Cost of Living Comparison Between Macao and Singapore Cost of Living Comparison Between Macao and Singapore

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,764 in Macao versus $3,651 in Singapore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,775 in Macao versus $5,223 in Singapore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,787 in Macao versus $6,796 in Singapore.

Living in Macao costs roughly 52% less than in Singapore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Macao 32% above, Singapore 172% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.19 MOP 49.95

$10.73 SGD 13.74

-42.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.59 MOP 400

$78.5 SGD 100

-36.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.05 MOP 48.87

$7.88 SGD 10.09

-23.22%

Cappuccino

$4.86 MOP 39.22

$4.92 SGD 6.30

-1.22%

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

$1.20 MOP 9.71

$1.63 SGD 2.09

-26.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MOP 6.57

$1.23 SGD 1.57

-34.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 MOP 47.27

$7.85 SGD 10.05

-25.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 MOP 58.3

$9.61 SGD 12.30

-24.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.94 MOP 23.76

$3.07 SGD 3.93

-4.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 MOP 12.89

$2.41 SGD 3.09

-33.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 MOP 12.39

$2.81 SGD 3.59

-45.55%

Eggs

$3.17 MOP 25.62

$3.37 SGD 4.32

-5.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.37 MOP 140

$19.34 SGD 24.76

-10.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.56 MOP 61.1

$11.36 SGD 14.54

-33.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.17 MOP 187

$22.95 SGD 29.38

0.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 MOP 30.96

$4.52 SGD 5.79

-15.04%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 MOP 25.14

$2.94 SGD 3.77

5.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 MOP 30.88

$4.86 SGD 6.23

-21.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 MOP 22.61

$2.63 SGD 3.37

6.46%

Potato (1kg)

$4.37 MOP 35.24

$2.47 SGD 3.16

76.92%

Onion (1kg)

$3.50 MOP 28.21

$2.16 SGD 2.77

62.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 MOP 13.78

$2.01 SGD 2.57

-14.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MOP 8.80

$1.51 SGD 1.94

-27.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 MOP 49.60

$13.24 SGD 16.95

-53.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.17 MOP 98.2

$25.27 SGD 32.35

-51.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MOP 11.01

$4.31 SGD 5.52

-68.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 MOP 16.60

$5.20 SGD 6.66

-60.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MOP 6.25

$1.58 SGD 2.02

-51.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.17 MOP 179

$93.7 SGD 120

-76.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 MOP 21.36

$3.51 SGD 4.49

-24.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 MOP 9.57

$0.77 SGD 0.99

54.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.12 MOP 122

$16.11 SGD 20.62

-6.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 MOP 14.08

$2.20 SGD 2.81

-20.91%

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

$31.0K MOP 250.2K

$142.1K SGD 182.0K

-78.19%

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

$28.2K MOP 227.9K

$129.1K SGD 165.3K

-78.13%

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

$103 MOP 835

$160 SGD 205

-35.30%

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

$25.14 MOP 203

$18.36 SGD 23.50

36.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.23 MOP 276

$36.57 SGD 46.82

-6.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.3 MOP 689

$117 SGD 150

-27.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.51 MOP 28.35

$12.39 SGD 15.86

-71.67%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 MOP 115

$11.65 SGD 14.92

22.58%

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

$674 MOP 5,436

$1,184 SGD 1,516

-43.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MOP 107.0K

$29.9K SGD 38.2K

-55.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 MOP 525

$82.2 SGD 105

-20.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.06 MOP 235

$43.04 SGD 55.1

-32.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 MOP 713

$107 SGD 138

-17.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 MOP 823

$131 SGD 168

-22.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 MOP 8,588

$3,101 SGD 3,970

-65.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 MOP 6,277

$2,280 SGD 2,919

-65.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,966 MOP 15.9K

$6,201 SGD 7,939

-68.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MOP 13.1K

$3,793 SGD 4,856

-57.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K MOP 102.8K

$23.5K SGD 30.1K

-45.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,010 MOP 64.6K

$16.5K SGD 21.1K

-51.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,983 MOP 16.0K

$4,285 SGD 5,485

-53.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.28

3.19

2.82%

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

Last update for Macao: June 1, 2026

Last update for Singapore: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,064 in Macao and $3,101 in Singapore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Singapore pays 116% 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 $78.0 in Singapore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 vs $457 per month, with Macao 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 Singapore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Macao wins on cost – living expenses run 107% lower than in Singapore. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Macao the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Singapore earns 116% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,064 in Macao versus $3,101 in Singapore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Macao – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $78.0 in Singapore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,764 per month in Macao versus $3,651 in Singapore – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,764 in Macao versus $3,651 in Singapore, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Macao but tight or insufficient in Singapore. The gap between the two cities makes Macao 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 Singapore 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 Macao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Singapore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.