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 $1,308 per month in Popayan vs $656 in Beni Mellal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Popayan vs $1,024 in Beni Mellal, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,778 per month in Popayan vs $1,392 in Beni Mellal, rent included.

Popayan costs about 99% more than Beni Mellal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Popayan and Beni Mellal are more affordable than the global median – Popayan 5% lower, Beni Mellal 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.52 COP 20.5K

$3.79 MAD 35.35

72.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.39 COP 120.9K

$26.44 MAD 247

45.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 COP 28.0K

$5.64 MAD 52.6

57.80%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,247

$1.28 MAD 11.91

129.69%

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

$1.46 COP 4,604

$0.67 MAD 6.22

117.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 COP 2,612

$0.36 MAD 3.39

130.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 COP 7,333

$2.67 MAD 24.89

-12.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 COP 13.1K

$3.18 MAD 29.71

31.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 COP 4,392

$0.92 MAD 8.55

51.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 COP 7,950

$0.69 MAD 6.47

265.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,311

$1.89 MAD 17.64

-27.51%

Eggs

$2.93 COP 9,220

$1.72 MAD 16.10

70.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.39 COP 23.3K

$11.67 MAD 109

-36.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.91 COP 34.4K

$6.96 MAD 65.0

56.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 COP 41.2K

$10.64 MAD 99.3

23.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 COP 11.2K

$1.26 MAD 11.74

182.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,828

$1.09 MAD 10.18

40.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,157

$0.68 MAD 6.39

188.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,373

$0.85 MAD 7.90

137.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 COP 4,537

$0.68 MAD 6.32

111.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,058

$0.71 MAD 6.67

126.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 COP 3,141

$0.33 MAD 3.11

203.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 COP 3,135

$0.66 MAD 6.17

51.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 COP 12.9K

$4.03 MAD 37.60

1.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 COP 48.0K

$7.72 MAD 72.0

97.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,170

$2.78 MAD 25.99

-52.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 COP 8,866

$2.69 MAD 25.16

4.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 COP 3,080

$0.33 MAD 3.08

196.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.81 MAD 82.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 COP 5,533

$0.78 MAD 7.27

125.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 COP 6,535

$0.89 MAD 8.33

133.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.81 COP 27.7K

$2.65 MAD 24.71

232.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,258

$1.60 MAD 14.96

-15.63%

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

$22.1K COP 69.6M

$35.3K MAD 329.6K

-37.39%

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

$34.8K COP 109.7M

$32.5K MAD 303.1K

7.26%

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

$117 COP 368.4K

$36.37 MAD 340

221.67%

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

$11.88 COP 37.4K

$10.37 MAD 96.8

14.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.04 COP 107.2K

$26.88 MAD 251

26.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$21.43 MAD 200

48.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.45 MAD 154

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 COP 21.0K

$6.48 MAD 60.5

3.09%

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

$676 COP 2.1M

$189 MAD 1,766

257.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,426 COP 20.2M

$7,165 MAD 66.9K

-10.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 COP 279.7K

$50.6 MAD 472

75.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.2 COP 177.0K

$45.32 MAD 423

24.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 COP 418.8K

$75.3 MAD 703

76.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 308.4K

$70.0 MAD 654

39.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$708 COP 2.2M

$204 MAD 1,903

247.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 COP 1.4M

$136 MAD 1,273

225.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$930 COP 2.9M

$295 MAD 2,753

215.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$861 COP 2.7M

$203 MAD 1,898

323.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,137 COP 6.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,654 COP 5.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

4.52

156.19%

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

Last update for Popayan: August 30, 2026

Last update for Beni Mellal: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $708 in Popayan versus $204 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 $38.00 in Popayan versus $26.00 in Beni Mellal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $284 vs $200 – 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: $1,308 in Popayan, $656 in Beni Mellal – roughly 99% apart. Popayan costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,962 per month in Popayan and $984 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Popayan and $26.00 in Beni Mellal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% 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 $656, than in Popayan at $1,308. 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.