Cost of Living Comparison Between Macao and Alba Cost of Living Comparison Between Macao and Alba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,721 per month in Macao vs $1,530 in Alba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,815 per month in Macao vs $2,370 in Alba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,908 per month in Macao vs $3,210 in Alba, rent included.

Macao costs about 12% more than Alba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Macao and Alba sit above the global median – Macao by 29%, Alba by 15%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.24 MOP 50.4

$12.10 €10.59

-48.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.70 MOP 401

$93.4 €81.7

-46.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 MOP 51.1

$12.71 €11.12

-50.28%

Cappuccino

$4.87 MOP 39.32

$1.70 €1.49

186.47%

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

$1.20 MOP 9.66

$2.97 €2.60

-59.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MOP 7.10

$1.49 €1.31

-40.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.67 MOP 45.78

$6.34 €5.55

-10.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 MOP 57.7

$5.94 €5.20

20.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.95 MOP 23.84

$1.87 €1.64

57.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 MOP 12.80

$2.92 €2.55

-45.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 MOP 12.31

$3.34 €2.92

-54.19%

Eggs

$3.08 MOP 24.86

$4.31 €3.77

-28.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.32 MOP 140

$11.73 €10.26

47.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.80 MOP 63.0

$13.03 €11.40

-40.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.05 MOP 186

$23.98 €20.98

-3.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 MOP 30.38

$1.72 €1.50

118.60%

Banana (1kg)

$3.00 MOP 24.25

$2.32 €2.03

29.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 MOP 30.30

$3.29 €2.87

13.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 MOP 22.17

$4.00 €3.50

-31.25%

Potato (1kg)

$4.26 MOP 34.39

$2.67 €2.33

59.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.38 MOP 27.30

$1.78 €1.56

89.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MOP 13.11

$1.63 €1.43

-0.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MOP 8.77

$0.15 €0.13

626.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.19 MOP 49.95

$7.07 €6.19

-12.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.27 MOP 99.0

$9.27 €8.11

32.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MOP 11.34

$2.40 €2.10

-41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 MOP 16.87

$3.12 €2.73

-33.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MOP 6.21

$1.76 €1.54

-56.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.92 MOP 177

$43.52 €38.07

-49.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 MOP 21.25

$8.02 €7.02

-67.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 MOP 9.48

$1.52 €1.33

-23.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.96 MOP 121

$39.04 €34.16

-61.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 MOP 14.08

$2.11 €1.84

-17.54%

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

$31.0K MOP 250.5K

$33.5K €29.3K

-7.40%

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

$27.5K MOP 221.7K

$36.1K €31.6K

-23.87%

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

$103 MOP 830

$218 €191

-52.89%

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

$25.16 MOP 203

$8.34 €7.30

201.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.06 MOP 267

$31.34 €27.42

5.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.1 MOP 687

$55.3 €48.42

53.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.45 MOP 27.88

$23.27 €20.35

-85.17%

Cinema Ticket

$14.39 MOP 116

$11.49 €10.06

25.24%

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

$693 MOP 5,599

$887 €776

-21.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K MOP 110.0K

$16.6K €14.5K

-17.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.9 MOP 524

$98.2 €86.0

-33.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.20 MOP 236

$29.39 €25.72

-0.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 MOP 715

$52.9 €46.25

67.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 MOP 820

$75.9 €66.4

33.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 MOP 8,567

$484 €423

119.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 MOP 6,222

$412 €361

86.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,955 MOP 15.8K

$744 €651

162.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,593 MOP 12.9K

$626 €548

154.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,503 MOP 68.7K

$3,063 €2,680

177.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,652 MOP 45.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,055 MOP 16.6K

$2,629 €2,300

-21.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.28

3.25

0.92%

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

Last update for Macao: July 11, 2026

Last update for Alba: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,061 in Macao versus $484 in Alba. 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 28% higher in Alba, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Macao versus $93.0 in Alba. Groceries tell a different story – $364 in Macao vs $363 in Alba – so Alba 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

Macao vs Alba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Macao is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,582 per month in Macao and $2,295 in Alba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,721 in Macao and $1,530 in Alba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 99% less in Alba. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Alba, where all-in costs run around $1,530, than in Macao at $1,721. In Alba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Macao it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Alba – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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