Cost of Living Comparison Between Gwangju and Macao Cost of Living Comparison Between Gwangju and Macao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,389 in Gwangju versus $1,770 in Macao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,162 in Gwangju versus $2,784 in Macao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,936 in Gwangju versus $3,799 in Macao.

Living in Gwangju costs roughly 22% less than in Macao, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gwangju 4% above, Macao 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.16 ₩10.8K

$6.23 MOP 50.3

14.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 ₩78.2K

$50.3 MOP 406

2.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ₩8,675

$6.06 MOP 48.85

-5.28%

Cappuccino

$3.79 ₩5,724

$4.78 MOP 38.57

-20.71%

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

$1.49 ₩2,259

$1.24 MOP 10.02

20.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₩1,032

$0.84 MOP 6.74

-19.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 ₩4,556

$5.87 MOP 47.39

-48.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 ₩5,406

$6.99 MOP 56.4

-48.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ₩2,812

$2.93 MOP 23.60

-36.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 ₩3,509

$1.58 MOP 12.78

46.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 ₩4,560

$1.47 MOP 11.88

105.44%

Eggs

$2.72 ₩4,114

$3.13 MOP 25.21

-13.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 ₩10.8K

$17.19 MOP 139

-58.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.57 ₩11.4K

$7.60 MOP 61.3

-0.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.61 ₩50.8K

$23.10 MOP 186

45.50%

Apples (1kg)

$7.80 ₩11.8K

$3.81 MOP 30.77

104.72%

Banana (1kg)

$3.57 ₩5,396

$2.96 MOP 23.92

20.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.47 ₩8,272

$3.85 MOP 31.04

42.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.47 ₩8,262

$2.74 MOP 22.10

99.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.94 ₩5,947

$4.25 MOP 34.27

-7.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 ₩3,807

$3.44 MOP 27.78

-26.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 ₩3,946

$1.71 MOP 13.78

52.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₩1,819

$1.09 MOP 8.80

10.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,969

$6.14 MOP 49.54

-46.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.07 ₩15.2K

$12.36 MOP 99.7

-18.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 ₩2,367

$1.42 MOP 11.46

10.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₩3,453

$2.04 MOP 16.42

12.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ₩1,414

$0.76 MOP 6.12

23.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 ₩98.1K

$22.41 MOP 181

189.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 ₩4,548

$2.64 MOP 21.32

14.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₩851

$1.19 MOP 9.57

-52.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.36 ₩12.6K

$15.08 MOP 122

-44.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₩1,862

$1.82 MOP 14.71

-32.42%

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

$27.3K ₩41.2M

$31.2K MOP 252.0K

-12.71%

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

$22.4K ₩33.8M

$27.5K MOP 222.0K

-18.67%

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

$166 ₩250.9K

$101 MOP 813

64.78%

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

$34.23 ₩51.7K

$25.53 MOP 206

34.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.62 ₩32.7K

$34.18 MOP 276

-36.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.30 ₩71.5K

$87.3 MOP 704

-45.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.60 ₩22.1K

$3.46 MOP 27.94

321.97%

Cinema Ticket

$8.76 ₩13.2K

$14.29 MOP 115

-38.70%

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

$410 ₩619.1K

$685 MOP 5,524

-40.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩35.8M

$13.6K MOP 110.0K

73.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 ₩75.9K

$63.5 MOP 512

-20.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.91 ₩55.8K

$28.28 MOP 228

30.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.8 ₩96.4K

$90.2 MOP 728

-29.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 ₩151.7K

$102 MOP 826

-1.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₩680.8K

$1,069 MOP 8,620

-57.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 ₩534.0K

$763 MOP 6,154

-53.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$854 ₩1.3M

$1,951 MOP 15.7K

-56.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 ₩897.1K

$1,604 MOP 12.9K

-62.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,977 ₩10.5M

$8,430 MOP 68.0K

-17.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,723 ₩8.6M

$5,593 MOP 45.1K

2.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,553 ₩3.9M

$2,037 MOP 16.4K

25.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.9

3.28

18.90%

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

Last update for Gwangju: June 13, 2026

Last update for Macao: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $451 in Gwangju and $1,069 in Macao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gwangju pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Gwangju vs $50.0 in Macao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $364 per month, with Macao cheaper across the board.

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

Gwangju vs Macao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gwangju is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Gwangju pays 25% more on average, 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: $451 in Gwangju versus $1,069 in Macao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Gwangju – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $50.0 in Macao. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,389 per month in Gwangju versus $1,770 in Macao – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,389 in Gwangju versus $1,770 in Macao, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gwangju but tight or insufficient in Macao. The gap between the two cities makes Gwangju 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, Gwangju 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 Gwangju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Macao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.