Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Macao (China) Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Macao (China)

Name: Macao (China)
Address: MO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $712 in China versus $1,778 in Macao (China).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in China versus $2,855 in Macao (China).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,550 in China versus $3,932 in Macao (China).

Living in China costs about 60% less than in Macao (China) on average.

China (47% below) and Macao (China) (33% above) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $532 to $1,192, compared to $1,721–$1,835 in Macao (China). City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.32

$6.26 MOP 50.6

-54.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.44 ¥158

$56.6 MOP 457

-58.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 ¥32.70

$6.06 MOP 48.91

-20.13%

Cappuccino

$3.11 ¥21.03

$4.79 MOP 38.72

-35.07%

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

$0.44 ¥2.99

$0.95 MOP 7.69

-53.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.99

$0.76 MOP 6.16

-61.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ¥6.63

$5.93 MOP 47.88

-83.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.86

$7.28 MOP 58.8

-71.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ¥12.45

$2.69 MOP 21.75

-31.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ¥10.92

$1.58 MOP 12.77

2.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.27

$1.49 MOP 12.01

-37.58%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥11.01

$3.00 MOP 24.22

-45.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.8

$19.15 MOP 155

-31.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 ¥22.06

$7.75 MOP 62.6

-57.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.62 ¥71.8

$22.72 MOP 184

-53.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.17

$3.89 MOP 31.41

-53.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.76

$3.09 MOP 24.98

-57.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.88

$3.82 MOP 30.84

-61.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.13

$2.77 MOP 22.36

-56.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.13

$4.28 MOP 34.57

-82.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 ¥5.93

$3.35 MOP 27.09

-73.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.86

$1.66 MOP 13.38

-65.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.62

$1.04 MOP 8.40

-48.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.42 ¥23.14

$6.09 MOP 49.18

-43.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.75 ¥79.4

$12.24 MOP 98.9

-4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.39

$1.35 MOP 10.89

-40.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.94

$2.03 MOP 16.42

-20.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.93

$0.72 MOP 5.84

-40.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.47 ¥138

$22.23 MOP 180

-7.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.22

$2.56 MOP 20.65

-46.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.39

$1.16 MOP 9.41

-69.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.50 ¥43.90

$14.81 MOP 120

-56.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.58

$1.77 MOP 14.29

-36.72%

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

$19.5K ¥131.6K

$31.4K MOP 253.9K

-38.07%

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

$16.9K ¥113.9K

$28.2K MOP 227.7K

-40.21%

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

$51.7 ¥349

$92.7 MOP 749

-44.25%

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

$10.17 ¥68.7

$25.14 MOP 203

-59.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.16 ¥75.4

$34.99 MOP 283

-68.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.62 ¥268

$76.9 MOP 621

-48.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.53 ¥98.2

$2.73 MOP 22.05

432.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 ¥43.12

$14.23 MOP 115

-55.17%

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

$407 ¥2,752

$677 MOP 5,464

-39.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ¥120.5K

$13.3K MOP 107.5K

34.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.53 ¥308

$65.5 MOP 529

-30.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.31 ¥218

$28.63 MOP 231

12.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥490

$91.0 MOP 735

-20.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.4 ¥503

$99.7 MOP 805

-25.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 ¥2,992

$1,168 MOP 9,434

-62.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 ¥1,745

$850 MOP 6,867

-69.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ¥6,152

$2,083 MOP 16.8K

-56.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 ¥3,672

$1,743 MOP 14.1K

-68.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,934 ¥33.3K

$11.0K MOP 88.7K

-55.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,398 ¥16.2K

$8,003 MOP 64.6K

-70.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,065 ¥7,194

$2,022 MOP 16.3K

-47.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

3.21

26.48%

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

Last update for China: July 13, 2026

Last update for Macao (China): July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $287 in China, $1,129 in Macao (China). Capital cities: $894 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,061 in Macao.

National salary averages: $855 in China, $2,055 in Macao (China). Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 293% higher in Macao (China).

Dining out costs 138% more in Macao (China).

Public transport is 64% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 140% higher in Macao (China).

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

China vs Macao (China): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $862 per month in China and $1,778 in Macao (China), there's a 106% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in China: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Macao (China) is consistently higher than in China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Macao (China) it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: China wins on affordability; Macao (China) may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.