Cost of Living Comparison Between Macao and Gwangju Cost of Living Comparison Between Macao and Gwangju

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,787 in Macao versus $1,414 in Gwangju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,811 in Macao versus $2,189 in Gwangju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,834 in Macao versus $2,964 in Gwangju.

Living in Macao is roughly 26% more expensive than Gwangju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Macao 33% above, Gwangju 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 MOP 49.53

$7.54 ₩11.4K

-18.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.55 MOP 400

$50.9 ₩77.3K

-2.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 MOP 50.4

$5.78 ₩8,773

7.96%

Cappuccino

$4.62 MOP 37.32

$3.96 ₩6,012

16.67%

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

$1.20 MOP 9.66

$1.57 ₩2,380

-23.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 MOP 7.04

$0.74 ₩1,117

17.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 MOP 47.41

$2.89 ₩4,389

103.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 MOP 57.9

$3.61 ₩5,488

98.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.92 MOP 23.54

$1.87 ₩2,834

56.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 MOP 12.29

$2.45 ₩3,714

-37.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MOP 11.75

$3.11 ₩4,717

-53.05%

Eggs

$3.01 MOP 24.27

$2.72 ₩4,131

10.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.47 MOP 141

$7.47 ₩11.3K

133.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.68 MOP 62.0

$7.51 ₩11.4K

2.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.48 MOP 181

$34.52 ₩52.4K

-34.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 MOP 30.99

$7.63 ₩11.6K

-49.67%

Banana (1kg)

$3.00 MOP 24.24

$3.62 ₩5,504

-17.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 MOP 30.26

$5.60 ₩8,509

-33.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 MOP 22.08

$5.60 ₩8,505

-51.07%

Potato (1kg)

$4.46 MOP 35.95

$3.94 ₩5,986

13.20%

Onion (1kg)

$3.47 MOP 28.03

$2.44 ₩3,705

42.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 MOP 13.57

$2.64 ₩4,016

-36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MOP 8.74

$1.17 ₩1,775

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.03 MOP 48.68

$3.41 ₩5,173

76.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.30 MOP 99.3

$9.93 ₩15.1K

23.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MOP 10.95

$1.60 ₩2,433

-15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 MOP 16.51

$2.39 ₩3,624

-14.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MOP 5.85

$0.89 ₩1,346

-19.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.76 MOP 184

$65.1 ₩98.8K

-65.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 MOP 21.48

$2.95 ₩4,483

-9.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 MOP 9.92

$0.53 ₩803

132.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.97 MOP 121

$8.35 ₩12.7K

79.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 MOP 14.06

$1.21 ₩1,834

43.80%

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

$31.0K MOP 249.9K

$27.3K ₩41.4M

13.53%

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

$28.3K MOP 228.1K

$22.1K ₩33.6M

27.89%

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

$103 MOP 831

$164 ₩248.3K

-36.98%

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

$25.35 MOP 205

$34.17 ₩51.9K

-25.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.22 MOP 268

$21.89 ₩33.2K

51.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.2 MOP 695

$47.10 ₩71.5K

82.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.45 MOP 27.82

$14.78 ₩22.5K

-76.66%

Cinema Ticket

$14.19 MOP 114

$8.63 ₩13.1K

64.43%

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

$690 MOP 5,566

$412 ₩625.4K

67.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MOP 107.0K

$23.7K ₩36.0M

-44.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.3 MOP 527

$50.8 ₩77.2K

28.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.67 MOP 231

$37.32 ₩56.7K

-23.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 MOP 721

$63.9 ₩97.0K

39.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 MOP 810

$101 ₩153.6K

-0.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 MOP 8,721

$446 ₩677.1K

142.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 MOP 6,295

$358 ₩542.9K

118.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,945 MOP 15.7K

$830 ₩1.3M

134.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,618 MOP 13.1K

$593 ₩900.6K

172.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,534 MOP 68.9K

$6,852 ₩10.4M

24.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,595 MOP 45.1K

$5,649 ₩8.6M

-0.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,026 MOP 16.4K

$2,527 ₩3.8M

-19.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.28

3.9

-15.90%

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

Last update for Macao: June 9, 2026

Last update for Gwangju: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,081 in Macao and $446 in Gwangju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gwangju pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $50.0 in Macao vs $51.0 in Gwangju for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $362 vs $414 per month, with Macao cheaper across the board.

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 Gwangju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gwangju is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Gwangju earns 25% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,081 in Macao versus $446 in Gwangju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Gwangju – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $50.0 in Macao. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,787 per month in Macao versus $1,414 in Gwangju – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,414 in Gwangju versus $1,787 in Macao, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gwangju but tight or insufficient in Macao. The gap between the two cities makes Gwangju the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Macao and Gwangju are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Gwangju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Macao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.