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: $1,414 in Gwangju versus $1,787 in Macao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Gwangju versus $2,811 in Macao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,964 in Gwangju versus $3,834 in Macao.

Living in Gwangju costs roughly 21% less than in Macao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gwangju 5% above, Macao 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.54 ₩11.4K

$6.14 MOP 49.53

22.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 ₩77.3K

$49.55 MOP 400

2.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.78 ₩8,773

$6.24 MOP 50.4

-7.37%

Cappuccino

$3.96 ₩6,012

$4.62 MOP 37.32

-14.29%

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

$1.57 ₩2,380

$1.20 MOP 9.66

30.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩1,117

$0.87 MOP 7.04

-14.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 ₩4,389

$5.88 MOP 47.41

-50.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ₩5,488

$7.17 MOP 57.9

-49.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ₩2,834

$2.92 MOP 23.54

-35.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 ₩3,714

$1.52 MOP 12.29

61.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 ₩4,717

$1.46 MOP 11.75

113.01%

Eggs

$2.72 ₩4,131

$3.01 MOP 24.27

-9.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.47 ₩11.3K

$17.47 MOP 141

-57.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.51 ₩11.4K

$7.68 MOP 62.0

-2.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.52 ₩52.4K

$22.48 MOP 181

53.56%

Apples (1kg)

$7.63 ₩11.6K

$3.84 MOP 30.99

98.70%

Banana (1kg)

$3.62 ₩5,504

$3.00 MOP 24.24

20.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.60 ₩8,509

$3.75 MOP 30.26

49.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.60 ₩8,505

$2.74 MOP 22.08

104.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.94 ₩5,986

$4.46 MOP 35.95

-11.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 ₩3,705

$3.47 MOP 28.03

-29.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 ₩4,016

$1.68 MOP 13.57

57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₩1,775

$1.08 MOP 8.74

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₩5,173

$6.03 MOP 48.68

-43.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 ₩15.1K

$12.30 MOP 99.3

-19.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ₩2,433

$1.36 MOP 10.95

17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 ₩3,624

$2.05 MOP 16.51

16.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₩1,346

$0.72 MOP 5.85

23.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.1 ₩98.8K

$22.76 MOP 184

185.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 ₩4,483

$2.66 MOP 21.48

10.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩803

$1.23 MOP 9.92

-56.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.35 ₩12.7K

$14.97 MOP 121

-44.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₩1,834

$1.74 MOP 14.06

-30.46%

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

$27.3K ₩41.4M

$31.0K MOP 249.9K

-11.91%

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

$22.1K ₩33.6M

$28.3K MOP 228.1K

-21.81%

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

$164 ₩248.3K

$103 MOP 831

58.69%

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

$34.17 ₩51.9K

$25.35 MOP 205

34.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.89 ₩33.2K

$33.22 MOP 268

-34.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.10 ₩71.5K

$86.2 MOP 695

-45.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.78 ₩22.5K

$3.45 MOP 27.82

328.41%

Cinema Ticket

$8.63 ₩13.1K

$14.19 MOP 114

-39.18%

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

$412 ₩625.4K

$690 MOP 5,566

-40.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩36.0M

$13.3K MOP 107.0K

79.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 ₩77.2K

$65.3 MOP 527

-22.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.32 ₩56.7K

$28.67 MOP 231

30.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 ₩97.0K

$89.3 MOP 721

-28.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₩153.6K

$100 MOP 810

0.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 ₩677.1K

$1,081 MOP 8,721

-58.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 ₩542.9K

$780 MOP 6,295

-54.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 ₩1.3M

$1,945 MOP 15.7K

-57.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 ₩900.6K

$1,618 MOP 13.1K

-63.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,852 ₩10.4M

$8,534 MOP 68.9K

-19.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,649 ₩8.6M

$5,595 MOP 45.1K

0.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,527 ₩3.8M

$2,026 MOP 16.4K

24.68%

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 8, 2026

Last update for Macao: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $446 in Gwangju and $1,081 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: $51.0 in Gwangju vs $50.0 in Macao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 vs $362 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 26% 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: $446 in Gwangju versus $1,081 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 $51.0 versus $50.0 in Macao. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,414 per month in Gwangju versus $1,787 in Macao – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,414 in Gwangju versus $1,787 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 26% less than in Macao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.