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 $1,778 per month in Macao (China) vs $2,185 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,855 per month in Macao (China) vs $3,220 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,932 per month in Macao (China) vs $4,254 in Australia, rent included.

The cost of living in Macao (China) is roughly 19% lower than in 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 33%, Australia by 64%.

The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,575–$2,824) than in Macao (China) ($1,721–$1,835), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.26 MOP 50.6

$16.19 A$23.11

-61.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.6 MOP 457

$77.1 A$110

-26.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.06 MOP 48.91

$9.47 A$13.52

-36.01%

Cappuccino

$4.79 MOP 38.72

$3.46 A$4.94

38.44%

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

$0.95 MOP 7.69

$2.68 A$3.83

-64.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 MOP 6.16

$2.19 A$3.12

-65.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 MOP 47.88

$6.61 A$9.44

-10.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 MOP 58.8

$7.10 A$10.14

2.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 MOP 21.75

$1.55 A$2.21

73.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 MOP 12.77

$2.47 A$3.53

-36.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MOP 12.01

$2.10 A$3.00

-29.05%

Eggs

$3.00 MOP 24.22

$4.24 A$6.06

-29.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.15 MOP 155

$8.57 A$12.24

123.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.75 MOP 62.6

$8.60 A$12.28

-9.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.72 MOP 184

$13.81 A$19.73

64.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 MOP 31.41

$3.17 A$4.53

22.71%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 MOP 24.98

$2.72 A$3.88

13.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 MOP 30.84

$2.96 A$4.23

29.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 MOP 22.36

$4.31 A$6.15

-35.73%

Potato (1kg)

$4.28 MOP 34.57

$2.47 A$3.52

73.28%

Onion (1kg)

$3.35 MOP 27.09

$2.10 A$2.99

59.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 MOP 13.38

$2.19 A$3.13

-24.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MOP 8.40

$1.53 A$2.18

-32.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.09 MOP 49.18

$31.29 A$44.69

-80.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.24 MOP 98.9

$13.94 A$19.91

-12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MOP 10.89

$4.46 A$6.37

-69.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 MOP 16.42

$5.01 A$7.16

-59.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MOP 5.84

$3.00 A$4.29

-76.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.23 MOP 180

$96.0 A$137

-76.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 MOP 20.65

$3.56 A$5.09

-28.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 MOP 9.41

$1.75 A$2.50

-33.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.81 MOP 120

$37.88 A$54.1

-60.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 MOP 14.29

$1.15 A$1.65

53.91%

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

$31.4K MOP 253.9K

$29.4K A$41.9K

7.07%

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

$28.2K MOP 227.7K

$23.1K A$33.0K

22.18%

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

$92.7 MOP 749

$174 A$248

-46.56%

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

$25.14 MOP 203

$26.88 A$38.39

-6.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.99 MOP 283

$52.7 A$75.3

-33.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.9 MOP 621

$47.69 A$68.1

61.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.73 MOP 22.05

$16.51 A$23.57

-83.46%

Cinema Ticket

$14.23 MOP 115

$13.73 A$19.61

3.64%

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

$677 MOP 5,464

$1,555 A$2,220

-56.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MOP 107.5K

$12.7K A$18.1K

5.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 MOP 529

$69.6 A$99.4

-5.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.63 MOP 231

$51.2 A$73.2

-44.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 MOP 735

$102 A$145

-10.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.7 MOP 805

$112 A$160

-11.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 MOP 9,434

$1,359 A$1,941

-14.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$850 MOP 6,867

$1,080 A$1,542

-21.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,083 MOP 16.8K

$2,300 A$3,285

-9.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,743 MOP 14.1K

$1,751 A$2,501

-0.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.0K MOP 88.7K

$7,618 A$10.9K

44.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,003 MOP 64.6K

$5,762 A$8,228

38.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,022 MOP 16.3K

$4,023 A$5,745

-49.74%

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): July 13, 2026

Last update for Australia: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,129 in Macao (China) vs $1,231 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,061 in Macao and $1,549 in Canberra.

Average salary: $2,055 in Macao (China) vs $3,775 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 9% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 54% more in Australia.

Public transport is 509% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 84% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

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 24% 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 24% 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.