Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sayulita and Lima

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $1,012 a month against $1,107 in Sayulita, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Sayulita
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,107
/mo nomad
Lima
🇵🇪 Peru
$1,012
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sayulita and in Lima

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sayulita and in Lima actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,107 in Sayulita versus $1,012 in Lima.

  • Sayulita $1,107
  • Lima $1,012

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,769 in Sayulita versus $1,589 in Lima.

  • Sayulita $1,769
  • Lima $1,589

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,430 in Sayulita versus $2,167 in Lima.

  • Sayulita $2,430
  • Lima $2,167

Living in Sayulita is roughly 9% more expensive than in Lima, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sayulita 18% lower, Lima 25% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sayulita
Lima
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.78 MX$199
$4.40 PEN 15.10
145.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.36 MX$709
$35.17 PEN 121
9.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.15 MX$151
$6.89 PEN 23.65
18.29%
Cappuccino
$3.34 MX$61.8
$3.26 PEN 11.20
2.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24 MX$22.96
$1.12 PEN 3.84
10.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98 MX$18.04
$0.62 PEN 2.11
58.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.18 MX$40.28
$2.65 PEN 9.09
-17.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.86 MX$71.3
$4.41 PEN 15.15
-12.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sayulita
Lima
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 MX$27.66
$1.63 PEN 5.61
-7.98%
White Bread (500g)
$2.64 MX$48.75
$2.56 PEN 8.78
3.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.56 MX$28.83
$1.35 PEN 4.65
15.56%
Eggs
$2.37 MX$43.83
$2.90 PEN 9.96
-18.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.89 MX$146
$8.85 PEN 30.38
-10.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.66 MX$142
$5.98 PEN 20.52
28.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.77 MX$199
$9.78 PEN 33.59
10.12%
Apples (1kg)
$2.60 MX$47.97
$2.05 PEN 7.02
26.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.39 MX$25.65
$1.06 PEN 3.66
31.13%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.72 MX$31.81
$1.35 PEN 4.64
27.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.69 MX$31.17
$1.50 PEN 5.15
12.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$34.29
$0.88 PEN 3.03
111.36%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.86
$0.92 PEN 3.15
116.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 MX$22.96
$0.89 PEN 3.07
39.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.97 MX$17.95
$0.90 PEN 3.10
7.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$79.5
$5.90 PEN 20.27
-27.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.91 MX$202
$8.52 PEN 29.26
28.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.42
$1.88 PEN 6.45
-15.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 MX$51.5
$3.22 PEN 11.05
-13.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Sayulita
Lima
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.66 MX$12.19
$0.68 PEN 2.33
-2.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.86 PEN 92.2
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.57 MX$47.56
$3.81 PEN 13.09
-32.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 MX$28.49
$2.02 PEN 6.93
-23.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.46 MX$156
$7.11 PEN 24.41
18.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$23.41
$1.72 PEN 5.91
-26.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.5K MX$397.2K
$22.3K PEN 76.6K
-3.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.1K MX$408.5K
$25.5K PEN 87.6K
-13.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sayulita
Lima
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$57.2 MX$1,057
$73.1 PEN 251
-21.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.36 MX$413
$16.35 PEN 56.2
36.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.67 MX$530
$27.47 PEN 94.3
4.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sayulita
Lima
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.71 MX$678
$31.90 PEN 110
15.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.94 MX$295
$19.41 PEN 66.7
-17.88%
Cinema Ticket
$4.70 MX$86.8
$7.05 PEN 24.23
-33.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sayulita
Lima
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$206 MX$3,812
$182 PEN 627
13.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,640 MX$67.3K
$13.0K PEN 44.8K
-72.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sayulita
Lima
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.8 MX$995
$53.8 PEN 185
0.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.12 MX$723
$34.32 PEN 118
13.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.7 MX$1,694
$82.8 PEN 284
10.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.7 MX$1,473
$78.2 PEN 269
1.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sayulita
Lima
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$506 MX$9,358
$721 PEN 2,476
-29.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$393 MX$7,269
$343 PEN 1,179
14.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$950 MX$17.6K
$1,219 PEN 4,186
-22.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$774 MX$14.3K
$651 PEN 2,235
19.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,721 MX$31.8K
$2,414 PEN 8,292
-28.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,160 MX$21.4K
$1,357 PEN 4,660
-14.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sayulita
Lima
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$648 PEN 2,226
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.48
8.94
28.41%

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

Last update for Sayulita: October 13, 2026

Last update for Lima: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sayulita
$393
Lima
$343 12.7% $50
Groceries & Markets
Sayulita
$250
Lima
$226 9.4% $24
Eating Out
Sayulita
$178
Lima
$124 30.5% $54
Clothing & Footwear
Sayulita
$119
Lima
$112 5.7% $6.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sayulita
$108
Lima
$117 8% $8.7
Sport & Entertainment
Sayulita
$46
Lima
$46 0.2% $0.1
Getting Around
Sayulita
$13 *
Lima
$43 237% $31

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Sayulita and $721 in Lima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Sayulita vs $35.00 in Lima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $226 per month, with Lima cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Sayulita
🇵🇪 Lima
🕒 Local time
23:58 11:58 PM
00:58 12:58 AM
1 h ahead of Sayulita
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,000
9,989,369 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PEN, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sayulita Lima 4,800 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sayulita
  • Lima

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Sayulita vs Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Sayulita and in Lima?
Sayulita and Lima differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,107 vs $1,012 including rent). Lima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Sayulita compared to Lima?
You'd need roughly $1,661 in Sayulita and $1,518 in Lima to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Sayulita and in Lima?
Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Sayulita versus $721 in Lima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Sayulita. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Sayulita or Lima?
All in, you'll spend $1,107 per month in Sayulita versus $1,012 in Lima – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,012 in Lima versus $1,107 in Sayulita, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lima but tight or insufficient in Sayulita. The gap between the two cities makes Lima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Sayulita and Lima?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Sayulita or Lima safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Sayulita and Lima are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Sayulita or Lima?
Expats usually find Lima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Sayulita. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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