Cost of Living Comparison Between Macao and Kawasaki Cost of Living Comparison Between Macao and Kawasaki

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,721 per month in Macao vs $1,669 in Kawasaki, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,815 per month in Macao vs $2,423 in Kawasaki, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,908 per month in Macao vs $3,177 in Kawasaki, rent included.

Macao costs about 3% more than Kawasaki, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Macao and Kawasaki sit above the global median – Macao by 29%, Kawasaki by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.24 MOP 50.4

$8.55 ¥1,390

-27.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.70 MOP 401

$48.72 ¥7,919

2.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 MOP 51.1

$5.39 ¥875

17.25%

Cappuccino

$4.87 MOP 39.32

$3.09 ¥502

57.61%

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

$1.20 MOP 9.66

$1.26 ¥205

-4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MOP 7.10

$0.82 ¥134

7.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.67 MOP 45.78

$3.49 ¥567

62.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 MOP 57.7

$3.15 ¥512

126.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.95 MOP 23.84

$1.62 ¥264

82.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 MOP 12.80

$1.57 ¥256

1.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 MOP 12.31

$5.10 ¥828

-70.00%

Eggs

$3.08 MOP 24.86

$2.44 ¥396

26.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.32 MOP 140

$16.09 ¥2,615

7.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.80 MOP 63.0

$7.66 ¥1,245

1.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.05 MOP 186

$22.31 ¥3,626

3.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 MOP 30.38

$5.98 ¥972

-37.12%

Banana (1kg)

$3.00 MOP 24.25

$2.77 ¥450

8.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 MOP 30.30

$6.00 ¥975

-37.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 MOP 22.17

$5.97 ¥970

-53.94%

Potato (1kg)

$4.26 MOP 34.39

$3.40 ¥552

25.29%

Onion (1kg)

$3.38 MOP 27.30

$2.80 ¥455

20.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MOP 13.11

$1.45 ¥235

11.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MOP 8.77

$1.17 ¥191

-6.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.19 MOP 49.95

$4.20 ¥682

47.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.27 MOP 99.0

$9.42 ¥1,530

30.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MOP 11.34

$2.76 ¥449

-49.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 MOP 16.87

$2.97 ¥483

-29.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MOP 6.21

$1.49 ¥243

-48.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.92 MOP 177

$54.4 ¥8,843

-59.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 MOP 21.25

$3.43 ¥557

-23.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 MOP 9.48

$2.88 ¥467

-59.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.96 MOP 121

$20.92 ¥3,399

-28.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 MOP 14.08

$1.24 ¥201

40.32%

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

$31.0K MOP 250.5K

$23.6K ¥3.8M

31.67%

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

$27.5K MOP 221.7K

$16.7K ¥2.7M

64.44%

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

$103 MOP 830

$142 ¥23.0K

-27.49%

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

$25.16 MOP 203

$27.54 ¥4,476

-8.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.06 MOP 267

$34.78 ¥5,652

-4.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.1 MOP 687

$59.5 ¥9,676

42.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.45 MOP 27.88

$10.97 ¥1,784

-68.55%

Cinema Ticket

$14.39 MOP 116

$13.40 ¥2,178

7.39%

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

$693 MOP 5,599

$465 ¥75.6K

48.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K MOP 110.0K

$11.3K ¥1.8M

20.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.9 MOP 524

$60.8 ¥9,884

6.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.20 MOP 236

$32.53 ¥5,287

-10.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 MOP 715

$66.0 ¥10.7K

34.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 MOP 820

$92.5 ¥15.0K

9.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 MOP 8,567

$828 ¥134.6K

28.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 MOP 6,222

$613 ¥99.6K

25.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,955 MOP 15.8K

$1,407 ¥228.6K

38.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,593 MOP 12.9K

$851 ¥138.3K

87.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,503 MOP 68.7K

$4,598 ¥747.2K

84.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,652 MOP 45.6K

$3,129 ¥508.5K

80.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,055 MOP 16.6K

$2,464 ¥400.5K

-16.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.28

1.72

90.70%

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

Last update for Macao: July 11, 2026

Last update for Kawasaki: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,061 in Macao versus $828 in Kawasaki. 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 20% higher in Kawasaki, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Macao versus $49.00 in Kawasaki. Groceries tell a different story – $364 in Macao vs $390 in Kawasaki – so Macao 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 Kawasaki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Macao costs about 3% more than Kawasaki, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,582 per month in Macao and $2,504 in Kawasaki. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kawasaki, 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 $49.00 in Kawasaki. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,721 in Macao and $1,669 in Kawasaki. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kawasaki, where all-in costs run around $1,669, than in Macao at $1,721. In Kawasaki it covers expenses comfortably, while in Macao it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kawasaki costs $1,669 versus $1,721 in Macao. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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