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

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

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

Bujumbura is about 10% cheaper than Az-zarqa', driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.86 BIF 11.5K

$4.31 JOD 3.05

-10.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.2 BIF 191.4K

$25.72 JOD 18.20

149.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.82 BIF 11.4K

$5.50 JOD 3.89

-30.55%

Cappuccino

$3.10 BIF 9,243

$0.83 JOD 0.59

273.49%

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

$1.74 BIF 5,176

$0.43 JOD 0.31

304.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 BIF 4,087

$0.33 JOD 0.23

315.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 BIF 6,408

$4.28 JOD 3.03

-49.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.72 BIF 20.0K

$10.84 JOD 7.67

-38.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 BIF 2,921

$1.43 JOD 1.01

-31.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 BIF 5,879

$0.41 JOD 0.29

380.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 BIF 6,087

$1.58 JOD 1.12

29.11%

Eggs

$3.54 BIF 10.6K

$1.86 JOD 1.32

90.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.14 BIF 24.3K

$5.08 JOD 3.59

60.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.05 BIF 33.0K

$5.17 JOD 3.66

113.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.46 BIF 34.2K

$8.61 JOD 6.10

33.10%

Apples (1kg)

$5.77 BIF 17.2K

$1.48 JOD 1.05

289.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 JOD 0.90

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 BIF 6,030

$1.21 JOD 0.85

66.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 BIF 4,839

$0.63 JOD 0.45

157.14%

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)

$2.04 BIF 6,086

$0.47 JOD 0.34

334.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.64 JOD 2.57

Wine (Bottle)

$11.21 BIF 33.4K

$7.23 JOD 5.12

55.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 BIF 6,414

$4.16 JOD 2.94

-48.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 BIF 12.0K

$4.11 JOD 2.91

-2.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 BIF 2,974

$0.66 JOD 0.47

51.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.18 BIF 90.0K

$20.87 JOD 14.77

44.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 BIF 14.6K

$0.61 JOD 0.43

704.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.36 BIF 10.0K

$1.39 JOD 0.99

141.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.50 BIF 88.0K

$5.09 JOD 3.60

479.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 BIF 4,034

$1.45 JOD 1.02

-6.90%

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)

$8.07 BIF 24.1K

$13.14 JOD 9.30

-38.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 BIF 203.2K

$27.92 JOD 19.76

144.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.27 BIF 78.4K

$28.63 JOD 20.26

-8.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.01 JOD 9.92

Cinema Ticket

$1.66 BIF 4,939

$9.81 JOD 6.94

-83.08%

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

$100 BIF 299.3K

$212 JOD 150

-52.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K BIF 30.4M

$4,282 JOD 3,030

137.68%

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)

$438 BIF 1.3M

$161 JOD 114

171.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.4 BIF 275.6K

$120 JOD 84.6

-22.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,357 BIF 4.0M

$312 JOD 221

334.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 BIF 807.8K

$250 JOD 177

8.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,019 BIF 6.0M

$561 JOD 397

260.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,630 BIF 4.9M

$352 JOD 249

362.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$362 BIF 1.1M

$500 JOD 354

-27.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.17

6.81

108.08%

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

Last update for Bujumbura: September 5, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $961 per month in Bujumbura and $1,069 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 $100 per month in Bujumbura and $212 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 $641 in Bujumbura and $713 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.