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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,366 per month in Castries vs $1,764 in Macao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,236 per month in Castries vs $2,775 in Macao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,107 per month in Castries vs $3,787 in Macao, rent included.

Castries is about 23% cheaper than Macao, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Castries and Macao sit above the global median – Castries by 2%, Macao by 32%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.32 EC$19.76

$6.19 MOP 49.95

18.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 EC$200

$49.59 MOP 400

49.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 EC$20.41

$6.05 MOP 48.87

24.96%

Cappuccino

$3.80 EC$10.26

$4.86 MOP 39.22

-21.81%

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

$1.08 EC$2.92

$1.20 MOP 9.71

-10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 EC$2.69

$0.81 MOP 6.57

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 EC$7.20

$5.86 MOP 47.27

-54.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 EC$9.11

$7.23 MOP 58.3

-53.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 EC$5.66

$2.94 MOP 23.76

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 EC$4.64

$1.60 MOP 12.89

7.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 EC$4.54

$1.53 MOP 12.39

9.80%

Eggs

$4.27 EC$11.54

$3.17 MOP 25.62

34.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.03 EC$29.78

$17.37 MOP 140

-36.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.70 EC$26.19

$7.56 MOP 61.1

28.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.03 EC$27.09

$23.17 MOP 187

-56.71%

Apples (1kg)

$7.36 EC$19.87

$3.84 MOP 30.96

91.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 EC$4.54

$3.11 MOP 25.14

-45.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.43 EC$17.36

$3.83 MOP 30.88

67.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.01 EC$24.34

$2.80 MOP 22.61

221.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 EC$9.43

$4.37 MOP 35.24

-20.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 EC$4.74

$3.50 MOP 28.21

-49.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 EC$5.70

$1.71 MOP 13.78

23.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 EC$2.89

$1.09 MOP 8.80

-1.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.27 EC$25.02

$6.14 MOP 49.60

50.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.25 EC$30.38

$12.17 MOP 98.2

-7.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 EC$5.61

$1.36 MOP 11.01

52.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 EC$11.47

$2.06 MOP 16.60

106.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 EC$3.03

$0.77 MOP 6.25

45.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.17 MOP 179

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.11 EC$24.60

$2.65 MOP 21.36

243.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 MOP 9.57

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.53 EC$50.0

$15.12 MOP 122

22.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 EC$4.22

$1.74 MOP 14.08

-10.34%

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

$28.6K EC$77.1K

$31.0K MOP 250.2K

-7.88%

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

$26.9K EC$72.7K

$28.2K MOP 227.9K

-4.67%

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

$108 EC$292

$103 MOP 835

4.38%

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

$89.1 EC$241

$25.14 MOP 203

254.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.36 EC$120

$34.23 MOP 276

29.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.96 EC$116

$85.3 MOP 689

-49.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.51 MOP 28.35

Cinema Ticket

$6.63 EC$17.89

$14.28 MOP 115

-53.57%

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

$202 EC$546

$674 MOP 5,436

-70.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MOP 107.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.5 EC$209

$65.1 MOP 525

19.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 EC$142

$29.06 MOP 235

80.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 EC$283

$88.3 MOP 713

18.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 EC$305

$102 MOP 823

10.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 EC$1,593

$1,064 MOP 8,588

-44.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 EC$1,067

$778 MOP 6,277

-49.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$998 EC$2,694

$1,966 MOP 15.9K

-49.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 EC$1,933

$1,621 MOP 13.1K

-55.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$99.1 EC$268

$12.7K MOP 102.8K

-99.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$64.1 EC$173

$8,010 MOP 64.6K

-99.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,036 EC$2,797

$1,983 MOP 16.0K

-47.75%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Macao: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $590 in Castries versus $1,064 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 91% 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 $74.0 in Castries versus $50.0 in Macao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 vs $366 – 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 29% 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 $2,049 per month in Castries and $2,646 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 $1,366 in Castries and $1,764 in Macao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Castries and $674 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 $1,366, than in Macao at $1,764. 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.