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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,764 in Macao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,775 in Macao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $3,787 in Macao.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 43% less than in Macao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Macao is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$6.19 MOP 49.95

-3.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$49.59 MOP 400

-33.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.05 MOP 48.87

17.19%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$4.86 MOP 39.22

-64.81%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.20 MOP 9.71

-8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.81 MOP 6.57

-3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$5.86 MOP 47.27

-71.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$7.23 MOP 58.3

-57.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.94 MOP 23.76

-62.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.60 MOP 12.89

-21.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.53 MOP 12.39

-9.80%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.17 MOP 25.62

-30.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$17.37 MOP 140

-74.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.56 MOP 61.1

-25.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$23.17 MOP 187

-61.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.84 MOP 30.96

-39.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$3.11 MOP 25.14

-65.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$3.83 MOP 30.88

-60.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.80 MOP 22.61

-50.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$4.37 MOP 35.24

-73.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$3.50 MOP 28.21

-66.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.71 MOP 13.78

-47.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.09 MOP 8.80

-22.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$6.14 MOP 49.60

-62.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$12.17 MOP 98.2

-12.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.36 MOP 11.01

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.06 MOP 16.60

19.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.77 MOP 6.25

11.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$22.17 MOP 179

86.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.65 MOP 21.36

-44.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.19 MOP 9.57

64.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$15.12 MOP 122

-48.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.74 MOP 14.08

-45.40%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$31.0K MOP 250.2K

-41.52%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$28.2K MOP 227.9K

-6.20%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$103 MOP 835

-20.51%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$25.14 MOP 203

-62.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$34.23 MOP 276

-29.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$85.3 MOP 689

-69.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$3.51 MOP 28.35

441.31%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$14.28 MOP 115

-72.48%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$674 MOP 5,436

-54.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$13.3K MOP 107.0K

-55.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$65.1 MOP 525

-9.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$29.06 MOP 235

11.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$88.3 MOP 713

16.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$102 MOP 823

6.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,064 MOP 8,588

-55.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$778 MOP 6,277

-51.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,966 MOP 15.9K

-57.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,621 MOP 13.1K

-55.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$12.7K MOP 102.8K

-78.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$8,010 MOP 64.6K

-84.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,983 MOP 16.0K

-74.19%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Macao: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $1,064 in Macao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Macao pays 287% 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 $188 vs $366 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 74% 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, Macao earns 287% 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: $476 in Medellin versus $1,064 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 $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $1,764 in Macao – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,764 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 $1,013 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 74% less than in Macao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.