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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $805 per month in Popayan vs $603 in Beni Mellal, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Popayan vs $924 in Beni Mellal, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,640 per month in Popayan vs $1,246 in Beni Mellal, rent included.

Popayan costs about 34% more than Beni Mellal, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Popayan and Beni Mellal are more affordable than the global median – Popayan 40% lower, Beni Mellal 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.98 COP 14.2K

$3.36 MAD 30.86

18.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.01 COP 85.7K

$22.07 MAD 203

8.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 COP 25.6K

$4.87 MAD 44.75

47.43%

Cappuccino

$1.51 COP 5,406

$1.25 MAD 11.53

20.80%

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

$0.86 COP 3,073

$0.51 MAD 4.72

68.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 COP 2,069

$0.36 MAD 3.26

61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 COP 4,101

$3.07 MAD 28.25

-62.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 COP 7,573

$2.45 MAD 22.50

-13.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,757

$0.76 MAD 6.98

38.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,447

$0.51 MAD 4.69

145.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,199

$1.43 MAD 13.11

-17.48%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,887

$1.44 MAD 13.21

53.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.54 COP 16.2K

$8.52 MAD 78.3

-46.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.18 COP 18.5K

$6.77 MAD 62.3

-23.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 COP 25.5K

$8.43 MAD 77.5

-15.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 COP 8,678

$1.18 MAD 10.84

105.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,818

$1.16 MAD 10.67

-7.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,843

$0.72 MAD 6.62

88.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 COP 3,022

$0.79 MAD 7.25

7.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,980

$0.46 MAD 4.21

141.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,009

$0.65 MAD 5.96

72.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 COP 3,149

$0.36 MAD 3.33

144.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,279

$0.58 MAD 5.33

10.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 COP 8,264

$4.07 MAD 37.37

-43.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.38 COP 37.1K

$8.08 MAD 74.3

28.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 COP 4,046

$1.42 MAD 13.04

-20.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 COP 6,437

$1.85 MAD 16.98

-2.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 COP 2,461

$0.74 MAD 6.83

-6.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.66 COP 105.9K

$9.01 MAD 82.8

229.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 COP 5,214

$0.53 MAD 4.83

175.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 COP 6,104

$0.88 MAD 8.10

94.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 COP 21.9K

$2.72 MAD 25.04

126.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,543

$1.53 MAD 14.04

-35.29%

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

$17.9K COP 63.9M

$36.7K MAD 337.5K

-51.31%

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

$25.5K COP 91.2M

$29.3K MAD 269.3K

-12.84%

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

$83.5 COP 298.2K

$41.05 MAD 377

103.43%

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

$8.86 COP 31.6K

$10.88 MAD 100.0

-18.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.84 COP 81.6K

$34.33 MAD 316

-33.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.53 COP 84.0K

$18.67 MAD 172

26.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 MAD 152

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.63 MAD 60.9

-40.72%

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

$241 COP 861.1K

$160 MAD 1,470

50.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,042 COP 21.6M

$6,587 MAD 60.5K

-8.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 COP 208.4K

$37.82 MAD 348

54.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.94 COP 117.6K

$34.42 MAD 316

-4.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 COP 296.0K

$76.0 MAD 699

9.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.8 COP 259.8K

$78.7 MAD 723

-7.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 COP 1.0M

$173 MAD 1,588

64.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 COP 863.9K

$117 MAD 1,077

106.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$525 COP 1.9M

$293 MAD 2,695

79.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$423 COP 1.5M

$172 MAD 1,584

145.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,434 COP 5.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,260 COP 4.5M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

4.81

174.01%

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

Last update for Popayan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Beni Mellal: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $284 in Popayan versus $173 in Beni Mellal. 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 $24.00 in Popayan versus $22.00 in Beni Mellal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $167 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $805 in Popayan, $603 in Beni Mellal – roughly 34% apart. Popayan costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,207 per month in Popayan and $904 in Beni Mellal. 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 229% less in Beni Mellal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $241 per month in Popayan and $160 in Beni Mellal. 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 $805 in Popayan and $603 in Beni Mellal, 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.