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 $605 per month in Beni Mellal vs $799 in Popayan, rent included.

A couple spends around $926 per month in Beni Mellal vs $1,225 in Popayan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,246 per month in Beni Mellal vs $1,651 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 55% lower, Popayan 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.36 MAD 31.09

$3.81 COP 13.3K

-11.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.23 MAD 206

$23.86 COP 83.3K

-6.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.02 MAD 46.45

$7.06 COP 24.6K

-28.90%

Cappuccino

$1.26 MAD 11.65

$1.51 COP 5,283

-16.56%

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

$0.55 MAD 5.08

$0.94 COP 3,288

-41.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MAD 3.05

$0.56 COP 1,962

-41.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 MAD 27.68

$1.20 COP 4,185

149.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 MAD 23.52

$2.15 COP 7,507

18.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 MAD 7.06

$1.06 COP 3,704

-28.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 MAD 4.74

$1.29 COP 4,502

-60.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MAD 13.29

$1.13 COP 3,948

27.43%

Eggs

$1.43 MAD 13.25

$2.15 COP 7,497

-33.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.85 MAD 81.9

$4.42 COP 15.4K

100.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 MAD 59.7

$5.14 COP 17.9K

25.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.96 MAD 73.7

$7.53 COP 26.3K

5.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 MAD 11.35

$2.42 COP 8,460

-49.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 MAD 10.35

$1.11 COP 3,865

0.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.66 MAD 6.07

$1.34 COP 4,690

-50.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 MAD 7.70

$0.86 COP 3,009

-3.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.45 MAD 4.14

$1.12 COP 3,897

-59.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 MAD 6.54

$1.17 COP 4,082

-39.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 MAD 3.34

$0.82 COP 2,850

-56.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MAD 5.40

$0.66 COP 2,288

-12.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MAD 38.41

$2.42 COP 8,438

71.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 MAD 74.4

$11.09 COP 38.7K

-27.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 MAD 13.41

$1.08 COP 3,776

34.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 MAD 16.34

$1.70 COP 5,925

4.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MAD 6.85

$0.68 COP 2,368

8.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.57 MAD 79.3

$29.46 COP 102.8K

-70.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 MAD 5.20

$1.42 COP 4,943

-60.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 MAD 7.61

$1.72 COP 6,002

-52.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 MAD 25.76

$5.99 COP 20.9K

-53.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MAD 14.16

$1.01 COP 3,530

51.49%

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

$36.6K MAD 338.8K

$18.0K COP 62.7M

103.86%

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

$29.1K MAD 269.6K

$25.4K COP 88.6M

14.80%

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

$40.91 MAD 378

$82.8 COP 288.8K

-50.57%

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

$10.95 MAD 101

$8.89 COP 31.0K

23.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.05 MAD 315

$23.06 COP 80.5K

47.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.00 MAD 176

$22.97 COP 80.2K

-17.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.36 MAD 151

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 MAD 62.4

$3.87 COP 13.5K

74.16%

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

$159 MAD 1,475

$237 COP 827.4K

-32.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,567 MAD 60.8K

$5,846 COP 20.4M

12.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.77 MAD 340

$58.3 COP 203.5K

-36.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.60 MAD 320

$32.07 COP 111.9K

7.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 MAD 683

$84.7 COP 295.6K

-12.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 MAD 740

$73.2 COP 255.3K

9.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$173 MAD 1,603

$281 COP 981.2K

-38.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$119 MAD 1,101

$238 COP 829.5K

-49.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$300 MAD 2,774

$529 COP 1.8M

-43.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 MAD 1,592

$435 COP 1.5M

-60.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,621 COP 5.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,239 COP 4.3M

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Popayan: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $173 in Beni Mellal versus $281 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 $24.00 in Popayan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $165 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: $605 in Beni Mellal, $799 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 $908 per month in Beni Mellal and $1,198 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 244% less in Beni Mellal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $159 per month in Beni Mellal and $237 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 $605 in Beni Mellal and $799 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.