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 $633 per month in Beni Mellal vs $1,311 in Popayan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,001 per month in Beni Mellal vs $2,104 in Popayan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,369 per month in Beni Mellal vs $2,896 in Popayan, rent included.

Beni Mellal is about 52% cheaper than Popayan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Beni Mellal and Popayan are more affordable than the global median – Beni Mellal 54% lower, Popayan 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.72 MAD 35.32

$7.42 COP 23.1K

-49.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.16 MAD 248

$46.79 COP 146.0K

-44.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 MAD 53.1

$9.41 COP 29.3K

-40.49%

Cappuccino

$1.31 MAD 12.40

$2.43 COP 7,580

-46.09%

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

$0.60 MAD 5.73

$1.52 COP 4,731

-60.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 MAD 3.33

$0.98 COP 3,069

-64.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 MAD 25.45

$2.65 COP 8,267

1.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 MAD 29.29

$4.33 COP 13.5K

-28.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 MAD 8.13

$1.33 COP 4,160

-35.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 MAD 6.05

$2.51 COP 7,845

-74.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 MAD 18.30

$1.57 COP 4,887

22.93%

Eggs

$1.70 MAD 16.11

$2.82 COP 8,807

-39.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 MAD 108

$8.85 COP 27.6K

28.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 MAD 64.1

$10.82 COP 33.8K

-37.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 MAD 98.6

$12.63 COP 39.4K

-17.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 MAD 11.62

$3.22 COP 10.1K

-61.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 MAD 10.28

$1.65 COP 5,136

-34.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.66 MAD 6.28

$1.79 COP 5,590

-63.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.82 MAD 7.78

$1.66 COP 5,177

-50.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 MAD 6.14

$1.69 COP 5,286

-61.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.33

$1.48 COP 4,621

-47.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 MAD 3.16

$1.28 COP 3,986

-74.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MAD 5.64

$1.09 COP 3,409

-44.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MAD 37.66

$3.65 COP 11.4K

8.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.51 MAD 71.2

$13.67 COP 42.6K

-45.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 MAD 25.78

$1.36 COP 4,249

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 MAD 25.18

$2.62 COP 8,184

1.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MAD 3.15

$1.18 COP 3,668

-72.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 MAD 82.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 MAD 7.26

$1.49 COP 4,644

-48.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 MAD 8.91

$2.24 COP 6,989

-58.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 MAD 25.29

$8.46 COP 26.4K

-68.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MAD 14.63

$1.38 COP 4,294

11.59%

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

$34.0K MAD 322.8K

$25.1K COP 78.3M

35.60%

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

$31.9K MAD 302.6K

$33.9K COP 105.8M

-5.84%

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

$35.44 MAD 336

$115 COP 357.4K

-69.06%

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

$10.13 MAD 96.0

$14.07 COP 43.9K

-28.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.17 MAD 248

$25.98 COP 81.1K

0.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.23 MAD 201

$38.08 COP 118.8K

-44.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.52 MAD 147

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MAD 60.7

$7.53 COP 23.5K

-15.01%

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

$186 MAD 1,759

$628 COP 2.0M

-70.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,892 MAD 65.4K

$7,376 COP 23.0M

-6.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.10 MAD 466

$84.2 COP 262.7K

-41.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.05 MAD 427

$51.2 COP 159.8K

-12.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 MAD 706

$136 COP 423.4K

-45.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.7 MAD 642

$116 COP 362.2K

-41.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$200 MAD 1,897

$763 COP 2.4M

-73.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$130 MAD 1,232

$544 COP 1.7M

-76.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MAD 2,698

$920 COP 2.9M

-69.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 MAD 1,900

$984 COP 3.1M

-79.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,286 COP 7.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 COP 6.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$332 MAD 3,146

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.52

11.58

-60.97%

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

Last update for Beni Mellal: September 14, 2026

Last update for Popayan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $200 in Beni Mellal versus $763 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 $26.00 in Beni Mellal versus $47.00 in Popayan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $194 vs $282 – 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: $633 in Beni Mellal, $1,311 in Popayan – roughly 107% apart. Popayan costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $950 per month in Beni Mellal and $1,967 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Beni Mellal and $47.00 in Popayan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Popayan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Beni Mellal, where all-in costs run around $633, than in Popayan at $1,311. In Beni Mellal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Popayan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.