Cost of Living Comparison Between Macao and Castries Cost of Living Comparison Between Macao and Castries

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,721 per month in Macao vs $1,409 in Castries, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,815 per month in Macao vs $2,208 in Castries, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,908 per month in Macao vs $3,007 in Castries, rent included.

Macao costs about 22% more than Castries, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Macao and Castries sit above the global median – Macao by 29%, Castries by 5%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.24 MOP 50.4

$7.34 EC$19.83

-14.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.70 MOP 401

$75.2 EC$203

-33.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 MOP 51.1

$7.30 EC$19.70

-13.42%

Cappuccino

$4.87 MOP 39.33

$3.80 EC$10.27

28.16%

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

$1.20 MOP 9.66

$1.12 EC$3.03

7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MOP 7.10

$1.00 EC$2.69

-12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.67 MOP 45.78

$2.63 EC$7.09

115.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 MOP 57.7

$3.29 EC$8.87

117.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.95 MOP 23.84

$2.18 EC$5.89

35.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 MOP 12.81

$1.71 EC$4.61

-7.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 MOP 12.32

$1.66 EC$4.47

-7.83%

Eggs

$3.08 MOP 24.86

$4.31 EC$11.64

-28.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.32 MOP 140

$11.30 EC$30.50

53.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.80 MOP 63.0

$9.96 EC$26.90

-21.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.05 MOP 186

$9.94 EC$26.84

131.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 MOP 30.39

$7.52 EC$20.30

-50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$3.00 MOP 24.26

$1.68 EC$4.52

78.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 MOP 30.31

$6.12 EC$16.53

-38.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 MOP 22.17

$9.25 EC$24.97

-70.27%

Potato (1kg)

$4.26 MOP 34.40

$3.32 EC$8.95

28.31%

Onion (1kg)

$3.38 MOP 27.30

$1.74 EC$4.70

94.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MOP 13.11

$2.09 EC$5.64

-22.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MOP 8.77

$1.08 EC$2.90

0.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.19 MOP 49.96

$9.00 EC$24.31

-31.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.27 MOP 99.1

$10.97 EC$29.61

11.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MOP 11.34

$2.12 EC$5.71

-33.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 MOP 16.87

$4.29 EC$11.57

-51.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MOP 6.21

$1.10 EC$2.96

-30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.92 MOP 177

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 MOP 21.25

$9.52 EC$25.72

-72.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 MOP 9.49

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.96 MOP 121

$18.42 EC$49.74

-18.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 MOP 14.09

$1.53 EC$4.13

13.73%

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

$31.0K MOP 250.6K

$29.1K EC$78.5K

6.72%

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

$27.5K MOP 221.7K

$27.6K EC$74.5K

-0.44%

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

$103 MOP 830

$107 EC$289

-4.09%

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

$25.16 MOP 203

$89.6 EC$242

-71.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.06 MOP 267

$43.87 EC$118

-24.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.1 MOP 687

$42.35 EC$114

100.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.45 MOP 27.88

Cinema Ticket

$14.39 MOP 116

$6.74 EC$18.21

113.50%

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

$693 MOP 5,599

$197 EC$533

251.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K MOP 110.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.9 MOP 524

$79.8 EC$215

-18.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.20 MOP 236

$52.6 EC$142

-44.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 MOP 715

$105 EC$283

-15.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 MOP 820

$109 EC$294

-6.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 MOP 8,568

$586 EC$1,582

81.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 MOP 6,223

$395 EC$1,067

95.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,955 MOP 15.8K

$1,005 EC$2,714

94.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,593 MOP 12.9K

$692 EC$1,868

130.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,503 MOP 68.7K

$100 EC$271

8363.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,652 MOP 45.6K

$63.7 EC$172

8771.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,055 MOP 16.6K

$1,092 EC$2,949

88.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.28

7.75

-57.68%

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

Last update for Macao: July 11, 2026

Last update for Castries: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,061 in Macao versus $586 in Castries. 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 88% higher in Macao, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Macao versus $75.0 in Castries. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $364 vs $370 – making Macao the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Castries: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Macao costs about 22% more than Castries, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,582 per month in Macao and $2,113 in Castries. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Castries, 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 $1,409 in Castries. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Macao and $197 in Castries. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Castries, where all-in costs run around $1,409, than in Macao at $1,721. In Castries it covers expenses comfortably, while in Macao it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Castries – 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 Castries. 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.