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

Name: Australia
Address: AU

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,797 per month in Macao (China) vs $2,182 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,831 per month in Macao (China) vs $3,216 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,864 per month in Macao (China) vs $4,250 in Australia, rent included.

Macao (China) is roughly 18% cheaper than Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Macao (China) and Australia are pricier than the global median – Macao (China) by 34%, Australia by 63%.

Australia has a wider regional cost range ($1,579–$2,759) than Macao (China) ($1,764–$1,830), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Australia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.04 MOP 48.74

$16.17 A$22.94

-62.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 MOP 443

$78.6 A$111

-30.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 MOP 50.6

$9.48 A$13.45

-33.76%

Cappuccino

$4.74 MOP 38.28

$3.56 A$5.05

33.15%

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

$0.97 MOP 7.82

$2.60 A$3.68

-62.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 MOP 6.03

$2.21 A$3.14

-66.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.82 MOP 46.99

$6.47 A$9.18

-10.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 MOP 58.7

$7.19 A$10.20

1.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.77 MOP 22.37

$1.56 A$2.21

77.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 MOP 12.75

$2.53 A$3.59

-37.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 MOP 11.91

$2.02 A$2.87

-26.73%

Eggs

$2.85 MOP 23.02

$4.47 A$6.34

-36.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.99 MOP 153

$8.86 A$12.57

114.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.68 MOP 62.0

$8.38 A$11.89

-8.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.15 MOP 187

$13.71 A$19.44

68.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 MOP 29.94

$3.23 A$4.58

14.86%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 MOP 24.83

$2.84 A$4.03

8.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 MOP 30.79

$2.98 A$4.23

28.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 MOP 22.20

$4.38 A$6.21

-37.21%

Potato (1kg)

$4.39 MOP 35.44

$2.45 A$3.47

79.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.52 MOP 28.40

$2.11 A$3.00

66.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 MOP 13.30

$2.16 A$3.07

-23.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MOP 8.74

$1.58 A$2.25

-31.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.08 MOP 49.08

$30.61 A$43.42

-80.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.18 MOP 98.3

$14.23 A$20.19

-14.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 MOP 11.49

$4.55 A$6.45

-68.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 MOP 16.82

$4.91 A$6.96

-57.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MOP 5.71

$2.89 A$4.10

-75.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.48 MOP 181

$97.5 A$138

-76.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 MOP 20.42

$3.54 A$5.02

-28.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.18 MOP 9.51

$1.75 A$2.48

-32.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.64 MOP 118

$38.10 A$54.1

-61.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 MOP 14.35

$1.16 A$1.64

53.45%

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

$30.5K MOP 246.0K

$28.8K A$40.9K

5.87%

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

$28.0K MOP 225.7K

$23.2K A$32.9K

20.63%

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

$93.4 MOP 753

$179 A$254

-47.79%

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

$25.67 MOP 207

$26.75 A$37.94

-4.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.24 MOP 276

$53.7 A$76.2

-36.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.3 MOP 632

$48.44 A$68.7

61.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.83 MOP 22.83

$16.88 A$23.95

-83.23%

Cinema Ticket

$14.27 MOP 115

$13.61 A$19.31

4.85%

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

$683 MOP 5,506

$1,605 A$2,276

-57.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K MOP 108.8K

$12.7K A$18.1K

5.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 MOP 522

$71.4 A$101

-9.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.78 MOP 232

$50.0 A$71.0

-42.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 MOP 723

$99.8 A$142

-10.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 MOP 825

$109 A$155

-6.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 MOP 9,226

$1,385 A$1,965

-17.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$857 MOP 6,910

$1,076 A$1,527

-20.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 MOP 16.6K

$2,284 A$3,240

-9.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,760 MOP 14.2K

$1,757 A$2,492

0.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K MOP 89.6K

$7,462 A$10.6K

48.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,298 MOP 67.0K

$5,617 A$7,968

47.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,980 MOP 16.0K

$4,070 A$5,773

-51.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.21

6.35

-49.45%

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

Last update for Macao (China): June 2, 2026

Last update for Australia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,143 in Macao (China) vs $1,233 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,064 in Macao and $1,548 in Canberra.

Average salary: $1,983 in Macao (China) vs $3,906 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 8% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 54% more in Australia.

Public transport is 509% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 97% higher in Australia, giving Australia stronger purchasing power.

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

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

Macao (China) is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 21% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Macao (China), contributing to the overall 21% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Macao (China), but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Macao (China) is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.