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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,089 per month in Sayulita vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,754 per month in Sayulita vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,419 per month in Sayulita vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Sayulita costs about 5% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sayulita and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sayulita 19% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sayulita
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.49 MX$184
$5.92 COP 21.4K
77.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.42 MX$672
$32.75 COP 118.2K
17.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.15 MX$143
$7.20 COP 26.0K
13.19%
Cappuccino
$3.32 MX$58.2
$1.70 COP 6,140
95.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 MX$22.69
$1.10 COP 3,966
18.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 MX$15.70
$0.72 COP 2,605
25.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.15 MX$37.67
$1.67 COP 6,022
28.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.97 MX$69.5
$3.10 COP 11.2K
28.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sayulita
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.48 MX$25.96
$1.06 COP 3,809
39.62%
White Bread (500g)
$2.58 MX$45.16
$1.25 COP 4,497
106.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.62 MX$28.32
$1.39 COP 5,022
16.55%
Eggs
$2.31 MX$40.43
$2.26 COP 8,168
2.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.19 MX$143
$4.33 COP 15.6K
89.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.85 MX$137
$5.84 COP 21.1K
34.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.75 MX$188
$8.83 COP 31.9K
21.74%
Apples (1kg)
$2.63 MX$45.96
$2.24 COP 8,099
17.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MX$25.08
$1.08 COP 3,882
32.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.77 MX$31.01
$1.53 COP 5,522
15.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.69 MX$29.64
$1.37 COP 4,950
23.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 MX$33.30
$1.13 COP 4,078
68.14%
Onion (1kg)
$1.95 MX$34.14
$1.12 COP 4,036
74.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.22 MX$21.34
$0.85 COP 3,057
43.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.99 MX$17.31
$0.91 COP 3,281
8.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.24 MX$74.2
$2.33 COP 8,414
81.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.04 MX$193
$11.13 COP 40.2K
-0.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 MX$28.18
$1.19 COP 4,309
35.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 MX$50.3
$2.37 COP 8,553
21.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Sayulita
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.61 MX$10.71
$0.79 COP 2,838
-22.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$41.13 COP 148.5K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.62 MX$45.81
$1.44 COP 5,184
81.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 MX$26.98
$1.91 COP 6,901
-19.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.06 MX$141
$8.02 COP 28.9K
0.50%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$22.21
$0.94 COP 3,385
35.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.9K MX$366.3K
$17.9K COP 64.7M
16.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.8K MX$398.4K
$26.8K COP 96.7M
-15.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sayulita
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$56.3 MX$986
$84.0 COP 303.1K
-32.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45 MX$393
$9.60 COP 34.7K
133.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.82 MX$487
$24.16 COP 87.2K
15.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sayulita
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.83 MX$645
$25.88 COP 93.4K
42.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.14 MX$282
$19.04 COP 68.7K
-15.23%
Cinema Ticket
$4.52 MX$79.1
$3.92 COP 14.1K
15.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sayulita
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$206 MX$3,599
$306 COP 1.1M
-32.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,584 MX$62.7K
$5,919 COP 21.4M
-39.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sayulita
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 MX$923
$57.9 COP 209.1K
-8.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.65 MX$694
$31.82 COP 114.9K
24.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 MX$1,600
$99.9 COP 360.6K
-8.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.7 MX$1,395
$107 COP 386.8K
-25.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sayulita
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$501 MX$8,760
$487 COP 1.8M
2.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$394 MX$6,889
$368 COP 1.3M
6.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$937 MX$16.4K
$826 COP 3.0M
13.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$761 MX$13.3K
$716 COP 2.6M
6.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,753 MX$30.7K
$2,925 COP 10.6M
-40.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,161 MX$20.3K
$1,407 COP 5.1M
-17.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sayulita
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$546 COP 2.0M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.48
13.43
-14.52%

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

Last update for Sayulita: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $501 in Sayulita versus $487 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 $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $190 – making Medellin 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
Is Medellin cheaper than Sayulita?
Yes – Sayulita is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,634 per month in Sayulita and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Sayulita or Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Sayulita and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Sayulita and Medellin?
Groceries cost about 33% more in Sayulita, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Sayulita or Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Sayulita at $1,089. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sayulita it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Sayulita or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Sayulita or Medellin?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sayulita makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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