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 $492 per month in Bujumbura vs $685 in Az-zarqa', rent included.

A couple spends around $935 per month in Bujumbura vs $1,043 in Az-zarqa', rent included.

A family of three spends $1,379 per month in Bujumbura vs $1,401 in Az-zarqa', rent included.

Bujumbura is about 28% 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

$1.81 BIF 5,392

$4.35 JOD 3.08

-58.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.02 BIF 101.2K

$25.23 JOD 17.86

34.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.78 BIF 11.3K

$5.56 JOD 3.94

-32.01%

Cappuccino

$3.51 BIF 10.4K

$0.78 JOD 0.56

350.00%

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

$1.65 BIF 4,909

$0.43 JOD 0.30

283.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 BIF 3,230

$0.34 JOD 0.24

220.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 BIF 6,345

$4.19 JOD 2.97

-49.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 BIF 17.5K

$6.84 JOD 4.84

-13.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 BIF 2,538

$1.37 JOD 0.97

-37.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 BIF 4,014

$0.52 JOD 0.36

159.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 BIF 4,872

$1.70 JOD 1.20

-3.53%

Eggs

$3.48 BIF 10.4K

$1.89 JOD 1.34

84.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 BIF 31.2K

$6.82 JOD 4.83

53.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 BIF 28.6K

$4.29 JOD 3.04

124.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 BIF 29.5K

$9.43 JOD 6.67

5.20%

Apples (1kg)

$5.74 BIF 17.1K

$1.55 JOD 1.10

270.32%

Banana (1kg)

$0.51 BIF 1,530

$1.35 JOD 0.96

-62.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 BIF 5,218

$1.01 JOD 0.71

73.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 BIF 4,000

$0.77 JOD 0.55

74.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 BIF 1,388

$0.77 JOD 0.54

-38.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 BIF 1,791

$0.74 JOD 0.53

-18.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 BIF 1,506

$0.52 JOD 0.37

-1.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 BIF 4,797

$0.51 JOD 0.36

215.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.41 BIF 7,184

$3.43 JOD 2.42

-29.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.43 BIF 34.0K

$6.87 JOD 4.86

66.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 BIF 5,839

$4.22 JOD 2.98

-53.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 BIF 9,614

$4.35 JOD 3.08

-25.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 BIF 3,111

$0.61 JOD 0.43

72.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.06 BIF 89.5K

$21.50 JOD 15.22

39.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.57 BIF 19.5K

$0.69 JOD 0.49

852.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.55 BIF 10.6K

$0.96 JOD 0.68

269.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.07 BIF 89.5K

$4.87 JOD 3.45

517.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 BIF 4,077

$1.35 JOD 0.96

1.48%

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

$27.5K JOD 19.4K

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

$27.7K JOD 19.6K

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

$99.1 JOD 70.2

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

$2.66 BIF 7,911

$13.49 JOD 9.55

-80.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.41 JOD 16.57

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.48 JOD 20.87

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.90 JOD 6.30

Cinema Ticket

$10.08 JOD 7.14

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

$106 BIF 314.7K

$81.5 JOD 57.7

29.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K BIF 31.7M

$2,833 JOD 2,006

276.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.90 JOD 15.50

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.30 JOD 18.62

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.16 JOD 31.97

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 JOD 39.53

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$288 BIF 856.6K

$162 JOD 115

77.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.2 BIF 220.8K

$124 JOD 87.5

-39.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 BIF 1.4M

$276 JOD 195

76.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 BIF 870.9K

$231 JOD 163

26.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,033 BIF 6.0M

$574 JOD 406

254.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,620 BIF 4.8M

$347 JOD 245

367.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$361 BIF 1.1M

$496 JOD 351

-27.20%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Az-zarqa': July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $288 in Bujumbura versus $162 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 37% 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: $260 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: $492 in Bujumbura, $685 in Az-zarqa' – roughly 39% apart. Az-zarqa' costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $738 per month in Bujumbura and $1,027 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 40% less in Bujumbura. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $106 per month in Bujumbura and $81.5 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 $492 in Bujumbura and $685 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.