90 JOD 4.89

$11.54 BIF 34.3K

-40.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.12 JOD 2.91

$2.06 BIF 6,106

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 JOD 3.06

$3.24 BIF 9,625

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 JOD 0.43

$1.04 BIF 3,073

-41.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 JOD 14.99

$29.52 BIF 87.7K

-28.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 JOD 0.52

$6.87 BIF 20.4K

-89.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 JOD 0.68

$3.57 BIF 10.6K

-73.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 JOD 3.49

$30.42 BIF 90.3K

-83.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 JOD 0.96

$1.32 BIF 3,931

3.03%

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

$27.6K JOD 19.5K

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

$27.8K JOD 19.7K

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

$97.6 JOD 69.1

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

$13.18 JOD 9.33

$2.54 BIF 7,529

418.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.84 JOD 16.17

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.63 JOD 20.97

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.34 JOD 6.61

Cinema Ticket

$9.97 JOD 7.06

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

$81.8 JOD 57.9

$107 BIF 318.5K

-23.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,796 JOD 1,979

$10.5K BIF 31.1M

-73.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.54 JOD 15.95

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.75 JOD 18.23

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.18 JOD 31.98

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.9 JOD 40.29

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$161 JOD 114

$292 BIF 866.6K

-44.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$121 JOD 85.6

$73.5 BIF 218.3K

64.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 JOD 195

$474 BIF 1.4M

-41.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 JOD 163

$294 BIF 872.7K

-21.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$564 JOD 399

$2,030 BIF 6.0M

-72.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$357 JOD 253

$1,607 BIF 4.8M

-77.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 JOD 356

$364 BIF 1.1M

38.11%

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': June 7, 2026

Last update for Bujumbura: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $161 in Az-zarqa' versus $292 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 38% 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 $265 – 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: $682 in Az-zarqa', $501 in Bujumbura – roughly 36% apart. Az-zarqa' costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,023 per month in Az-zarqa' and $752 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 39% less in Bujumbura. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $81.8 per month in Az-zarqa' and $107 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 $682 in Az-zarqa' and $501 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.