Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Burundi and the United States

Name: United States
Address: US

For one person, living is cheaper in Burundi: $761 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $23,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

37

Cost of Living Index in Burundi
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Burundi Living Index
131

Cost of Living Index in the United States
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United States Living Index

Jump to prices

🇧🇮 Burundi

$761

/mo nomad

🇺🇸 United States

$2,734

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Burundi and in the United States

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Burundi and in the United States actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $761 in Burundi versus $2,734 in the United States.

Burundi $761
United States $2,734

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,366 in Burundi versus $3,985 in the United States.

Burundi $1,366
United States $3,985

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,972 in Burundi versus $5,235 in the United States.

Burundi $1,972
United States $5,235

Internal cost variation is higher in the United States: monthly costs span $979 to $5,160, compared to $30–$643 in Burundi. City choice carries more weight in the United States.

Living in Burundi costs about 72% less than in the United States on average.

Burundi (44% below) and the United States (101% above) straddle the global median.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 BIF 11.7K

$20.03 $20.03

-80.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.6 BIF 196.0K

$80.0 $80.0

-18.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.81 BIF 11.4K

$11.80 $11.80

-67.71%

Cappuccino

$3.06 BIF 9,149

$5.55 $5.55

-44.86%

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

$1.75 BIF 5,228

$2.66 $2.66

-34.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 BIF 4,086

$2.17 $2.17

-36.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 BIF 6,349

$6.12 $6.12

-65.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 BIF 19.4K

$7.94 $7.94

-18.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 BIF 2,835

$1.04 $1.04

-8.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 BIF 4,051

$3.59 $3.59

-62.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 BIF 4,441

$4.52 $4.52

-67.04%

Eggs

$3.65 BIF 10.9K

$4.28 $4.28

-14.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 BIF 25.4K

$13.22 $13.22

-35.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.04 BIF 33.0K

$12.60 $12.60

-12.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.06 BIF 27.1K

$17.60 $17.60

-48.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 BIF 13.5K

$5.30 $5.30

-14.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.62 BIF 1,855

$1.69 $1.69

-63.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 BIF 5,816

$4.44 $4.44

-56.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 BIF 3,372

$4.77 $4.77

-76.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 BIF 1,023

$2.97 $2.97

-88.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 BIF 1,236

$3.15 $3.15

-86.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 BIF 6,129

$2.35 $2.35

-12.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.98 $10.98

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 BIF 33.8K

$15.05 $15.05

-24.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 BIF 6,341

$2.06 $2.06

2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 BIF 12.0K

$3.79 $3.79

6.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 BIF 3,008

$1.94 $1.94

-47.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.60 BIF 91.4K

$59.4 $59.4

-48.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.90 BIF 14.6K

$3.58 $3.58

36.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 BIF 9,768

$1.88 $1.88

73.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.95 BIF 89.5K

$29.84 $29.84

0.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 BIF 4,107

$1.02 $1.02

34.31%

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

$19.9K BIF 59.4M

$28.8K $28.8K

-30.84%

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

$21.0K BIF 62.7M

$26.2K $26.2K

-19.90%

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

$72.5 BIF 216.6K

$218 $218

-66.74%

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

$8.51 BIF 25.4K

$62.5 $62.5

-86.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.75 BIF 133.7K

$74.5 $74.5

-39.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.05 BIF 71.9K

$41.86 $41.86

-42.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$71.1 BIF 212.5K

$22.81 $22.81

211.79%

Cinema Ticket

$1.70 BIF 5,072

$14.70 $14.70

-88.44%

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

$98.7 BIF 295.0K

$1,489 $1,489

-93.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K BIF 30.3M

$25.3K $25.3K

-59.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.92 BIF 98.4K

$54.3 $54.3

-39.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.87 BIF 92.3K

$42.71 $42.71

-27.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 BIF 266.7K

$94.1 $94.1

-5.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.22 BIF 126.2K

$114 $114

-62.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 BIF 1.3M

$1,659 $1,659

-73.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.7 BIF 268.0K

$1,348 $1,348

-93.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 BIF 3.9M

$2,682 $2,682

-50.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 BIF 784.0K

$2,169 $2,169

-87.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,695 BIF 8.1M

$3,283 $3,283

-17.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 BIF 6.2M

$2,482 $2,482

-15.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$367 BIF 1.1M

$4,296 $4,296

-91.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.17

6.55

116.34%

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

Last update for Burundi: October 27, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Burundi

$259 * 34%

United States

$415 15.2% 60.4% $156

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Burundi

$126 16.5%

United States

$355 13% 182% $229

Eating Out

Burundi

$116 15.2%

United States

$328 12% 184% $212

Accommodation & Living

Burundi

$90 11.8%

United States

$1.3K 49.3% 1403% $1.3K

Clothing & Footwear

Burundi

$88 11.5%

United States

$137 5% 56% $49

Getting Around

Burundi

$56 7.3%

United States

$80 2.9% 43.4% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Burundi

$27 3.6%

United States

$71 2.6% 160% $44

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

National salary averages: $367 in Burundi, $4,549 in the United States. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 267% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 15% more in the United States.

Public transport is 110% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are about 12 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇧🇮 Burundi

🇺🇸 United States

🕒 Local time

00:57 12:57 AM

18:57 6:57 PM

6 h behind Burundi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,689,450

340,110,988

💱 Currency

Burundian Franc BIF Fr

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 BIF = 3.35 USD

10,000 BIF = 3.01 EUR

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BIF – Burundian Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇮 Burundian Franc (Fr)

Burundian Franc exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 2,988 BIF (10,000 BIF = 3.35 USD). 1 EUR = 3,327 BIF (10,000 BIF = 3.01 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

USD to BIF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Burundi United States 12,590 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Burundi
United States

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Burundi vs United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $761 per month in Burundi and $2,734 in the United States, Burundi comes out about 72% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is cheaper in Burundi: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 in the United States and $442 in Burundi. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.

In Burundi, $1,200 covers most cities easily; in the United States it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you’ll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you’re after: Burundi wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.