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 $713 per month in Az-zarqa' vs $641 in Bujumbura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,080 per month in Az-zarqa' vs $1,179 in Bujumbura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,447 per month in Az-zarqa' vs $1,716 in Bujumbura, rent included.

Az-zarqa' costs about 11% more than Bujumbura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Az-zarqa' and Bujumbura are more affordable than the global median – Az-zarqa' 48% lower, Bujumbura 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.31 JOD 3.05

$3.86 BIF 11.5K

11.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.72 JOD 18.20

$64.2 BIF 191.4K

-59.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.50 JOD 3.89

$3.82 BIF 11.4K

43.98%

Cappuccino

$0.83 JOD 0.59

$3.10 BIF 9,243

-73.23%

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

$0.43 JOD 0.31

$1.74 BIF 5,176

-75.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 JOD 0.23

$1.37 BIF 4,087

-75.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.28 JOD 3.03

$2.15 BIF 6,408

99.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.84 JOD 7.67

$6.72 BIF 20.0K

61.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 JOD 1.01

$0.98 BIF 2,921

45.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 JOD 0.29

$1.97 BIF 5,879

-79.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 JOD 1.12

$2.04 BIF 6,087

-22.55%

Eggs

$1.86 JOD 1.32

$3.54 BIF 10.6K

-47.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.08 JOD 3.59

$8.14 BIF 24.3K

-37.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 JOD 3.66

$11.05 BIF 33.0K

-53.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 JOD 6.10

$11.46 BIF 34.2K

-24.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 JOD 1.05

$5.77 BIF 17.2K

-74.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 JOD 0.90

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 JOD 0.85

$2.02 BIF 6,030

-40.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 JOD 0.45

$1.62 BIF 4,839

-61.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 JOD 0.60

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 JOD 0.62

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 JOD 0.44

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 JOD 0.34

$2.04 BIF 6,086

-76.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.64 JOD 2.57

Wine (Bottle)

$7.23 JOD 5.12

$11.21 BIF 33.4K

-35.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.16 JOD 2.94

$2.15 BIF 6,414

93.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 JOD 2.91

$4.01 BIF 12.0K

2.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 JOD 0.47

$1.00 BIF 2,974

-34.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.87 JOD 14.77

$30.18 BIF 90.0K

-30.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 JOD 0.43

$4.91 BIF 14.6K

-87.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 JOD 0.99

$3.36 BIF 10.0K

-58.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 JOD 3.60

$29.50 BIF 88.0K

-82.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 JOD 1.02

$1.35 BIF 4,034

7.41%

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

$16.8K JOD 11.9K

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

$22.1K JOD 15.6K

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

$128 JOD 90.7

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

$13.14 JOD 9.30

$8.07 BIF 24.1K

62.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.92 JOD 19.76

$68.1 BIF 203.2K

-59.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.63 JOD 20.26

$26.27 BIF 78.4K

8.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.01 JOD 9.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.81 JOD 6.94

$1.66 BIF 4,939

490.96%

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

$212 JOD 150

$100 BIF 299.3K

111.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,282 JOD 3,030

$10.2K BIF 30.4M

-57.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.51 JOD 15.22

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.22 JOD 10.06

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.82 JOD 31.01

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.19 JOD 27.73

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$161 JOD 114

$438 BIF 1.3M

-63.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 JOD 84.6

$92.4 BIF 275.6K

29.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$312 JOD 221

$1,357 BIF 4.0M

-76.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 JOD 177

$271 BIF 807.8K

-7.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$561 JOD 397

$2,019 BIF 6.0M

-72.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$352 JOD 249

$1,630 BIF 4.9M

-78.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 JOD 354

$362 BIF 1.1M

38.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

14.17

-51.94%

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

Last update for Az-zarqa': September 6, 2026

Last update for Bujumbura: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $161 in Az-zarqa' versus $438 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 $26.00 in Az-zarqa' versus $64.0 in Bujumbura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $178 vs $277 – 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: $713 in Az-zarqa', $641 in Bujumbura – roughly 11% apart. Az-zarqa' costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,069 per month in Az-zarqa' and $961 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 45% less in Bujumbura. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $212 per month in Az-zarqa' and $100 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 $713 in Az-zarqa' and $641 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.