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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Medellin costs roughly 40% less than in Macao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$6.24 MOP 50.4

-1.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$49.70 MOP 401

-34.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.32 MOP 51.1

16.14%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.87 MOP 39.33

-64.68%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.20 MOP 9.66

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.88 MOP 7.10

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$5.67 MOP 45.78

-70.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$7.14 MOP 57.7

-55.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.95 MOP 23.84

-64.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.59 MOP 12.81

-18.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.53 MOP 12.32

-8.50%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.08 MOP 24.86

-29.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$17.32 MOP 140

-74.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.80 MOP 63.0

-24.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$23.05 MOP 186

-62.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.76 MOP 30.39

-39.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$3.00 MOP 24.26

-63.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$3.75 MOP 30.31

-59.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.75 MOP 22.17

-50.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$4.26 MOP 34.40

-73.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$3.38 MOP 27.30

-66.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.62 MOP 13.11

-47.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.09 MOP 8.77

-16.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$6.19 MOP 49.96

-62.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$12.27 MOP 99.1

0.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.40 MOP 11.34

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.09 MOP 16.87

19.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.77 MOP 6.21

9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$21.92 MOP 177

85.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.63 MOP 21.25

-46.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.17 MOP 9.49

64.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$14.96 MOP 121

-48.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.74 MOP 14.09

-43.10%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$31.0K MOP 250.6K

-41.89%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$27.5K MOP 221.7K

-3.02%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$103 MOP 830

-21.36%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$25.16 MOP 203

-60.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$33.06 MOP 267

-26.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$85.1 MOP 687

-70.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$3.45 MOP 27.88

455.07%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$14.39 MOP 116

-72.34%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$693 MOP 5,599

-55.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$13.6K MOP 110.0K

-55.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$64.9 MOP 524

-10.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$29.20 MOP 236

10.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$88.5 MOP 715

13.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$102 MOP 820

6.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,061 MOP 8,568

-55.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$771 MOP 6,223

-51.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,955 MOP 15.8K

-56.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,593 MOP 12.9K

-54.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$8,503 MOP 68.7K

-62.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$5,652 MOP 45.6K

-75.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$2,055 MOP 16.6K

-69.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.28

309.45%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Macao: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $1,061 in Macao. 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $50.0 in Macao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $364 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

Medellin vs Macao: 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.

On paper, salaries run 233% lower in Macao. 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: $477 in Medellin versus $1,061 in Macao. 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 $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $1,721 in Macao – 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, Medellin and Macao 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.