Cost of Living Comparison Between Castries and Macao Cost of Living Comparison Between Castries and Macao

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,409 per month in Castries vs $1,721 in Macao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,208 per month in Castries vs $2,815 in Macao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,007 per month in Castries vs $3,908 in Macao, rent included.

Castries is about 18% cheaper than Macao, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Castries and Macao sit above the global median – Castries by 5%, Macao by 29%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.34 EC$19.83

$6.24 MOP 50.4

17.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 EC$203

$49.70 MOP 401

51.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.30 EC$19.70

$6.32 MOP 51.1

15.51%

Cappuccino

$3.80 EC$10.27

$4.87 MOP 39.32

-21.97%

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

$1.12 EC$3.03

$1.20 MOP 9.66

-6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 EC$2.69

$0.88 MOP 7.10

13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 EC$7.09

$5.67 MOP 45.78

-53.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 EC$8.87

$7.14 MOP 57.7

-53.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 EC$5.89

$2.95 MOP 23.84

-26.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 EC$4.61

$1.59 MOP 12.80

7.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 EC$4.47

$1.53 MOP 12.31

8.50%

Eggs

$4.31 EC$11.64

$3.08 MOP 24.86

39.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 EC$30.50

$17.32 MOP 140

-34.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.96 EC$26.90

$7.80 MOP 63.0

27.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 EC$26.84

$23.05 MOP 186

-56.88%

Apples (1kg)

$7.52 EC$20.30

$3.76 MOP 30.38

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 EC$4.52

$3.00 MOP 24.25

-44.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.12 EC$16.53

$3.75 MOP 30.30

63.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.25 EC$24.97

$2.75 MOP 22.17

236.36%

Potato (1kg)

$3.32 EC$8.95

$4.26 MOP 34.39

-22.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 EC$4.70

$3.38 MOP 27.30

-48.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 EC$5.64

$1.62 MOP 13.11

29.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 EC$2.90

$1.09 MOP 8.77

-0.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.00 EC$24.31

$6.19 MOP 49.95

45.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.97 EC$29.61

$12.27 MOP 99.0

-10.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 EC$5.71

$1.40 MOP 11.34

51.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 EC$11.57

$2.09 MOP 16.87

105.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 EC$2.96

$0.77 MOP 6.21

42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.92 MOP 177

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.52 EC$25.72

$2.63 MOP 21.25

261.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 MOP 9.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.42 EC$49.74

$14.96 MOP 121

23.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 EC$4.13

$1.74 MOP 14.08

-12.07%

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

$29.1K EC$78.5K

$31.0K MOP 250.5K

-6.29%

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

$27.6K EC$74.5K

$27.5K MOP 221.7K

0.45%

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

$107 EC$289

$103 MOP 830

4.26%

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

$89.6 EC$242

$25.16 MOP 203

256.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.87 EC$118

$33.06 MOP 267

32.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.35 EC$114

$85.1 MOP 687

-50.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.45 MOP 27.88

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 EC$18.21

$14.39 MOP 116

-53.16%

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

$197 EC$533

$693 MOP 5,599

-71.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K MOP 110.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 EC$215

$64.9 MOP 524

22.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 EC$142

$29.20 MOP 236

80.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 EC$283

$88.5 MOP 715

18.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 EC$294

$102 MOP 820

7.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 EC$1,582

$1,061 MOP 8,567

-44.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 EC$1,067

$771 MOP 6,222

-48.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 EC$2,714

$1,955 MOP 15.8K

-48.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 EC$1,868

$1,593 MOP 12.9K

-56.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$100 EC$271

$8,503 MOP 68.7K

-98.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$63.7 EC$172

$5,652 MOP 45.6K

-98.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,092 EC$2,949

$2,055 MOP 16.6K

-46.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.75

3.28

136.28%

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

Last update for Castries: July 13, 2026

Last update for Macao: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $586 in Castries versus $1,061 in Macao. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 88% higher in Macao, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Castries versus $50.0 in Macao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 vs $364 – making Macao 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

Castries vs Macao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Macao costs about 22% more than Castries, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,113 per month in Castries and $2,582 in Macao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Castries, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,409 in Castries and $1,721 in Macao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Castries and $693 in Macao. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Castries, where all-in costs run around $1,409, than in Macao at $1,721. In Castries it covers expenses comfortably, while in Macao it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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