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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,764 per month in Macao vs $1,510 in Alba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Macao vs $2,350 in Alba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,787 per month in Macao vs $3,190 in Alba, rent included.

Macao costs about 17% more than Alba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Macao and Alba sit above the global median – Macao by 32%, Alba by 13%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.19 MOP 49.95

$12.17 €10.47

-49.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.59 MOP 400

$91.6 €78.8

-45.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.05 MOP 48.87

$12.87 €11.07

-52.99%

Cappuccino

$4.86 MOP 39.22

$1.77 €1.52

174.58%

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

$1.20 MOP 9.71

$2.95 €2.54

-59.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MOP 6.57

$1.44 €1.24

-43.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 MOP 47.27

$6.22 €5.35

-5.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 MOP 58.3

$5.68 €4.89

27.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.94 MOP 23.76

$1.77 €1.52

66.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 MOP 12.89

$2.89 €2.49

-44.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 MOP 12.39

$3.16 €2.72

-51.58%

Eggs

$3.17 MOP 25.62

$4.39 €3.78

-27.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.37 MOP 140

$11.60 €9.97

49.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.56 MOP 61.1

$13.12 €11.29

-42.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.17 MOP 187

$23.78 €20.45

-2.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 MOP 30.96

$1.79 €1.54

114.53%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 MOP 25.14

$2.30 €1.98

35.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 MOP 30.88

$3.33 €2.86

15.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 MOP 22.61

$4.07 €3.50

-31.20%

Potato (1kg)

$4.37 MOP 35.24

$2.56 €2.20

70.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 MOP 28.21

$1.77 €1.52

97.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 MOP 13.78

$1.70 €1.46

0.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MOP 8.80

$0.14 €0.12

678.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 MOP 49.60

$6.86 €5.90

-10.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.17 MOP 98.2

$9.57 €8.23

27.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MOP 11.01

$2.36 €2.03

-42.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 MOP 16.60

$3.05 €2.62

-32.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MOP 6.25

$1.77 €1.52

-56.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.17 MOP 179

$43.11 €37.08

-48.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 MOP 21.36

$7.81 €6.72

-66.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 MOP 9.57

$1.52 €1.31

-21.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.12 MOP 122

$39.81 €34.25

-62.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 MOP 14.08

$2.04 €1.76

-14.71%

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

$31.0K MOP 250.2K

$33.5K €28.8K

-7.32%

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

$28.2K MOP 227.9K

$35.8K €30.8K

-21.10%

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

$103 MOP 835

$217 €187

-52.37%

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

$25.14 MOP 203

$7.91 €6.81

217.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.23 MOP 276

$31.15 €26.80

9.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.3 MOP 689

$54.7 €47.07

55.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.51 MOP 28.35

$22.85 €19.65

-84.64%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 MOP 115

$11.65 €10.02

22.58%

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

$674 MOP 5,436

$876 €753

-23.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MOP 107.0K

$16.7K €14.4K

-20.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 MOP 525

$100 €86.2

-35.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.06 MOP 235

$28.91 €24.87

0.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 MOP 713

$52.5 €45.16

68.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 MOP 823

$75.0 €64.5

36.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 MOP 8,588

$485 €417

119.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 MOP 6,277

$402 €346

93.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,966 MOP 15.9K

$747 €643

163.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MOP 13.1K

$625 €537

159.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K MOP 102.8K

$2,943 €2,532

332.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,010 MOP 64.6K

$2,026 €1,743

295.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,983 MOP 16.0K

$2,708 €2,330

-26.80%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Alba: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,064 in Macao versus $485 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 37% 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 $92.0 in Alba. Groceries tell a different story – $366 in Macao vs $362 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 17%, 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 $2,646 per month in Macao and $2,266 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 $1,764 in Macao and $1,510 in Alba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 94% 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 $1,510, than in Macao at $1,764. 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.