Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Macao

For one person, living is cheaper in Macao: $2,107 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
104

Cost of Living Index in Macao
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Macao Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Macao

🇲🇴 Macao (China)

$2,107

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Macao

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $2,107 in Macao.

Austin, TX $2,704
Macao $2,107

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,021 in Macao.

Austin, TX $4,133
Macao $3,021

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $3,935 in Macao.

Austin, TX $5,562
Macao $3,935

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 28% more expensive than in Macao, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 102% above, Macao 57% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$6.31 MOP 51.0

220.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$54.9 MOP 444

54.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$5.91 MOP 47.73

108.97%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$4.89 MOP 39.49

11.86%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$1.06 MOP 8.56

260.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.93 MOP 7.55

168.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$5.63 MOP 45.48

43.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$7.23 MOP 58.4

24.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$3.09 MOP 24.98

-63.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.67 MOP 13.50

126.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.73 MOP 13.97

87.86%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$3.40 MOP 27.46

21.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$16.05 MOP 130

-18.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$19.07 MOP 154

-24.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$29.25 MOP 236

-45.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.71 MOP 21.87

61.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$2.86 MOP 23.14

-49.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$1.97 MOP 15.90

130.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.36 MOP 19.06

77.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.85 MOP 31.10

-31.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.95 MOP 23.85

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.66 MOP 5.30

166.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.20 MOP 9.74

80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$6.64 MOP 53.7

47.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$12.14 MOP 98.1

21.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.77 MOP 14.34

57.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.31 MOP 18.66

50.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.76 MOP 6.13

96.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$22.62 MOP 183

79.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.57 MOP 20.77

3.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.24 MOP 9.99

27.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$15.00 MOP 121

135.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.76 MOP 14.22

-43.75%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$31.1K MOP 251.3K

15.17%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$31.8K MOP 256.7K

-14.43%

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

$219 $219

$124 MOP 1,002

76.82%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$23.44 MOP 189

147.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$36.46 MOP 295

87.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

$63.3 MOP 511

-8.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$3.78 MOP 30.57

292.06%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$14.73 MOP 119

-4.07%

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

$1,509 $1,509

$1,193 MOP 9,642

26.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$19.3K MOP 156.2K

11.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$70.0 MOP 566

-26.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$33.25 MOP 269

32.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$92.4 MOP 747

-7.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$134 MOP 1,084

-21.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$1,130 MOP 9,135

70.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$1,070 MOP 8,650

18.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$2,092 MOP 16.9K

75.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$1,461 MOP 11.8K

72.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

$8,347 MOP 67.5K

-8.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$5,538 MOP 44.8K

-42.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$2,053 MOP 16.6K

148.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

126.33%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Macao: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Macao

$1.1K 50.3% 15.9% $202

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Macao

$422 19.8% 4.8% $19

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Macao

$177 8.3% 49% $171

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Macao

$184 8.6% 46.8% $162

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Macao

$148 7% 15.2% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Macao

$93 4.4% 7.6% $6.6

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Macao

$34 1.6% 39.7% $23

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $1,130 in Macao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 149% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $55.0 in Macao. Groceries flip the comparison at $403 vs $422, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇲🇴 Macao

🕒 Local time

07:05 7:05 AM

20:05 8:05 PM

13 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

622,567 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Macanese Pataca MOP P

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 MOP = 0.124 USD

1 MOP = 0.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MOP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇲🇴 Macanese Pataca (P)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Macanese Pataca exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 8.08 MOP (1 MOP = 0.124 USD). 1 EUR = 9.06 MOP (1 MOP = 0.11 EUR).

MOP to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Macao 13,290 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Macao

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

Austin, TX vs Macao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Macao wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Macao the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 149% higher in Austin, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $1,130 in Macao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,107 in Macao – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Macao runs roughly 79% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,107 in Macao versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Macao but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Macao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Macao are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Macao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.