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: $1,766 in Macao versus $1,394 in Gwangju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,816 in Macao versus $2,165 in Gwangju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,867 in Macao versus $2,936 in Gwangju.

Living in Macao is roughly 27% more expensive than in Gwangju, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.32 MOP 51.1

$7.43 ₩10.7K

-14.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.67 MOP 401

$50.7 ₩73.2K

-2.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 MOP 49.38

$5.79 ₩8,355

5.53%

Cappuccino

$4.71 MOP 38.02

$3.90 ₩5,631

20.77%

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

$1.26 MOP 10.18

$1.57 ₩2,259

-19.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MOP 7.14

$0.69 ₩1,002

27.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.74 MOP 46.32

$2.88 ₩4,152

99.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 MOP 59.6

$3.62 ₩5,223

103.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.85 MOP 23.03

$1.88 ₩2,715

51.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 MOP 12.85

$2.41 ₩3,477

-34.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 MOP 12.37

$3.02 ₩4,353

-49.34%

Eggs

$3.14 MOP 25.34

$2.69 ₩3,877

16.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.41 MOP 141

$7.43 ₩10.7K

134.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.74 MOP 62.5

$7.24 ₩10.4K

6.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.14 MOP 187

$34.35 ₩49.5K

-32.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 MOP 30.39

$8.02 ₩11.6K

-53.12%

Banana (1kg)

$3.07 MOP 24.84

$3.60 ₩5,194

-14.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 MOP 31.22

$5.69 ₩8,211

-32.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.79 MOP 22.51

$5.59 ₩8,056

-50.09%

Potato (1kg)

$4.22 MOP 34.12

$3.82 ₩5,515

10.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.40 MOP 27.49

$2.46 ₩3,555

38.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 MOP 13.36

$2.61 ₩3,769

-36.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MOP 8.81

$1.15 ₩1,665

-5.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.09 MOP 49.19

$3.32 ₩4,794

83.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 MOP 101

$10.13 ₩14.6K

23.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 MOP 11.35

$1.62 ₩2,342

-12.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 MOP 17.02

$2.28 ₩3,292

-7.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MOP 6.10

$0.96 ₩1,383

-21.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.97 MOP 177

$65.3 ₩94.1K

-66.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 MOP 21.58

$2.99 ₩4,313

-10.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 MOP 9.49

$0.53 ₩765

120.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.14 MOP 122

$8.38 ₩12.1K

80.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 MOP 14.16

$1.25 ₩1,807

40.00%

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

$30.8K MOP 248.9K

$27.6K ₩39.8M

11.75%

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

$27.9K MOP 225.4K

$22.4K ₩32.2M

24.81%

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

$100 MOP 811

$165 ₩238.5K

-39.26%

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

$25.70 MOP 208

$34.57 ₩49.9K

-25.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.42 MOP 270

$21.75 ₩31.4K

53.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.3 MOP 689

$47.38 ₩68.3K

80.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.33 MOP 26.93

$14.44 ₩20.8K

-76.94%

Cinema Ticket

$14.12 MOP 114

$9.06 ₩13.1K

55.85%

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

$690 MOP 5,572

$421 ₩606.7K

64.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K MOP 109.0K

$23.7K ₩34.2M

-43.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.3 MOP 527

$51.0 ₩73.5K

28.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.27 MOP 228

$37.09 ₩53.5K

-23.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 MOP 719

$64.3 ₩92.8K

38.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 MOP 820

$101 ₩145.0K

0.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 MOP 8,700

$462 ₩666.3K

133.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 MOP 6,370

$359 ₩518.0K

119.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,996 MOP 16.1K

$850 ₩1.2M

134.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 MOP 13.1K

$595 ₩857.9K

172.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,233 MOP 66.5K

$7,241 ₩10.4M

13.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,500 MOP 44.4K

$5,779 ₩8.3M

-4.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,045 MOP 16.5K

$2,583 ₩3.7M

-20.85%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Gwangju: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,077 in Macao and $462 in Gwangju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gwangju pays 26% 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 $413 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 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Gwangju. 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: $1,077 in Macao versus $462 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 $1,766 per month in Macao versus $1,394 in Gwangju – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,394 in Gwangju versus $1,766 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 27% less than in Macao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.