Cost of Living Comparison Between Sayulita and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sayulita and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,086 per month in Sayulita vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,756 per month in Sayulita vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,425 per month in Sayulita vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Sayulita is about 35% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Sayulita sits 21% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.53 MX$181

$8.02 COP 25.5K

31.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.24 MX$659

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-20.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 MX$135

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-21.03%

Cappuccino

$3.22 MX$55.4

$3.13 COP 9,941

2.88%

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

$1.24 MX$21.41

$1.91 COP 6,061

-35.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.59

$1.51 COP 4,796

-40.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MX$38.33

$3.12 COP 9,921

-28.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 MX$67.0

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-32.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 MX$25.43

$1.44 COP 4,590

2.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 MX$45.22

$2.49 COP 7,898

5.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.68

$1.77 COP 5,634

-12.43%

Eggs

$2.31 MX$39.74

$2.96 COP 9,400

-21.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 MX$142

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-18.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 MX$139

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-19.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.42 MX$179

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-27.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 MX$45.18

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-36.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$24.73

$1.61 COP 5,109

-10.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.46

$2.25 COP 7,132

-24.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 MX$28.44

$2.25 COP 7,154

-26.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 MX$31.47

$2.04 COP 6,489

-10.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$1.54 COP 4,876

29.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 MX$21.66

$1.17 COP 3,716

7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 MX$16.87

$1.31 COP 4,150

-25.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 MX$70.8

$3.90 COP 12.4K

5.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 MX$187

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-22.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 MX$26.96

$1.74 COP 5,536

-9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 MX$47.51

$2.87 COP 9,116

-3.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MX$11.09

$1.22 COP 3,860

-47.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 MX$45.34

$1.31 COP 4,157

100.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 MX$26.70

$2.19 COP 6,947

-29.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.06 MX$139

$8.71 COP 27.7K

-7.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.43

$1.37 COP 4,336

-5.11%

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

$21.4K MX$369.3K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

-22.98%

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

$22.1K MX$380.5K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-38.25%

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

$57.1 MX$983

$177 COP 563.1K

-67.82%

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

$21.81 MX$376

$13.88 COP 44.1K

57.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.64 MX$476

$29.72 COP 94.4K

-7.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.27 MX$625

$44.88 COP 142.6K

-19.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.84 MX$273

$17.12 COP 54.4K

-7.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 MX$78.6

$6.65 COP 21.1K

-31.43%

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

$208 MX$3,584

$813 COP 2.6M

-74.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,612 MX$62.2K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

-60.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 MX$915

$89.5 COP 284.3K

-40.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.14 MX$691

$59.0 COP 187.3K

-31.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 MX$1,531

$138 COP 439.0K

-35.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 MX$1,344

$102 COP 324.4K

-23.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$514 MX$8,856

$1,062 COP 3.4M

-51.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 MX$6,700

$663 COP 2.1M

-41.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$922 MX$15.9K

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-51.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$764 MX$13.2K

$1,027 COP 3.3M

-25.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,741 MX$30.0K

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-58.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,167 MX$20.1K

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-30.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

10.94

4.94%

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

Last update for Sayulita: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $514 in Sayulita versus $1,062 in Medellin. 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 Sayulita versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $305 – making Sayulita 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

Sayulita vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 55%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,630 per month in Sayulita and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sayulita, 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 Sayulita and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Medellin, 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 Sayulita, where all-in costs run around $1,086, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Sayulita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sayulita – 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 Sayulita. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.