Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Macao (China) and Spain

For one person, living is cheaper in Spain: $1,754 a month against $2,009 in Macao (China), rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

🇲🇴 Macao (China)
$2,009
/mo nomad
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,754
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,009 in Macao (China) versus $1,754 in Spain.

  • Macao (China) $2,009
  • Spain $1,754

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,040 in Macao (China) versus $2,570 in Spain.

  • Macao (China) $3,040
  • Spain $2,570

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,070 in Macao (China) versus $3,386 in Spain.

  • Macao (China) $4,070
  • Spain $3,386

Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $928 to $2,590, compared to $2,021–$2,114 in Macao (China). City choice carries more weight in Spain.

Living in Macao (China) is roughly 15% more expensive than in Spain on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Macao (China) 49% above, Spain 30% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Macao (China)
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.31 MOP 51.0
$16.56 €14.73
-61.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.9 MOP 452
$56.6 €50.4
-1.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.22 MOP 50.3
$11.24 €10.00
-44.66%
Cappuccino
$4.98 MOP 40.28
$2.32 €2.07
114.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98 MOP 7.95
$2.57 €2.28
-61.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MOP 6.29
$1.86 €1.66
-58.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.60 MOP 45.27
$3.34 €2.97
67.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.16 MOP 57.9
$4.02 €3.58
78.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Macao (China)
Spain
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.25 MOP 26.27
$1.21 €1.08
168.60%
White Bread (500g)
$1.76 MOP 14.25
$1.54 €1.37
14.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.71 MOP 13.83
$1.63 €1.45
4.91%
Eggs
$3.37 MOP 27.22
$3.30 €2.93
2.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.04 MOP 130
$14.35 €12.76
11.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$19.42 MOP 157
$8.54 €7.60
127.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$28.79 MOP 233
$16.09 €14.31
78.93%
Apples (1kg)
$2.59 MOP 20.97
$2.45 €2.18
5.71%
Banana (1kg)
$2.97 MOP 24.00
$2.02 €1.79
47.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 MOP 15.05
$2.07 €1.85
-10.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 MOP 18.83
$2.44 €2.17
-4.51%
Potato (1kg)
$3.95 MOP 31.90
$1.78 €1.58
121.91%
Onion (1kg)
$2.91 MOP 23.55
$2.01 €1.78
44.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.62 MOP 5.04
$1.29 €1.15
-51.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 MOP 9.65
$0.75 €0.66
58.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.60 MOP 53.4
$6.42 €5.71
2.80%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.46 MOP 101
$5.71 €5.08
118.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 MOP 13.76
$1.30 €1.15
30.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 MOP 17.94
$1.99 €1.77
11.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Macao (China)
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.71 MOP 5.72
$1.70 €1.51
-58.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.29 MOP 180
$33.97 €30.22
-34.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.55 MOP 20.61
$4.58 €4.07
-44.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.30 MOP 10.49
$1.48 €1.32
-12.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.13 MOP 122
$24.59 €21.87
-38.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.86 MOP 15.00
$1.74 €1.55
6.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.6K MOP 247.4K
$34.9K €31.0K
-12.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.9K MOP 249.5K
$29.7K €26.4K
3.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Macao (China)
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$121 MOP 978
$147 €131
-17.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.79 MOP 192
$17.90 €15.92
32.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.99 MOP 299
$31.21 €27.76
18.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Macao (China)
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.0 MOP 542
$44.57 €39.65
50.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.62 MOP 29.23
$15.01 €13.35
-75.88%
Cinema Ticket
$14.23 MOP 115
$9.24 €8.22
54.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Macao (China)
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,228 MOP 9,922
$529 €470
132.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.1K MOP 154.6K
$10.4K €9,212
84.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Macao (China)
Spain
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.0 MOP 566
$84.8 €75.5
-17.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.94 MOP 274
$36.80 €32.73
-7.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.7 MOP 749
$89.7 €79.7
3.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$139 MOP 1,121
$107 €94.8
30.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Macao (China)
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,087 MOP 8,788
$988 €879
10.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$944 MOP 7,633
$791 €703
19.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,087 MOP 16.9K
$1,580 €1,405
32.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,626 MOP 13.1K
$1,196 €1,064
35.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.7K MOP 86.2K
$4,059 €3,610
162.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,982 MOP 64.5K
$2,615 €2,326
205.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Macao (China)
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,031 MOP 16.4K
$1,923 €1,711
5.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3
3.3
-9.09%

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

Last update for Macao (China): October 10, 2026

Last update for Spain: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Macao (China)
$944
Spain
$791 16.3% $154
Groceries & Markets
Macao (China)
$424
Spain
$272 36% $153
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Macao (China)
$182
Spain
$196 7.8% $14
Eating Out
Macao (China)
$178
Spain
$237 32.7% $58
Clothing & Footwear
Macao (China)
$151
Spain
$143 5.2% $7.8
Sport & Entertainment
Macao (China)
$95
Spain
$63 34% $32
Getting Around
Macao (China)
$34
Spain
$53 54.4% $19

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,078 in Macao (China), $908 in Spain. Capital cities: $1,103 in Macao vs $1,506 in Madrid.

National salary averages: $2,041 in Macao (China), $1,972 in Spain. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 19% higher in Macao (China).

Public transport is 164% more expensive in Spain.

Good to know
🇲🇴 Macao (China)
🇪🇸 Spain
🕒 Local time
14:24 2:24 PM
08:24 8:24 AM
6 h behind Macao (China)
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
682,100
47,415,750
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MOP – Macanese Pataca Converter

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).

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Macao (China) Spain 10,500 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Macao (China)
  • Spain

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
Macao (China) vs Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Macao (China) and Spain?
At $2,009 per month in Macao (China) and $1,754 in Spain, there's a 15% 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 has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,078 in Macao (China) and $908 in Spain. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget in Macao (China) or in Spain?
In Spain, $3,000 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 Macao (China) or to Spain?
It depends on what you're after: Spain wins on affordability; Macao (China) may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Macao (China) vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?