Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Macao Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Macao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,721 in Macao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $2,815 in Macao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $3,908 in Macao.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 15% less than in Macao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 9% above, Macao 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$6.24 MOP 50.4

109.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$49.70 MOP 401

8.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$6.32 MOP 51.1

53.16%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$4.87 MOP 39.33

-23.20%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$1.20 MOP 9.66

35.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.88 MOP 7.10

31.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$5.67 MOP 45.78

-43.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$7.14 MOP 57.7

-33.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$2.95 MOP 23.84

-44.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.59 MOP 12.81

72.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.53 MOP 12.32

22.22%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$3.08 MOP 24.86

-18.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$17.32 MOP 140

-41.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$7.80 MOP 63.0

5.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$23.05 MOP 186

-48.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$3.76 MOP 30.39

-19.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$3.00 MOP 24.26

-39.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$3.75 MOP 30.31

-46.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$2.75 MOP 22.17

-27.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$4.26 MOP 34.40

-51.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$3.38 MOP 27.30

-32.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.62 MOP 13.11

-9.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$1.09 MOP 8.77

-0.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$6.19 MOP 49.96

-29.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$12.27 MOP 99.1

38.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.40 MOP 11.34

23.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.09 MOP 16.87

71.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.77 MOP 6.21

-49.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$21.92 MOP 177

-14.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$2.63 MOP 21.25

-49.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$1.17 MOP 9.49

-76.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$14.96 MOP 121

-64.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.74 MOP 14.09

-22.99%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$31.0K MOP 250.6K

-37.44%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$27.5K MOP 221.7K

-13.20%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$103 MOP 830

-60.40%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$25.16 MOP 203

6.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$33.06 MOP 267

-7.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$85.1 MOP 687

-37.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$3.45 MOP 27.88

672.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$14.39 MOP 116

-54.76%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$693 MOP 5,599

-38.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$13.6K MOP 110.0K

-22.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$64.9 MOP 524

-11.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$29.20 MOP 236

55.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$88.5 MOP 715

17.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$102 MOP 820

6.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$1,061 MOP 8,568

-5.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$771 MOP 6,223

-19.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$1,955 MOP 15.8K

7.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$1,593 MOP 12.9K

-23.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$8,503 MOP 68.7K

-54.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$5,652 MOP 45.6K

-64.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$2,055 MOP 16.6K

-49.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

3.28

245.73%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Macao: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $1,061 in Macao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Macao pays 98% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $50.0 in Macao. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $364, with Mexico City 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

Mexico City vs Macao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Macao. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 98% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City 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 Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $50.0 in Macao. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,456 per month in Mexico City versus $1,721 in Macao – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,721 in Macao, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Macao. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mexico City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,456 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mexico City 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Macao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.