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 $611 per month in Beni Mellal vs $808 in Popayan, rent included.

A couple spends around $922 per month in Beni Mellal vs $1,232 in Popayan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,233 per month in Beni Mellal vs $1,656 in Popayan, rent included.

Beni Mellal is about 24% cheaper than Popayan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Beni Mellal and Popayan are more affordable than the global median – Beni Mellal 54% lower, Popayan 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 MAD 31.41

$3.82 COP 12.0K

-11.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.81 MAD 203

$23.48 COP 73.9K

-7.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 MAD 47.06

$7.33 COP 23.1K

-31.11%

Cappuccino

$1.26 MAD 11.71

$1.55 COP 4,873

-18.71%

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

$0.55 MAD 5.13

$0.93 COP 2,944

-40.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MAD 3.01

$0.62 COP 1,940

-48.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MAD 27.58

$1.21 COP 3,800

144.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 MAD 22.67

$2.22 COP 6,988

9.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 MAD 6.97

$1.11 COP 3,501

-32.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 MAD 4.44

$1.27 COP 3,999

-62.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MAD 13.25

$1.17 COP 3,692

21.37%

Eggs

$1.47 MAD 13.66

$2.22 COP 7,005

-33.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.86 MAD 82.6

$4.35 COP 13.7K

103.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.72 MAD 62.7

$5.33 COP 16.8K

26.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 MAD 74.7

$7.28 COP 22.9K

10.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 MAD 11.56

$2.42 COP 7,611

-48.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 MAD 10.83

$1.11 COP 3,505

4.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 MAD 6.21

$1.30 COP 4,095

-48.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 MAD 7.94

$0.85 COP 2,667

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 MAD 4.55

$1.16 COP 3,638

-57.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 MAD 6.52

$1.12 COP 3,514

-37.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 MAD 3.38

$0.86 COP 2,697

-58.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MAD 5.96

$0.66 COP 2,067

-3.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 MAD 38.34

$2.38 COP 7,499

72.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 MAD 74.2

$10.44 COP 32.9K

-23.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 MAD 13.65

$1.14 COP 3,581

28.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 MAD 17.28

$1.74 COP 5,473

6.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MAD 6.84

$0.67 COP 2,115

8.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.68 MAD 81.0

$29.71 COP 93.5K

-70.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 MAD 5.01

$1.47 COP 4,624

-63.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 MAD 8.20

$1.71 COP 5,388

-48.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 MAD 26.21

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-52.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MAD 14.83

$1.01 COP 3,184

57.43%

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

$36.9K MAD 344.4K

$17.7K COP 55.8M

108.32%

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

$29.7K MAD 277.2K

$25.3K COP 79.7M

17.46%

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

$41.05 MAD 383

$83.9 COP 264.1K

-51.07%

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

$10.85 MAD 101

$8.95 COP 28.2K

21.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.53 MAD 322

$22.61 COP 71.2K

52.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.90 MAD 176

$23.75 COP 74.8K

-20.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.14 MAD 150

Cinema Ticket

$6.53 MAD 60.9

$3.91 COP 12.3K

67.01%

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

$160 MAD 1,489

$236 COP 741.8K

-32.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,542 MAD 61.0K

$5,879 COP 18.5M

11.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.83 MAD 343

$59.8 COP 188.4K

-38.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.59 MAD 322

$32.81 COP 103.3K

5.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 MAD 694

$81.8 COP 257.6K

-9.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.6 MAD 761

$73.9 COP 232.7K

10.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$173 MAD 1,610

$288 COP 905.3K

-39.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 MAD 1,102

$237 COP 747.6K

-50.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 MAD 2,715

$523 COP 1.6M

-44.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 MAD 1,629

$433 COP 1.4M

-59.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,048 COP 6.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,422 COP 4.5M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Popayan: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $173 in Beni Mellal versus $288 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. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $167 vs $174 – making Beni Mellal 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $611 in Beni Mellal, $808 in Popayan – roughly 32% apart. Popayan costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $917 per month in Beni Mellal and $1,212 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 242% less in Beni Mellal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $160 per month in Beni Mellal and $236 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 $611 in Beni Mellal and $808 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.