Cost of Living Comparison Between Hong Kong and Macao Cost of Living Comparison Between Hong Kong and Macao

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,887 per month in Hong Kong vs $2,122 in Macao, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,496 per month in Hong Kong vs $2,990 in Macao, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,105 per month in Hong Kong vs $3,858 in Macao, rent included.

Hong Kong costs about 36% more than Macao, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Hong Kong and Macao sit above the global median – Hong Kong by 110%, Macao by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.86 HK$61.6

$6.30 MOP 50.9

24.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 HK$506

$55.2 MOP 446

16.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.26 HK$49.12

$5.89 MOP 47.53

6.28%

Cappuccino

$4.89 HK$38.30

$5.17 MOP 41.72

-5.42%

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

$1.32 HK$10.38

$1.02 MOP 8.21

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 HK$8.70

$0.87 MOP 7.01

27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.84 HK$61.5

$5.87 MOP 47.42

33.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 HK$42.64

$7.48 MOP 60.4

-27.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.99 HK$23.43

$3.15 MOP 25.42

-5.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 HK$17.84

$1.76 MOP 14.22

28.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 HK$17.33

$1.68 MOP 13.55

31.55%

Eggs

$3.46 HK$27.13

$3.38 MOP 27.33

2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.62 HK$209

$16.02 MOP 129

66.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.50 HK$66.6

$19.37 MOP 156

-56.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.36 HK$152

$28.90 MOP 233

-33.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.25 HK$33.31

$2.69 MOP 21.72

57.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 HK$18.92

$2.87 MOP 23.17

-16.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.47 HK$35.04

$1.88 MOP 15.16

137.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.39 HK$26.60

$2.46 MOP 19.89

37.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 HK$24.67

$3.92 MOP 31.65

-19.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.24 HK$25.38

$2.92 MOP 23.56

10.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 HK$11.74

$0.61 MOP 4.96

145.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 HK$14.25

$1.21 MOP 9.77

50.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.53 HK$106

$6.88 MOP 55.6

96.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.68 HK$123

$12.29 MOP 99.3

27.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 HK$14.97

$1.72 MOP 13.92

11.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 HK$17.46

$2.20 MOP 17.76

1.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 HK$10.17

$0.77 MOP 6.23

68.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.3 HK$693

$22.27 MOP 180

296.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 HK$28.65

$2.52 MOP 20.37

44.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 HK$10.26

$1.23 MOP 9.91

6.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.23 HK$127

$14.91 MOP 120

8.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$4.06 HK$31.82

$1.85 MOP 14.96

119.46%

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

$45.5K HK$356.8K

$31.0K MOP 250.6K

46.65%

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

$36.8K HK$288.5K

$31.8K MOP 256.7K

15.75%

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

$229 HK$1,792

$120 MOP 969

90.43%

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

$14.84 HK$116

$23.91 MOP 193

-37.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.48 HK$168

$36.83 MOP 297

-41.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.4 HK$716

$65.0 MOP 525

40.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.00 HK$78.4

$3.81 MOP 30.77

162.47%

Cinema Ticket

$13.57 HK$106

$14.53 MOP 117

-6.61%

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

$1,043 HK$8,181

$1,217 MOP 9,831

-14.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K HK$175.4K

$18.8K MOP 151.5K

19.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 HK$503

$69.2 MOP 559

-7.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.51 HK$318

$33.86 MOP 273

19.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 HK$618

$92.1 MOP 744

-14.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 HK$948

$136 MOP 1,101

-11.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,211 HK$17.3K

$1,127 MOP 9,105

96.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,682 HK$13.2K

$1,084 MOP 8,757

55.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,004 HK$39.2K

$2,086 MOP 16.8K

139.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,371 HK$26.4K

$1,472 MOP 11.9K

129.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.4K HK$230.7K

$8,369 MOP 67.6K

251.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$17.2K HK$134.6K

$5,647 MOP 45.6K

203.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,125 HK$24.5K

$1,984 MOP 16.0K

57.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.85

28.33%

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

Last update for Hong Kong: August 31, 2026

Last update for Macao: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,211 in Hong Kong 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 57% higher in Hong Kong, 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 $64.0 in Hong Kong versus $55.0 in Macao. Groceries tell a different story – $415 in Hong Kong vs $424 in Macao – so Hong Kong wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Hong Kong vs Macao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,887 in Hong Kong, $2,122 in Macao – roughly 36% apart. Hong Kong costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,331 per month in Hong Kong 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 Macao, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Hong Kong and $55.0 in Macao. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,887 in Hong Kong and $2,122 in Macao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Macao, where all-in costs run around $2,122, than in Hong Kong at $2,887. In Macao it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hong Kong it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Hong Kong has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,122 in Macao to $2,887 in Hong Kong. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Macao. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hong Kong makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.