Cost of Living Comparison Between Beni Mellal and Popayan Cost of Living Comparison Between Beni Mellal and Popayan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $593 per month in Beni Mellal vs $775 in Popayan, rent included.

A couple spends around $914 per month in Beni Mellal vs $1,180 in Popayan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,236 per month in Beni Mellal vs $1,586 in Popayan, rent included.

Beni Mellal is about 23% cheaper than Popayan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Beni Mellal and Popayan are more affordable than the global median – Beni Mellal 56% lower, Popayan 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 MAD 30.67

$3.83 COP 13.8K

-13.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.00 MAD 203

$23.38 COP 84.4K

-5.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 MAD 46.03

$7.36 COP 26.6K

-32.34%

Cappuccino

$1.27 MAD 11.74

$1.56 COP 5,647

-18.59%

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

$0.56 MAD 5.13

$0.86 COP 3,087

-34.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MAD 3.02

$0.56 COP 2,034

-41.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 MAD 27.45

$1.16 COP 4,185

156.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 MAD 22.19

$2.12 COP 7,652

13.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 MAD 6.42

$1.10 COP 3,956

-37.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 MAD 4.44

$1.29 COP 4,657

-62.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MAD 13.16

$1.13 COP 4,078

25.66%

Eggs

$1.48 MAD 13.65

$2.16 COP 7,793

-31.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 MAD 79.4

$4.46 COP 16.1K

92.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 MAD 60.6

$5.24 COP 18.9K

25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.06 MAD 74.6

$7.25 COP 26.2K

11.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 MAD 11.49

$2.56 COP 9,251

-51.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 MAD 10.76

$1.11 COP 3,989

4.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 MAD 6.21

$1.29 COP 4,673

-48.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 MAD 7.49

$0.86 COP 3,118

-5.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 MAD 4.52

$1.11 COP 4,015

-55.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 MAD 6.38

$1.12 COP 4,032

-38.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 MAD 3.38

$0.83 COP 2,993

-55.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.45

$0.70 COP 2,511

-15.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MAD 38.24

$2.32 COP 8,383

78.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 MAD 74.0

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MAD 12.86

$1.09 COP 3,920

27.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 MAD 16.63

$1.74 COP 6,275

3.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MAD 6.78

$0.72 COP 2,587

1.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.55 MAD 79.1

$30.48 COP 110.0K

-71.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 MAD 5.30

$1.44 COP 5,190

-60.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 MAD 8.02

$1.66 COP 5,976

-47.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 MAD 24.65

$6.18 COP 22.3K

-56.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MAD 14.07

$1.00 COP 3,604

52.00%

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

$36.6K MAD 338.3K

$17.7K COP 63.8M

107.08%

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

$29.3K MAD 271.2K

$25.4K COP 91.5M

15.64%

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

$41.06 MAD 380

$82.6 COP 298.2K

-50.30%

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

$10.97 MAD 101

$8.95 COP 32.3K

22.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.75 MAD 321

$23.10 COP 83.4K

50.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.81 MAD 174

$23.84 COP 86.1K

-21.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.20 MAD 150

Cinema Ticket

$6.39 MAD 59.1

$3.96 COP 14.3K

61.36%

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

$161 MAD 1,486

$242 COP 873.4K

-33.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,465 MAD 59.8K

$5,882 COP 21.2M

9.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MAD 341

$58.1 COP 209.6K

-36.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.78 MAD 322

$32.72 COP 118.1K

6.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 MAD 706

$83.9 COP 303.0K

-9.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 MAD 747

$73.5 COP 265.4K

9.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 MAD 1,605

$284 COP 1.0M

-38.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 MAD 1,083

$242 COP 874.1K

-51.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$293 MAD 2,711

$520 COP 1.9M

-43.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 MAD 1,593

$428 COP 1.5M

-59.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,130 MAD 19.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,044 MAD 18.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$429 MAD 3,966

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

13.18

-63.51%

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

Last update for Beni Mellal: April 26, 2026

Last update for Popayan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $174 in Beni Mellal versus $284 in Popayan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Beni Mellal versus $23.00 in Popayan. Groceries tell a different story – $164 in Beni Mellal vs $153 in Popayan – so Popayan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Beni Mellal vs Popayan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $593 in Beni Mellal, $775 in Popayan – roughly 31% apart. Popayan costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $890 per month in Beni Mellal and $1,162 in Popayan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Beni Mellal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 256% less in Beni Mellal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $161 per month in Beni Mellal and $242 in Popayan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $593 in Beni Mellal and $775 in Popayan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Beni Mellal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Beni Mellal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Popayan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.