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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,122 in Macao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $3,017 in Macao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $3,911 in Macao.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 21% less than in Macao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Macao 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$6.07 MOP 49.06

32.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$55.9 MOP 451

-14.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$6.04 MOP 48.83

63.74%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$4.98 MOP 40.22

-37.15%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.02 MOP 8.24

87.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.91 MOP 7.35

65.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$5.81 MOP 46.97

-46.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$7.37 MOP 59.6

-21.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$3.26 MOP 26.31

-55.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.77 MOP 14.27

40.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.72 MOP 13.89

2.91%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.52 MOP 28.45

-15.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$16.03 MOP 130

-37.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$19.54 MOP 158

-48.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$28.40 MOP 229

-49.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.70 MOP 21.84

53.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.83 MOP 22.83

-43.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.87 MOP 15.07

20.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.39 MOP 19.31

-5.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$3.84 MOP 31.03

-46.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.85 MOP 23.06

-45.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.63 MOP 5.08

85.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.17 MOP 9.42

11.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$6.50 MOP 52.5

-40.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$12.36 MOP 99.9

13.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.70 MOP 13.70

2.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.24 MOP 18.09

28.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.75 MOP 6.09

62.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$22.69 MOP 183

254.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.58 MOP 20.88

-49.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.24 MOP 10.05

76.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$14.76 MOP 119

-40.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.77 MOP 14.33

-22.60%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$30.6K MOP 247.3K

-9.05%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$31.8K MOP 256.9K

12.52%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$121 MOP 975

46.89%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$23.66 MOP 191

-41.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$37.16 MOP 300

-20.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$65.1 MOP 526

-31.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$3.80 MOP 30.67

350.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$14.40 MOP 116

-53.82%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$1,221 MOP 9,862

-33.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$19.2K MOP 154.8K

-52.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$68.5 MOP 553

30.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$33.39 MOP 270

76.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$91.9 MOP 743

50.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$135 MOP 1,087

-24.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,109 MOP 8,957

-4.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,084 MOP 8,756

-38.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$2,054 MOP 16.6K

-8.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,459 MOP 11.8K

-29.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$8,173 MOP 66.0K

-48.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$5,659 MOP 45.7K

-70.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$2,036 MOP 16.4K

-66.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

264.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Macao: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $1,109 in Macao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Macao pays 200% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $56.0 in Macao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $424 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 26% 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 200% 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,109 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 $48.00 versus $56.0 in Macao. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $2,122 in Macao – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,122 in Macao, a $2,500 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 $1,681 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 26% less than in Macao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.