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 $1,764 per month in Macao vs $2,752 in Hong Kong, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Macao vs $4,269 in Hong Kong, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,787 per month in Macao vs $5,787 in Hong Kong, rent included.

Macao is about 36% cheaper than Hong Kong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Macao and Hong Kong sit above the global median – Macao by 32%, Hong Kong by 105%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.19 MOP 49.95

$9.00 HK$70.5

-31.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.59 MOP 400

$64.9 HK$509

-23.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.05 MOP 48.87

$6.50 HK$50.9

-6.92%

Cappuccino

$4.86 MOP 39.22

$5.08 HK$39.78

-4.33%

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

$1.20 MOP 9.71

$1.31 HK$10.24

-8.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MOP 6.57

$1.05 HK$8.23

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 MOP 47.27

$6.77 HK$53.1

-13.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 MOP 58.3

$6.42 HK$50.3

12.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.94 MOP 23.76

$3.07 HK$24.03

-4.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 MOP 12.89

$2.20 HK$17.21

-27.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 MOP 12.39

$1.96 HK$15.40

-21.94%

Eggs

$3.17 MOP 25.62

$3.50 HK$27.46

-9.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.37 MOP 140

$25.62 HK$201

-32.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.56 MOP 61.1

$10.17 HK$79.7

-25.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.17 MOP 187

$22.56 HK$177

2.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 MOP 30.96

$3.49 HK$27.32

10.03%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 MOP 25.14

$2.23 HK$17.45

39.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 MOP 30.88

$3.83 HK$29.99

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 MOP 22.61

$3.07 HK$24.06

-8.79%

Potato (1kg)

$4.37 MOP 35.24

$2.27 HK$17.80

92.51%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 MOP 28.21

$2.27 HK$17.78

54.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 MOP 13.78

$1.70 HK$13.33

0.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MOP 8.80

$1.71 HK$13.39

-36.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 MOP 49.60

$12.78 HK$100

-51.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.17 MOP 98.2

$19.49 HK$153

-37.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MOP 11.01

$1.84 HK$14.42

-26.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 MOP 16.60

$2.69 HK$21.04

-23.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MOP 6.25

$1.70 HK$13.29

-54.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.17 MOP 179

$64.0 HK$501

-65.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 MOP 21.36

$3.72 HK$29.16

-28.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 MOP 9.57

$1.37 HK$10.74

-13.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.12 MOP 122

$14.62 HK$115

3.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 MOP 14.08

$3.08 HK$24.16

-43.51%

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

$31.0K MOP 250.2K

$38.7K HK$302.9K

-19.80%

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

$28.2K MOP 227.9K

$32.2K HK$252.6K

-12.41%

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

$103 MOP 835

$227 HK$1,778

-54.40%

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

$25.14 MOP 203

$17.78 HK$139

41.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.23 MOP 276

$22.40 HK$176

52.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.3 MOP 689

$75.5 HK$592

13.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.51 MOP 28.35

$8.53 HK$66.8

-58.85%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 MOP 115

$12.54 HK$98.3

13.88%

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

$674 MOP 5,436

$987 HK$7,731

-31.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MOP 107.0K

$21.6K HK$169.2K

-38.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 MOP 525

$74.5 HK$583

-12.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.06 MOP 235

$38.85 HK$304

-25.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 MOP 713

$89.2 HK$699

-0.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 MOP 823

$141 HK$1,102

-27.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 MOP 8,588

$2,235 HK$17.5K

-52.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 MOP 6,277

$1,543 HK$12.1K

-49.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,966 MOP 15.9K

$4,752 HK$37.2K

-58.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MOP 13.1K

$3,041 HK$23.8K

-46.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K MOP 102.8K

$27.9K HK$218.9K

-54.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,010 MOP 64.6K

$17.3K HK$135.7K

-53.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,983 MOP 16.0K

$3,166 HK$24.8K

-37.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.28

3.97

-17.38%

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

Last update for Macao: June 1, 2026

Last update for Hong Kong: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,064 in Macao versus $2,235 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 60% 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 $50.0 in Macao versus $65.0 in Hong Kong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $366 vs $424 – 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 Hong Kong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,764 in Macao, $2,752 in Hong Kong – roughly 56% apart. Hong Kong costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,646 per month in Macao and $4,128 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 $50.0 in Macao and $65.0 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 $1,764 in Macao and $2,752 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 $1,764, than in Hong Kong at $2,752. 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 $1,764 in Macao to $2,752 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.