Cost of Living Comparison Between Macao and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Macao and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,721 in Macao versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,815 in Macao versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,908 in Macao versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Macao is roughly 67% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Macao is 29% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.24 MOP 50.4

$6.16 COP 20.1K

1.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.70 MOP 401

$32.60 COP 106.1K

52.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 MOP 51.1

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-13.90%

Cappuccino

$4.87 MOP 39.32

$1.72 COP 5,600

183.14%

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

$1.20 MOP 9.66

$1.05 COP 3,420

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MOP 7.10

$0.77 COP 2,515

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.67 MOP 45.78

$1.69 COP 5,488

235.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 MOP 57.7

$3.17 COP 10.3K

125.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.95 MOP 23.84

$1.05 COP 3,423

180.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 MOP 12.80

$1.30 COP 4,236

22.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 MOP 12.31

$1.40 COP 4,544

9.29%

Eggs

$3.08 MOP 24.86

$2.16 COP 7,047

42.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.32 MOP 140

$4.39 COP 14.3K

294.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.80 MOP 63.0

$5.88 COP 19.1K

32.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.05 MOP 186

$8.64 COP 28.1K

166.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 MOP 30.38

$2.28 COP 7,426

64.91%

Banana (1kg)

$3.00 MOP 24.25

$1.11 COP 3,604

170.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 MOP 30.30

$1.53 COP 4,983

145.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 MOP 22.17

$1.35 COP 4,410

103.70%

Potato (1kg)

$4.26 MOP 34.39

$1.13 COP 3,674

276.99%

Onion (1kg)

$3.38 MOP 27.30

$1.13 COP 3,692

199.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MOP 13.11

$0.85 COP 2,753

90.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MOP 8.77

$0.91 COP 2,975

19.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.19 MOP 49.95

$2.34 COP 7,630

164.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.27 MOP 99.0

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-0.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MOP 11.34

$1.20 COP 3,909

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 MOP 16.87

$2.49 COP 8,104

-16.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MOP 6.21

$0.84 COP 2,728

-8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.92 MOP 177

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-45.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 MOP 21.25

$1.42 COP 4,623

85.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 MOP 9.48

$1.92 COP 6,235

-39.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.96 MOP 121

$7.66 COP 24.9K

95.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 MOP 14.08

$0.99 COP 3,223

75.76%

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

$31.0K MOP 250.5K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

72.09%

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

$27.5K MOP 221.7K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

3.11%

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

$103 MOP 830

$80.8 COP 263.1K

27.16%

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

$25.16 MOP 203

$9.95 COP 32.4K

152.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.06 MOP 267

$24.18 COP 78.7K

36.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.1 MOP 687

$25.08 COP 81.7K

239.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.45 MOP 27.88

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-81.98%

Cinema Ticket

$14.39 MOP 116

$3.98 COP 13.0K

261.56%

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

$693 MOP 5,599

$305 COP 993.5K

127.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K MOP 110.0K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

124.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.9 MOP 524

$58.1 COP 189.2K

11.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.20 MOP 236

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-9.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 MOP 715

$101 COP 327.9K

-12.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 MOP 820

$108 COP 350.8K

-5.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 MOP 8,567

$477 COP 1.6M

122.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 MOP 6,222

$376 COP 1.2M

104.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,955 MOP 15.8K

$845 COP 2.7M

131.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,593 MOP 12.9K

$730 COP 2.4M

118.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,503 MOP 68.7K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

164.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,652 MOP 45.6K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

311.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,055 MOP 16.6K

$617 COP 2.0M

233.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.28

13.43

-75.58%

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

Last update for Macao: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,061 in Macao and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Macao pays 233% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $50.0 in Macao vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $364 vs $193 per month, with Medellin 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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 67% lower than in Macao. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 233% higher in Macao, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,061 in Macao versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $50.0 in Macao. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,721 per month in Macao versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,721 in Macao, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Macao. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,031 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Macao and Medellin 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Macao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.