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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Bujumbura is about 26% cheaper than Az-zarqa', driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.87 BIF 5,558

$4.27 JOD 3.02

-56.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.05 BIF 101.1K

$25.08 JOD 17.76

35.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.74 BIF 11.1K

$5.47 JOD 3.87

-31.63%

Cappuccino

$3.34 BIF 9,915

$0.81 JOD 0.57

312.35%

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

$1.74 BIF 5,167

$0.45 JOD 0.32

286.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 BIF 3,362

$0.36 JOD 0.26

213.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 BIF 6,320

$4.17 JOD 2.95

-48.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.78 BIF 17.2K

$7.01 JOD 4.96

-17.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 BIF 2,465

$1.45 JOD 1.03

-42.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 BIF 4,104

$0.51 JOD 0.36

170.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 BIF 4,784

$1.68 JOD 1.19

-4.17%

Eggs

$3.34 BIF 9,918

$1.88 JOD 1.33

77.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 BIF 30.3K

$6.55 JOD 4.64

55.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 BIF 29.9K

$4.27 JOD 3.02

135.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.17 BIF 30.2K

$9.49 JOD 6.71

7.17%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 BIF 17.9K

$1.61 JOD 1.14

275.16%

Banana (1kg)

$0.50 BIF 1,488

$1.33 JOD 0.94

-62.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 BIF 5,186

$1.01 JOD 0.71

73.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 BIF 4,021

$0.73 JOD 0.52

84.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 BIF 1,501

$0.80 JOD 0.57

-36.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 BIF 1,777

$0.72 JOD 0.51

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 BIF 1,405

$0.49 JOD 0.35

-4.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 BIF 5,033

$0.55 JOD 0.39

209.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 BIF 7,028

$3.45 JOD 2.44

-31.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.54 BIF 34.3K

$6.90 JOD 4.89

67.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 BIF 6,106

$4.12 JOD 2.91

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 BIF 9,625

$4.32 JOD 3.06

-25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 BIF 3,073

$0.61 JOD 0.43

70.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.52 BIF 87.7K

$21.18 JOD 14.99

39.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 BIF 20.4K

$0.74 JOD 0.52

828.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.57 BIF 10.6K

$0.96 JOD 0.68

271.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.42 BIF 90.3K

$4.93 JOD 3.49

517.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 BIF 3,931

$1.36 JOD 0.96

-2.94%

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)

$2.54 BIF 7,529

$13.18 JOD 9.33

-80.73%

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)

$107 BIF 318.5K

$81.8 JOD 57.9

31.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K BIF 31.1M

$2,796 JOD 1,979

274.80%

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)

$292 BIF 866.6K

$161 JOD 114

81.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.5 BIF 218.3K

$121 JOD 85.6

-39.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 BIF 1.4M

$275 JOD 195

72.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 BIF 872.7K

$230 JOD 163

27.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,030 BIF 6.0M

$564 JOD 399

260.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,607 BIF 4.8M

$357 JOD 253

349.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 BIF 1.1M

$503 JOD 356

-27.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.17

7.27

94.91%

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

Last update for Bujumbura: June 8, 2026

Last update for Az-zarqa': June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $292 in Bujumbura versus $161 in Az-zarqa'. 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 $34.00 in Bujumbura versus $25.00 in Az-zarqa'. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $265 vs $183 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $501 in Bujumbura, $682 in Az-zarqa' – roughly 36% apart. Az-zarqa' costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $752 per month in Bujumbura and $1,023 in Az-zarqa'. 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 $107 per month in Bujumbura and $81.8 in Az-zarqa'. 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 $501 in Bujumbura and $682 in Az-zarqa', 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.