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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,122 per month in Macao vs $1,422 in Castries, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,990 per month in Macao vs $2,362 in Castries, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,858 per month in Macao vs $3,302 in Castries, rent included.

Macao costs about 49% more than Castries, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Macao and Castries sit above the global median – Macao by 54%, Castries by 3%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.30 MOP 50.9

$9.14 EC$24.67

-31.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.2 MOP 446

$74.5 EC$201

-25.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 MOP 47.53

$8.54 EC$23.06

-31.03%

Cappuccino

$5.17 MOP 41.72

$3.68 EC$9.93

40.49%

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

$1.02 MOP 8.21

$1.88 EC$5.08

-45.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 MOP 7.01

$0.93 EC$2.51

-6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 MOP 47.42

$2.71 EC$7.32

116.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.48 MOP 60.4

$3.41 EC$9.21

119.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.15 MOP 25.42

$2.08 EC$5.62

51.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 MOP 14.22

$1.90 EC$5.12

-7.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MOP 13.55

$1.66 EC$4.48

1.20%

Eggs

$3.38 MOP 27.32

$4.73 EC$12.78

-28.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.02 MOP 129

$11.04 EC$29.81

45.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.37 MOP 156

$9.16 EC$24.73

111.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.90 MOP 233

$14.61 EC$39.44

97.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MOP 21.72

$8.65 EC$23.35

-68.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 MOP 23.17

$1.68 EC$4.55

70.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 MOP 15.16

$8.00 EC$21.59

-76.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 MOP 19.89

$14.84 EC$40.08

-83.42%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 MOP 31.65

$3.38 EC$9.12

15.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 MOP 23.56

$1.99 EC$5.38

46.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 MOP 4.96

$2.19 EC$5.91

-72.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MOP 9.77

$1.31 EC$3.55

-7.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 MOP 55.6

$9.03 EC$24.38

-23.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.29 MOP 99.3

$11.04 EC$29.80

11.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MOP 13.92

$2.19 EC$5.91

-21.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 MOP 17.76

$5.61 EC$15.14

-60.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MOP 6.23

$1.09 EC$2.93

-29.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.27 MOP 180

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 MOP 20.37

$9.23 EC$24.91

-72.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 MOP 9.91

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.91 MOP 120

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 MOP 14.96

$1.56 EC$4.21

18.59%

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

$31.0K MOP 250.6K

$25.5K EC$69.0K

21.51%

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

$31.8K MOP 256.7K

$37.1K EC$100.2K

-14.39%

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

$120 MOP 969

$124 EC$334

-2.87%

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

$23.91 MOP 193

$87.1 EC$235

-72.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.83 MOP 297

$48.46 EC$131

-24.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.0 MOP 525

$40.82 EC$110

59.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.81 MOP 30.77

Cinema Ticket

$14.53 MOP 117

$5.49 EC$14.82

164.66%

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

$1,217 MOP 9,831

$214 EC$579

467.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K MOP 151.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.2 MOP 559

$83.0 EC$224

-16.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.86 MOP 273

$51.7 EC$140

-34.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 MOP 744

$112 EC$303

-17.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 MOP 1,101

$110 EC$298

23.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 MOP 9,104

$451 EC$1,219

149.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 MOP 8,757

$342 EC$923

217.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MOP 16.8K

$1,225 EC$3,307

70.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,472 MOP 11.9K

$705 EC$1,903

108.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,369 MOP 67.6K

$101 EC$273

8172.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,647 MOP 45.6K

$63.8 EC$172

8750.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,984 MOP 16.0K

$1,094 EC$2,955

81.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.75

-61.29%

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

Last update for Macao: August 30, 2026

Last update for Castries: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,127 in Macao versus $451 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 81% 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 $55.0 in Macao versus $75.0 in Castries. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $424 vs $431 – 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 49% 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 $3,183 per month in Macao and $2,133 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 $2,122 in Macao and $1,422 in Castries. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,217 per month in Macao and $214 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 $1,422, than in Macao at $2,122. 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.