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 $687 per month in Az-zarqa' vs $509 in Bujumbura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,066 per month in Az-zarqa' vs $955 in Bujumbura, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,445 per month in Az-zarqa' vs $1,401 in Bujumbura, rent included.

Az-zarqa' costs about 35% 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 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 JOD 3.07

$1.79 BIF 5,347

141.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.20 JOD 17.87

$33.72 BIF 100.5K

-25.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.68 JOD 4.03

$3.76 BIF 11.2K

51.06%

Cappuccino

$0.78 JOD 0.56

$3.53 BIF 10.5K

-77.90%

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

$0.43 JOD 0.30

$1.68 BIF 5,006

-74.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 JOD 0.24

$1.09 BIF 3,250

-69.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 JOD 3.05

$2.15 BIF 6,398

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 JOD 4.94

$5.93 BIF 17.7K

17.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 JOD 0.97

$0.78 BIF 2,336

75.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 JOD 0.37

$1.34 BIF 3,987

-61.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 JOD 1.20

$1.62 BIF 4,820

4.94%

Eggs

$1.81 JOD 1.29

$3.42 BIF 10.2K

-47.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.53 JOD 4.63

$10.45 BIF 31.2K

-37.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 JOD 3.04

$10.04 BIF 29.9K

-57.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 JOD 6.68

$9.98 BIF 29.7K

-5.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 JOD 1.11

$5.85 BIF 17.4K

-73.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 JOD 0.99

$0.51 BIF 1,510

172.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 JOD 0.73

$1.69 BIF 5,050

-38.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 JOD 0.52

$1.36 BIF 4,057

-46.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 JOD 0.53

$0.50 BIF 1,491

48.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 JOD 0.48

$0.60 BIF 1,777

13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 JOD 0.37

$0.48 BIF 1,430

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 JOD 0.36

$1.61 BIF 4,807

-68.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 JOD 2.43

$2.37 BIF 7,055

44.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.02 JOD 4.98

$16.87 BIF 50.3K

-58.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.32 JOD 3.06

$1.97 BIF 5,887

119.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 JOD 2.95

$3.18 BIF 9,478

31.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 JOD 0.43

$1.00 BIF 2,984

-39.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.01 JOD 14.89

$30.47 BIF 90.8K

-31.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 JOD 0.48

$6.88 BIF 20.5K

-90.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 JOD 0.64

$3.43 BIF 10.2K

-73.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.86 JOD 3.44

$29.60 BIF 88.2K

-83.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 JOD 0.97

$1.37 BIF 4,073

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

$27.1K JOD 19.2K

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

$27.6K JOD 19.6K

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

$98.5 JOD 69.9

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

$13.16 JOD 9.33

$2.56 BIF 7,635

414.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.40 JOD 16.59

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.58 JOD 20.97

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.26 JOD 6.56

Cinema Ticket

$9.58 JOD 6.79

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

$81.9 JOD 58.1

$104 BIF 310.3K

-21.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,834 JOD 2,010

$10.4K BIF 31.1M

-72.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.03 JOD 15.62

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.96 JOD 18.41

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.14 JOD 31.30

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.1 JOD 40.49

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 JOD 116

$286 BIF 851.9K

-42.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 JOD 87.3

$72.4 BIF 215.7K

70.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$273 JOD 193

$478 BIF 1.4M

-42.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 JOD 166

$289 BIF 862.2K

-19.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$563 JOD 399

$2,078 BIF 6.2M

-72.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$357 JOD 253

$1,632 BIF 4.9M

-78.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$509 JOD 361

$382 BIF 1.1M

33.23%

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': April 27, 2026

Last update for Bujumbura: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $164 in Az-zarqa' versus $286 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 33% 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: $182 vs $273 – 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: $687 in Az-zarqa', $509 in Bujumbura – roughly 35% apart. Az-zarqa' costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,031 per month in Az-zarqa' and $763 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 $81.9 per month in Az-zarqa' and $104 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 $687 in Az-zarqa' and $509 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.