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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,122 per month in Macao vs $1,543 in Kawasaki, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,017 per month in Macao vs $2,341 in Kawasaki, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,911 per month in Macao vs $3,140 in Kawasaki, rent included.

Macao costs about 38% more than Kawasaki, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Macao and Kawasaki sit above the global median – Macao by 55%, Kawasaki by 13%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.07 MOP 49.07

$7.73 ¥1,207

-21.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.9 MOP 451

$39.43 ¥6,157

41.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.04 MOP 48.84

$5.33 ¥833

13.32%

Cappuccino

$4.98 MOP 40.23

$2.75 ¥429

81.09%

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

$1.02 MOP 8.24

$1.68 ¥263

-39.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MOP 7.36

$0.90 ¥141

1.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.81 MOP 46.98

$3.22 ¥502

80.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.37 MOP 59.6

$3.18 ¥496

131.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.26 MOP 26.32

$1.58 ¥246

106.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 MOP 14.27

$1.61 ¥251

9.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MOP 13.89

$4.53 ¥707

-62.03%

Eggs

$3.52 MOP 28.46

$2.19 ¥342

60.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.03 MOP 130

$11.02 ¥1,720

45.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.54 MOP 158

$7.33 ¥1,144

166.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.40 MOP 230

$17.89 ¥2,794

58.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MOP 21.84

$6.27 ¥980

-56.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 MOP 22.84

$2.94 ¥460

-3.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MOP 15.08

$5.04 ¥788

-62.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 MOP 19.31

$5.82 ¥909

-58.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.84 MOP 31.03

$3.42 ¥534

12.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 MOP 23.07

$3.40 ¥531

-16.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 MOP 5.08

$1.21 ¥189

-47.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 MOP 9.42

$0.85 ¥133

37.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 MOP 52.5

$4.07 ¥635

59.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.36 MOP 99.9

$9.80 ¥1,531

26.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 MOP 13.70

$2.34 ¥365

-27.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 MOP 18.10

$3.09 ¥483

-27.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MOP 6.09

$1.93 ¥301

-61.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.69 MOP 183

$50.9 ¥7,955

-55.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 MOP 20.89

$3.34 ¥521

-22.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 MOP 10.05

$3.21 ¥501

-61.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.76 MOP 119

$19.38 ¥3,026

-23.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 MOP 14.34

$1.14 ¥178

55.26%

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

$30.6K MOP 247.3K

$22.0K ¥3.4M

39.14%

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

$31.8K MOP 256.9K

$15.6K ¥2.4M

103.94%

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

$121 MOP 975

$132 ¥20.6K

-8.64%

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

$23.66 MOP 191

$23.53 ¥3,674

0.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 MOP 300

$32.16 ¥5,023

15.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.1 MOP 526

$55.8 ¥8,720

16.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.80 MOP 30.68

$6.33 ¥989

-39.97%

Cinema Ticket

$14.40 MOP 116

$12.14 ¥1,896

18.62%

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

$1,221 MOP 9,864

$579 ¥90.4K

110.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K MOP 154.9K

$15.2K ¥2.4M

26.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.5 MOP 553

$52.4 ¥8,176

30.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.39 MOP 270

$33.21 ¥5,186

0.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 MOP 743

$64.4 ¥10.1K

42.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 MOP 1,088

$72.1 ¥11.3K

86.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,109 MOP 8,959

$782 ¥122.2K

41.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 MOP 8,758

$579 ¥90.4K

87.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,054 MOP 16.6K

$1,296 ¥202.4K

58.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 MOP 11.8K

$1,042 ¥162.7K

40.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,173 MOP 66.0K

$4,769 ¥744.8K

71.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,659 MOP 45.7K

$3,325 ¥519.3K

70.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,036 MOP 16.5K

$2,592 ¥404.8K

-21.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.66

80.72%

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

Last update for Macao: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kawasaki: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,109 in Macao versus $782 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 27% 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 $56.0 in Macao versus $39.00 in Kawasaki. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $424 vs $350 – making Kawasaki 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 Kawasaki: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Macao costs about 38% more than Kawasaki, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,183 per month in Macao and $2,315 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 $56.0 in Macao and $39.00 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 $2,122 in Macao and $1,543 in Kawasaki. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kawasaki, where all-in costs run around $1,543, than in Macao at $2,122. 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 $1,543 versus $2,122 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.