Cost of Living Comparison Between Macao and Roseau Cost of Living Comparison Between Macao and Roseau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,122 in Macao versus $1,245 in Roseau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,990 in Macao versus $2,117 in Roseau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,858 in Macao versus $2,989 in Roseau.

Living in Macao is roughly 70% more expensive than in Roseau, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Macao is 54% above, Roseau is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.30 MOP 50.9

$7.23 EC$19.51

-12.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.2 MOP 446

$54.7 EC$148

0.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 MOP 47.53

$6.46 EC$17.44

-8.82%

Cappuccino

$5.17 MOP 41.72

$4.20 EC$11.33

23.10%

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

$1.02 MOP 8.21

$2.50 EC$6.75

-59.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 MOP 7.01

$2.28 EC$6.16

-61.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 MOP 47.42

$1.80 EC$4.86

226.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.48 MOP 60.4

$2.53 EC$6.82

195.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.15 MOP 25.43

$3.28 EC$8.87

-3.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 MOP 14.22

$2.06 EC$5.56

-14.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MOP 13.55

$1.23 EC$3.33

36.59%

Eggs

$3.38 MOP 27.33

$5.76 EC$15.55

-41.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.02 MOP 129

$2.36 EC$6.37

578.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.37 MOP 156

$11.25 EC$30.38

72.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.90 MOP 233

$13.35 EC$36.04

116.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MOP 21.72

$6.27 EC$16.94

-57.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 MOP 23.18

$2.39 EC$6.46

20.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 MOP 15.16

$4.58 EC$12.36

-58.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 MOP 19.90

$5.22 EC$14.09

-52.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 MOP 31.66

$3.52 EC$9.49

11.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 MOP 23.56

$3.01 EC$8.11

-2.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 MOP 4.96

$2.14 EC$5.79

-71.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MOP 9.77

$2.57 EC$6.94

-52.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 MOP 55.6

$7.55 EC$20.38

-8.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.29 MOP 99.3

$10.93 EC$29.51

12.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MOP 13.92

$2.67 EC$7.20

-35.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 MOP 17.76

$3.07 EC$8.30

-28.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MOP 6.23

$1.86 EC$5.03

-58.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.27 MOP 180

$53.1 EC$143

-58.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 MOP 20.37

$5.41 EC$14.60

-53.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 MOP 9.92

$2.88 EC$7.79

-57.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.91 MOP 120

$10.15 EC$27.41

46.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 MOP 14.97

$1.45 EC$3.91

27.59%

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

$31.0K MOP 250.6K

$35.0K EC$94.5K

-11.37%

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

$31.8K MOP 256.7K

$29.4K EC$79.4K

8.05%

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

$120 MOP 970

$141 EC$380

-14.64%

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

$23.91 MOP 193

$43.93 EC$119

-45.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.83 MOP 297

$71.1 EC$192

-48.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.0 MOP 525

$45.73 EC$123

42.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.81 MOP 30.77

$22.64 EC$61.1

-83.17%

Cinema Ticket

$14.53 MOP 117

$8.34 EC$22.53

74.22%

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

$1,217 MOP 9,832

$130 EC$351

836.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K MOP 151.5K

$4,517 EC$12.2K

315.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.2 MOP 559

$56.1 EC$151

23.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.86 MOP 273

$37.04 EC$100

-8.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 MOP 744

$73.8 EC$199

24.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 MOP 1,102

$90.9 EC$246

49.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 MOP 9,105

$280 EC$757

302.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 MOP 8,758

$207 EC$559

424.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MOP 16.8K

$892 EC$2,409

133.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,472 MOP 11.9K

$640 EC$1,727

130.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,369 MOP 67.6K

$122 EC$328

6778.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,647 MOP 45.6K

$57.8 EC$156

9677.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,984 MOP 16.0K

$487 EC$1,316

307.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.6

-60.53%

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

Last update for Macao: August 30, 2026

Last update for Roseau: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,127 in Macao and $280 in Roseau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Macao pays 307% 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: $55.0 in Macao vs $55.0 in Roseau. Groceries flip the comparison at $424 vs $372, with Roseau cheaper for home cooking.

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 Roseau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Roseau wins on cost – living expenses run 70% lower than in Macao. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Roseau the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 307% 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: $1,127 in Macao versus $280 in Roseau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Roseau – a meal for two runs $55.0 versus $55.0 in Macao. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,122 per month in Macao versus $1,245 in Roseau – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,245 in Roseau versus $2,122 in Macao, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Roseau but tight or insufficient in Macao. The gap between the two cities makes Roseau the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Macao and Roseau 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 Roseau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Macao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.