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: $1,783 in Macao versus $1,370 in Gwangju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,831 in Macao versus $2,158 in Gwangju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,878 in Macao versus $2,945 in Gwangju.

Living in Macao is roughly 30% more expensive than Gwangju, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Macao 33% above, Gwangju 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.22 MOP 50.2

$7.17 ₩10.6K

-13.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.0 MOP 404

$51.2 ₩76.0K

-2.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.23 MOP 50.3

$5.78 ₩8,576

7.79%

Cappuccino

$4.72 MOP 38.07

$3.85 ₩5,709

22.60%

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

$1.24 MOP 10.01

$1.57 ₩2,321

-21.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 MOP 6.76

$0.73 ₩1,081

15.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 MOP 47.28

$2.91 ₩4,322

101.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 MOP 56.7

$3.65 ₩5,409

92.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.98 MOP 24.01

$1.89 ₩2,810

57.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 MOP 12.70

$2.33 ₩3,449

-32.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 MOP 12.24

$3.13 ₩4,645

-51.44%

Eggs

$3.09 MOP 24.90

$2.63 ₩3,896

17.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.72 MOP 143

$7.23 ₩10.7K

145.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.92 MOP 63.9

$7.39 ₩11.0K

7.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.60 MOP 182

$34.47 ₩51.1K

-34.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 MOP 29.68

$7.91 ₩11.7K

-53.48%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 MOP 25.33

$3.49 ₩5,171

-10.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 MOP 31.34

$5.64 ₩8,372

-31.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.83 MOP 22.86

$5.54 ₩8,223

-48.92%

Potato (1kg)

$4.39 MOP 35.42

$3.82 ₩5,661

14.92%

Onion (1kg)

$3.44 MOP 27.76

$2.49 ₩3,693

38.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 MOP 13.63

$2.54 ₩3,761

-33.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MOP 8.45

$1.15 ₩1,700

-8.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.23 MOP 50.3

$3.36 ₩4,986

85.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.09 MOP 97.5

$10.29 ₩15.3K

17.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MOP 10.96

$1.64 ₩2,429

-17.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 MOP 16.96

$2.31 ₩3,422

-9.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MOP 6.19

$0.95 ₩1,406

-18.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.57 MOP 182

$66.6 ₩98.8K

-66.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 MOP 21.51

$3.02 ₩4,484

-11.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 MOP 9.81

$0.53 ₩793

130.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.68 MOP 118

$8.49 ₩12.6K

72.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 MOP 14.13

$1.23 ₩1,826

42.28%

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

$31.1K MOP 251.0K

$28.2K ₩41.9M

10.11%

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

$27.4K MOP 221.0K

$22.0K ₩32.6M

24.47%

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

$100.0 MOP 807

$165 ₩244.1K

-39.27%

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

$25.61 MOP 207

$34.96 ₩51.9K

-26.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.53 MOP 271

$21.75 ₩32.3K

54.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.8 MOP 708

$48.69 ₩72.2K

80.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.34 MOP 26.97

$14.76 ₩21.9K

-77.37%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 MOP 115

$8.58 ₩12.7K

66.43%

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

$671 MOP 5,418

$416 ₩617.1K

61.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MOP 106.6K

$23.5K ₩34.8M

-43.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 MOP 527

$50.9 ₩75.5K

28.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.11 MOP 235

$37.05 ₩55.0K

-21.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 MOP 733

$63.8 ₩94.6K

42.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 MOP 809

$101 ₩149.9K

-0.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,043 MOP 8,414

$449 ₩666.0K

132.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 MOP 6,297

$355 ₩526.2K

119.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,944 MOP 15.7K

$856 ₩1.3M

127.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,607 MOP 13.0K

$584 ₩865.7K

175.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.6K MOP 101.7K

$7,159 ₩10.6M

76.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,775 MOP 62.7K

$5,796 ₩8.6M

34.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,032 MOP 16.4K

$2,608 ₩3.9M

-22.10%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Gwangju: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,043 in Macao and $449 in Gwangju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gwangju pays 28% 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 $366 vs $412 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 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Gwangju earns 28% 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: $1,043 in Macao versus $449 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 $1,783 per month in Macao versus $1,370 in Gwangju – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,370 in Gwangju versus $1,783 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 30% less than in Macao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.