Cost of Living Comparison Between Macao and Hong Kong Cost of Living Comparison Between Macao and Hong Kong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,122 per month in Macao vs $2,887 in Hong Kong, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,990 per month in Macao vs $4,496 in Hong Kong, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,858 per month in Macao vs $6,105 in Hong Kong, rent included.

Macao is about 27% cheaper than Hong Kong, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Macao and Hong Kong sit above the global median – Macao by 54%, Hong Kong by 110%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.30 MOP 50.9

$7.86 HK$61.6

-19.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.2 MOP 446

$64.5 HK$506

-14.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 MOP 47.53

$6.26 HK$49.12

-5.91%

Cappuccino

$5.17 MOP 41.72

$4.89 HK$38.30

5.73%

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

$1.02 MOP 8.21

$1.32 HK$10.38

-22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 MOP 7.01

$1.11 HK$8.70

-21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 MOP 47.42

$7.84 HK$61.5

-25.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.48 MOP 60.4

$5.44 HK$42.64

37.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.15 MOP 25.42

$2.99 HK$23.43

5.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 MOP 14.22

$2.27 HK$17.84

-22.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MOP 13.55

$2.21 HK$17.33

-23.98%

Eggs

$3.38 MOP 27.33

$3.46 HK$27.13

-2.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.02 MOP 129

$26.62 HK$209

-39.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.37 MOP 156

$8.50 HK$66.6

127.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.90 MOP 233

$19.36 HK$152

49.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MOP 21.72

$4.25 HK$33.31

-36.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 MOP 23.17

$2.41 HK$18.92

19.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 MOP 15.16

$4.47 HK$35.04

-57.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 MOP 19.89

$3.39 HK$26.60

-27.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 MOP 31.65

$3.15 HK$24.67

24.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 MOP 23.56

$3.24 HK$25.38

-9.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 MOP 4.96

$1.50 HK$11.74

-59.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MOP 9.77

$1.82 HK$14.25

-33.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 MOP 55.6

$13.53 HK$106

-49.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.29 MOP 99.3

$15.68 HK$123

-21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MOP 13.92

$1.91 HK$14.97

-9.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 MOP 17.76

$2.23 HK$17.46

-1.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MOP 6.23

$1.30 HK$10.17

-40.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.27 MOP 180

$88.3 HK$693

-74.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 MOP 20.37

$3.65 HK$28.65

-30.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 MOP 9.91

$1.31 HK$10.26

-6.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.91 MOP 120

$16.23 HK$127

-8.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 MOP 14.96

$4.06 HK$31.82

-54.43%

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

$31.0K MOP 250.6K

$45.5K HK$356.8K

-31.81%

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

$31.8K MOP 256.7K

$36.8K HK$288.5K

-13.60%

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

$120 MOP 969

$229 HK$1,792

-47.49%

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

$23.91 MOP 193

$14.84 HK$116

61.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.83 MOP 297

$21.48 HK$168

71.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.0 MOP 525

$91.4 HK$716

-28.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.81 MOP 30.77

$10.00 HK$78.4

-61.90%

Cinema Ticket

$14.53 MOP 117

$13.57 HK$106

7.07%

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

$1,217 MOP 9,831

$1,043 HK$8,181

16.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K MOP 151.5K

$22.4K HK$175.4K

-16.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.2 MOP 559

$64.2 HK$503

7.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.86 MOP 273

$40.51 HK$318

-16.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 MOP 744

$78.8 HK$618

16.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 MOP 1,101

$121 HK$948

12.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 MOP 9,105

$2,211 HK$17.3K

-49.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 MOP 8,757

$1,682 HK$13.2K

-35.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MOP 16.8K

$5,004 HK$39.2K

-58.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,472 MOP 11.9K

$3,371 HK$26.4K

-56.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,369 MOP 67.6K

$29.4K HK$230.7K

-71.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,647 MOP 45.6K

$17.2K HK$134.6K

-67.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,984 MOP 16.0K

$3,125 HK$24.5K

-36.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.85

-22.08%

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

Last update for Macao: August 30, 2026

Last update for Hong Kong: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,127 in Macao versus $2,211 in Hong Kong. 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 57% higher in Hong Kong, 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 $64.0 in Hong Kong. Groceries tell a different story – $424 in Macao vs $415 in Hong Kong – so Hong Kong wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Hong Kong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,122 in Macao, $2,887 in Hong Kong – roughly 36% apart. Hong Kong costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,183 per month in Macao and $4,331 in Hong Kong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Macao, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Macao and $64.0 in Hong Kong. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,122 in Macao and $2,887 in Hong Kong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Macao, where all-in costs run around $2,122, than in Hong Kong at $2,887. In Macao it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hong Kong it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Hong Kong has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,122 in Macao to $2,887 in Hong Kong. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Macao. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hong Kong makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.