Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sayulita and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Sayulita: $1,135 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sayulita, Mexico
Medellin, Colombia
Sayulita
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,135
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sayulita and in Medellin

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 Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,135 per month in Sayulita vs $1,692 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Sayulita $1,135
  • Medellin $1,692

A couple spends around $1,806 per month in Sayulita vs $2,471 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Sayulita $1,806
  • Medellin $2,471

A family of three spends $2,476 per month in Sayulita vs $3,249 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Sayulita $2,476
  • Medellin $3,249

Sayulita is about 33% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Sayulita sits 16% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sayulita
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.37 MX$193
$8.34 COP 27.0K
24.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.43 MX$734
$46.53 COP 150.9K
-15.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.13 MX$151
$9.47 COP 30.7K
-14.15%
Cappuccino
$3.26 MX$60.6
$3.13 COP 10.2K
4.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 MX$23.98
$1.77 COP 5,727
-27.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$17.03
$1.42 COP 4,619
-35.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.15 MX$40.02
$3.15 COP 10.2K
-31.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.99 MX$74.3
$5.70 COP 18.5K
-30.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sayulita
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$26.64
$1.53 COP 4,969
-6.54%
White Bread (500g)
$2.63 MX$49.04
$2.29 COP 7,429
14.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 MX$30.35
$1.94 COP 6,306
-15.98%
Eggs
$2.34 MX$43.52
$3.07 COP 9,942
-23.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.23 MX$153
$9.99 COP 32.4K
-17.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 MX$148
$10.45 COP 33.9K
-23.83%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.64 MX$198
$13.96 COP 45.3K
-23.78%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 MX$48.64
$4.05 COP 13.1K
-35.56%
Banana (1kg)
$1.40 MX$25.99
$1.53 COP 4,956
-8.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.78 MX$33.12
$2.10 COP 6,823
-15.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.69 MX$31.52
$2.29 COP 7,437
-26.20%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$34.45
$2.11 COP 6,839
-12.32%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.05
$1.71 COP 5,542
13.45%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.22 MX$22.68
$1.17 COP 3,794
4.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.98 MX$18.17
$1.58 COP 5,123
-37.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.17 MX$77.5
$3.91 COP 12.7K
6.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.93 MX$203
$14.04 COP 45.5K
-22.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 MX$29.90
$1.76 COP 5,712
-8.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 MX$53.4
$2.71 COP 8,793
5.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Sayulita
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.66 MX$12.23
$1.18 COP 3,825
-44.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.75 MX$572
$76.3 COP 247.4K
-59.69%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.66 MX$49.48
$1.81 COP 5,859
46.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.61 MX$29.92
$2.13 COP 6,904
-24.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.08 MX$150
$8.13 COP 26.4K
-0.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$23.55
$1.28 COP 4,135
-0.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K MX$391.3K
$34.4K COP 111.7M
-38.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.0K MX$410.3K
$34.1K COP 110.7M
-35.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sayulita
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$56.7 MX$1,055
$178 COP 576.3K
-68.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.35 MX$416
$13.89 COP 45.0K
60.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.37 MX$528
$30.74 COP 99.7K
-7.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sayulita
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.51 MX$679
$41.94 COP 136.0K
-12.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.17 MX$301
$16.80 COP 54.5K
-3.75%
Cinema Ticket
$4.53 MX$84.2
$7.47 COP 24.2K
-39.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sayulita
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,861
$790 COP 2.6M
-73.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,622 MX$67.4K
$12.3K COP 39.9M
-70.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sayulita
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.6 MX$979
$86.3 COP 279.9K
-39.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.96 MX$725
$59.3 COP 192.2K
-34.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.1 MX$1,715
$138 COP 448.6K
-33.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.6 MX$1,463
$98.8 COP 320.4K
-20.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sayulita
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$513 MX$9,550
$1,341 COP 4.3M
-61.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$395 MX$7,347
$667 COP 2.2M
-40.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$942 MX$17.5K
$1,976 COP 6.4M
-52.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$762 MX$14.2K
$1,033 COP 3.3M
-26.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,781 MX$33.1K
$4,098 COP 13.3M
-56.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,154 MX$21.5K
$1,940 COP 6.3M
-40.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sayulita
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$646 COP 2.1M
-
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: November 3, 2026

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sayulita
$395
Medellin
$667 69% $272
Groceries & Markets
Sayulita
$252
Medellin
$307 22.1% $56
Eating Out
Sayulita
$174
Medellin
$173 0.8% $1.3
Clothing & Footwear
Sayulita
$118
Medellin
$172 45.9% $54
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sayulita
$107
Medellin
$222 107% $115
Sport & Entertainment
Sayulita
$46
Medellin
$57 24.9% $11
Getting Around
Sayulita
$44
Medellin
$93 112% $49

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $513 in Sayulita versus $1,341 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 $39 in Sayulita versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $307 – making Sayulita the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Sayulita
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
08:48 8:48 AM
09:48 9:48 AM
1 h ahead of Sayulita
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,000
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.86 MXN (100 MXN = 4.79 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 3,242 COP (10,000 COP = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 3,635 COP (10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sayulita Medellin 3,600 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sayulita
  • Medellin

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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sayulita cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 49%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,703 per month in Sayulita and $2,538 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 Sayulita, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $513 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Sayulita or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $39 in Sayulita and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Sayulita and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,135 in Sayulita and $1,692 in Medellin. That makes Sayulita about 33% cheaper.
Is $2,000 enough for either Sayulita or Medellin?
$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,135 in Sayulita and $1,692 in Medellin, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Sayulita or Medellin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Sayulita is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 33% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Sayulita vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?