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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,422 per month in Castries vs $2,122 in Macao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,362 per month in Castries vs $2,990 in Macao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,302 per month in Castries vs $3,858 in Macao, rent included.

Castries is about 33% cheaper than Macao, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Castries and Macao sit above the global median – Castries by 3%, Macao by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.14 EC$24.67

$6.30 MOP 50.9

45.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 EC$201

$55.2 MOP 446

35.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 EC$23.06

$5.89 MOP 47.53

44.99%

Cappuccino

$3.68 EC$9.93

$5.17 MOP 41.72

-28.82%

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

$1.88 EC$5.08

$1.02 MOP 8.21

84.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 EC$2.51

$0.87 MOP 7.01

6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 EC$7.32

$5.87 MOP 47.42

-53.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 EC$9.21

$7.48 MOP 60.4

-54.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 EC$5.62

$3.15 MOP 25.42

-33.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 EC$5.12

$1.76 MOP 14.22

7.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 EC$4.48

$1.68 MOP 13.55

-1.19%

Eggs

$4.73 EC$12.78

$3.38 MOP 27.32

39.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 EC$29.81

$16.02 MOP 129

-31.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.16 EC$24.73

$19.37 MOP 156

-52.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.61 EC$39.44

$28.90 MOP 233

-49.45%

Apples (1kg)

$8.65 EC$23.35

$2.69 MOP 21.72

221.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 EC$4.55

$2.87 MOP 23.17

-41.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.00 EC$21.59

$1.88 MOP 15.16

325.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$14.84 EC$40.08

$2.46 MOP 19.89

503.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.38 EC$9.12

$3.92 MOP 31.65

-13.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 EC$5.38

$2.92 MOP 23.56

-31.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 EC$5.91

$0.61 MOP 4.96

259.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 EC$3.55

$1.21 MOP 9.77

8.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.03 EC$24.38

$6.88 MOP 55.6

31.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 EC$29.80

$12.29 MOP 99.3

-10.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 EC$5.91

$1.72 MOP 13.92

27.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.61 EC$15.14

$2.20 MOP 17.76

155.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 EC$2.93

$0.77 MOP 6.23

41.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.27 MOP 180

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.23 EC$24.91

$2.52 MOP 20.37

266.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 MOP 9.91

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.91 MOP 120

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 EC$4.21

$1.85 MOP 14.96

-15.68%

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

$25.5K EC$69.0K

$31.0K MOP 250.6K

-17.70%

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

$37.1K EC$100.2K

$31.8K MOP 256.7K

16.80%

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

$124 EC$334

$120 MOP 969

2.96%

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

$87.1 EC$235

$23.91 MOP 193

264.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.46 EC$131

$36.83 MOP 297

31.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 EC$110

$65.0 MOP 525

-37.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.81 MOP 30.77

Cinema Ticket

$5.49 EC$14.82

$14.53 MOP 117

-62.22%

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

$214 EC$579

$1,217 MOP 9,831

-82.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K MOP 151.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.0 EC$224

$69.2 MOP 559

19.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 EC$140

$33.86 MOP 273

52.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 EC$303

$92.1 MOP 744

21.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 EC$298

$136 MOP 1,101

-19.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 EC$1,219

$1,127 MOP 9,104

-59.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 EC$923

$1,084 MOP 8,757

-68.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 EC$3,307

$2,086 MOP 16.8K

-41.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$705 EC$1,903

$1,472 MOP 11.9K

-52.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$101 EC$273

$8,369 MOP 67.6K

-98.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$63.8 EC$172

$5,647 MOP 45.6K

-98.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,094 EC$2,955

$1,984 MOP 16.0K

-44.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.75

158.33%

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

Last update for Castries: August 31, 2026

Last update for Macao: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $451 in Castries versus $1,127 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 81% 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 $55.0 in Macao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $431 vs $424 – 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 49% 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 $2,133 per month in Castries and $3,183 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 $1,422 in Castries and $2,122 in Macao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $214 per month in Castries and $1,217 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 $1,422, than in Macao at $2,122. 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.