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

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

A family of three spends $1,401 per month in Bujumbura vs $1,445 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 62% lower, Az-zarqa' 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 BIF 5,344

$4.33 JOD 3.07

-58.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.72 BIF 100.5K

$25.20 JOD 17.87

33.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.76 BIF 11.2K

$5.68 JOD 4.03

-33.80%

Cappuccino

$3.53 BIF 10.5K

$0.78 JOD 0.56

352.56%

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

$1.68 BIF 5,003

$0.43 JOD 0.30

290.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 BIF 3,248

$0.33 JOD 0.24

230.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 BIF 6,395

$4.30 JOD 3.05

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 BIF 17.7K

$6.97 JOD 4.94

-14.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 BIF 2,335

$1.37 JOD 0.97

-43.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 BIF 3,985

$0.52 JOD 0.37

157.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 BIF 4,817

$1.70 JOD 1.20

-4.71%

Eggs

$3.42 BIF 10.2K

$1.81 JOD 1.29

88.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 BIF 31.1K

$6.53 JOD 4.63

60.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.04 BIF 29.9K

$4.28 JOD 3.04

134.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 BIF 29.7K

$9.42 JOD 6.68

5.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.85 BIF 17.4K

$1.57 JOD 1.11

272.61%

Banana (1kg)

$0.51 BIF 1,509

$1.39 JOD 0.99

-63.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 BIF 5,047

$1.04 JOD 0.73

62.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 BIF 4,055

$0.73 JOD 0.52

86.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 BIF 1,490

$0.74 JOD 0.53

-32.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 BIF 1,776

$0.68 JOD 0.48

-11.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 BIF 1,429

$0.52 JOD 0.37

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 BIF 4,804

$0.50 JOD 0.36

222.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 BIF 7,051

$3.43 JOD 2.43

-30.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.87 BIF 50.3K

$7.02 JOD 4.98

140.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 BIF 5,884

$4.32 JOD 3.06

-54.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 BIF 9,472

$4.17 JOD 2.95

-23.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 BIF 2,982

$0.61 JOD 0.43

63.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.47 BIF 90.8K

$21.01 JOD 14.89

45.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.88 BIF 20.5K

$0.68 JOD 0.48

911.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.43 BIF 10.2K

$0.91 JOD 0.64

276.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 BIF 88.2K

$4.86 JOD 3.44

509.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 BIF 4,070

$1.37 JOD 0.97

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)

$2.56 BIF 7,630

$13.16 JOD 9.33

-80.55%

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)

$104 BIF 310.2K

$81.9 JOD 58.1

27.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K BIF 31.1M

$2,834 JOD 2,010

267.86%

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)

$286 BIF 851.4K

$164 JOD 116

74.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$72.4 BIF 215.5K

$123 JOD 87.3

-41.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 BIF 1.4M

$273 JOD 193

75.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 BIF 861.7K

$234 JOD 166

23.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,078 BIF 6.2M

$563 JOD 399

269.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,632 BIF 4.9M

$357 JOD 253

357.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$382 BIF 1.1M

$509 JOD 361

-24.94%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Az-zarqa': April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $286 in Bujumbura versus $164 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 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 $34.00 in Bujumbura versus $25.00 in Az-zarqa'. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $182 – 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: $509 in Bujumbura, $687 in Az-zarqa' – roughly 35% apart. Az-zarqa' costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $763 per month in Bujumbura and $1,031 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 45% less in Bujumbura. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $104 per month in Bujumbura and $81.9 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 $509 in Bujumbura and $687 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.