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 $804 per month in Popayan vs $598 in Beni Mellal, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Popayan vs $936 in Beni Mellal, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,642 per month in Popayan vs $1,274 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

$3.82 COP 12.4K

$3.27 MAD 30.49

16.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.83 COP 77.5K

$22.35 MAD 208

6.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.29 COP 23.7K

$5.00 MAD 46.58

45.80%

Cappuccino

$1.50 COP 4,892

$1.23 MAD 11.46

21.95%

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

$0.88 COP 2,863

$0.51 MAD 4.74

72.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 COP 1,974

$0.35 MAD 3.30

74.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 COP 3,793

$2.99 MAD 27.86

-60.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 COP 7,178

$2.40 MAD 22.40

-7.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 3,597

$0.71 MAD 6.66

56.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,210

$0.48 MAD 4.45

168.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,818

$1.44 MAD 13.47

-18.75%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 7,215

$1.48 MAD 13.83

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.31 COP 14.0K

$8.46 MAD 78.9

-49.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 COP 17.0K

$6.72 MAD 62.7

-22.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 COP 23.3K

$8.34 MAD 77.8

-14.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 COP 8,187

$1.23 MAD 11.49

104.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,617

$1.17 MAD 10.93

-5.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,443

$0.66 MAD 6.15

107.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 COP 2,954

$0.80 MAD 7.50

13.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,642

$0.45 MAD 4.22

148.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,679

$0.65 MAD 6.07

73.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 COP 2,642

$0.37 MAD 3.41

118.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,114

$0.62 MAD 5.82

4.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.41 COP 7,849

$4.20 MAD 39.16

-42.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 COP 42.4K

$7.63 MAD 71.2

71.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 COP 3,654

$1.47 MAD 13.67

-23.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,652

$1.86 MAD 17.30

-6.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 COP 2,322

$0.69 MAD 6.44

2.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.45 COP 99.0K

$8.64 MAD 80.5

252.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 4,794

$0.53 MAD 4.91

177.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 COP 5,367

$0.87 MAD 8.13

89.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.19 COP 20.1K

$2.71 MAD 25.25

128.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,250

$1.54 MAD 14.36

-35.06%

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

$17.6K COP 57.3M

$36.5K MAD 340.8K

-51.76%

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

$25.7K COP 83.5M

$29.2K MAD 272.4K

-12.07%

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

$83.9 COP 272.6K

$40.76 MAD 380

105.72%

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

$9.26 COP 30.1K

$10.86 MAD 101

-14.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.35 COP 72.7K

$35.31 MAD 329

-36.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.29 COP 75.7K

$19.16 MAD 179

21.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.50 MAD 154

Cinema Ticket

$3.87 COP 12.6K

$6.66 MAD 62.1

-41.89%

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

$241 COP 783.9K

$161 MAD 1,504

49.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,914 COP 19.2M

$6,383 MAD 59.5K

-7.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 COP 194.3K

$37.71 MAD 352

58.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 106.7K

$34.71 MAD 324

-5.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 COP 274.3K

$74.4 MAD 694

13.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.3 COP 235.1K

$79.5 MAD 742

-9.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 COP 912.9K

$174 MAD 1,625

61.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 COP 770.1K

$115 MAD 1,077

105.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 COP 1.7M

$294 MAD 2,739

76.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 COP 1.4M

$173 MAD 1,609

149.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,662 COP 5.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,192 COP 3.9M

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Beni Mellal: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Popayan versus $174 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: $179 vs $165 – 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: $804 in Popayan, $598 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 $897 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 252% 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 $161 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 $804 in Popayan and $598 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.