Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Macao (China)

For one person, living is cheaper in India: $395 a month against $1,996 in Macao (China), rent and utilities included – about $19,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

🇮🇳 India
$395
/mo nomad
🇲🇴 Macao (China)
$1,996
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in India and in Macao (China)

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in India and in Macao (China) actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $395 in India versus $1,996 in Macao (China).

  • India $395
  • Macao (China) $1,996

Estimated couple costs with rent: $628 in India versus $3,037 in Macao (China).

  • India $628
  • Macao (China) $3,037

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $861 in India versus $4,078 in Macao (China).

  • India $861
  • Macao (China) $4,078

Internal cost variation is higher in India: monthly costs span $229 to $828, compared to $2,035–$2,139 in Macao (China). City choice carries more weight in India.

Living in India costs about 80% less than in Macao (China) on average.

India (71% below) and Macao (China) (47% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
India
Macao (China)
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.14 ₹203
$6.08 MOP 49.12
-64.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.57 ₹1,004
$54.7 MOP 442
-80.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.77 ₹358
$6.15 MOP 49.70
-38.70%
Cappuccino
$1.76 ₹167
$5.05 MOP 40.85
-65.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.42 ₹39.67
$1.02 MOP 8.28
-58.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.14 ₹13.45
$0.79 MOP 6.35
-82.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.95 ₹186
$5.63 MOP 45.47
-65.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.11 ₹295
$7.40 MOP 59.8
-57.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
India
Macao (China)
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.63 ₹59.6
$3.11 MOP 25.14
-79.74%
White Bread (500g)
$0.46 ₹43.45
$1.70 MOP 13.72
-72.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.68 ₹64.3
$1.73 MOP 13.98
-60.69%
Eggs
$0.93 ₹88.4
$3.46 MOP 27.96
-73.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.83 ₹458
$15.90 MOP 129
-69.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.91 ₹276
$19.62 MOP 159
-85.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$28.68 MOP 232
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.00 ₹190
$2.70 MOP 21.85
-25.93%
Banana (1kg)
$0.63 ₹59.6
$2.87 MOP 23.19
-78.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.98 ₹92.8
$1.93 MOP 15.62
-49.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.51 ₹48.04
$2.36 MOP 19.07
-78.39%
Potato (1kg)
$0.36 ₹34.28
$3.85 MOP 31.08
-90.65%
Onion (1kg)
$0.39 ₹36.72
$2.97 MOP 23.99
-86.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.43 ₹41.31
$0.62 MOP 5.04
-30.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.29 ₹27.53
$1.15 MOP 9.31
-74.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.14 ₹488
$6.76 MOP 54.7
-23.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.33 ₹696
$12.20 MOP 98.6
-39.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 ₹157
$1.79 MOP 14.46
-7.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 ₹259
$2.18 MOP 17.65
25.23%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$5.08 ₹483
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
India
Macao (China)
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 ₹23.70
$0.71 MOP 5.73
-64.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.49 ₹806
$22.62 MOP 183
-62.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.03 ₹97.9
$2.58 MOP 20.88
-60.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.25 ₹23.69
$1.28 MOP 10.34
-80.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.61 ₹153
$14.79 MOP 120
-89.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 ₹101
$1.85 MOP 14.95
-42.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$11.3K ₹1.1M
$30.8K MOP 248.7K
-63.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.1K ₹1.9M
$31.1K MOP 251.7K
-35.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
Macao (China)
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$37.73 ₹3,583
$124 MOP 1,000
-69.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.58 ₹340
$23.96 MOP 194
-85.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.89 ₹655
$37.38 MOP 302
-81.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
India
Macao (China)
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$14.63 ₹1,390
$66.9 MOP 541
-78.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.25 ₹688
$3.68 MOP 29.72
97.01%
Cinema Ticket
$3.17 ₹301
$13.83 MOP 112
-77.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
India
Macao (China)
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$56.5 ₹5,369
$1,234 MOP 9,972
-95.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,646 ₹156.3K
$18.7K MOP 150.8K
-91.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
India
Macao (China)
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.73 ₹2,158
$70.5 MOP 569
-67.74%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.04 ₹2,283
$33.85 MOP 274
-28.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$41.04 ₹3,898
$93.0 MOP 752
-55.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$30.60 ₹2,906
$137 MOP 1,108
-77.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
India
Macao (China)
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$144 ₹13.6K
$1,100 MOP 8,892
-86.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$91.5 ₹8,691
$931 MOP 7,529
-90.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$324 ₹30.8K
$2,101 MOP 17.0K
-84.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$214 ₹20.3K
$1,644 MOP 13.3K
-87.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,200 ₹114.0K
$10.8K MOP 87.3K
-88.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$619 ₹58.8K
$8,075 MOP 65.3K
-92.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
India
Macao (China)
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$440 ₹41.8K
$2,031 MOP 16.4K
-78.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.92
3
197.33%

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

Last update for India: October 19, 2026

Last update for Macao (China): October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
India
$102
Macao (China)
$422 314% $320
Accommodation & Living
India
$92
Macao (China)
$931 918% $840
Eating Out
India
$68
Macao (China)
$178 163% $110
Clothing & Footwear
India
$53
Macao (China)
$150 182% $97
Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
$48
Macao (China)
$185 284% $137
Sport & Entertainment
India
$21
Macao (China)
$95 351% $74
Getting Around
India
$12
Macao (China)
$34 193% $23

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $119 in India, $1,101 in Macao (China). Capital cities: $271 in Delhi vs $1,132 in Macao.

National salary averages: $413 in India, $2,054 in Macao (China). Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 825% higher in Macao (China).

Dining out costs 450% more in Macao (China).

Public transport is 57% more expensive in Macao (China).

Salaries are 397% higher in Macao (China).

Good to know
🇮🇳 India
🇲🇴 Macao (China)
🕒 Local time
17:07 5:07 PM
19:37 7:37 PM
2 h 30 min ahead of India
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,326,093,247
682,100
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MOP, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

Macanese Pataca exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 8.08 MOP (1 MOP = 0.124 USD). 1 EUR = 9.09 MOP (1 MOP = 0.11 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • India Macao (China) 3,700 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • India
  • Macao (China)

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
India vs Macao (China): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between India and Macao (China)?
At $395 per month in India and $1,996 in Macao (China), there's a 405% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in India: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,101 in Macao (China) and $119 in India. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in India or in Macao (China)?
In India, $1,000 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.
Should I move to India or to Macao (China)?
It depends on what you're after: India wins on affordability; Macao (China) may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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