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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,122 in Macao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $3,017 in Macao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $3,911 in Macao.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 22% less than in Macao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 21% above, Macao 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$6.07 MOP 49.06

96.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$55.9 MOP 451

-7.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$6.04 MOP 48.83

88.91%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$4.98 MOP 40.22

-19.88%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$1.02 MOP 8.24

62.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.91 MOP 7.35

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$5.81 MOP 46.97

-40.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$7.37 MOP 59.6

-19.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$3.26 MOP 26.31

-42.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.77 MOP 14.27

83.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.72 MOP 13.89

25.58%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$3.52 MOP 28.45

-17.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$16.03 MOP 130

-19.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$19.54 MOP 158

-48.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$28.40 MOP 229

-44.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.70 MOP 21.84

21.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$2.83 MOP 22.83

-28.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.87 MOP 15.07

17.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$2.39 MOP 19.31

-1.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$3.84 MOP 31.03

-46.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$2.85 MOP 23.06

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.63 MOP 5.08

155.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$1.17 MOP 9.42

19.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$6.50 MOP 52.5

-16.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$12.36 MOP 99.9

42.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.70 MOP 13.70

21.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$2.24 MOP 18.09

108.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.75 MOP 6.09

-54.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$22.69 MOP 183

-8.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$2.58 MOP 20.88

-18.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.24 MOP 10.05

-54.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$14.76 MOP 119

-60.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.77 MOP 14.33

-9.04%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$30.6K MOP 247.3K

-25.37%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$31.8K MOP 256.9K

-15.86%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$121 MOP 975

-46.00%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$23.66 MOP 191

27.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$37.16 MOP 300

0.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$65.1 MOP 526

-8.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$3.80 MOP 30.67

598.68%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$14.40 MOP 116

-51.11%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$1,221 MOP 9,862

-61.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$19.2K MOP 154.8K

-30.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$68.5 MOP 553

10.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$33.39 MOP 270

67.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$91.9 MOP 743

21.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$135 MOP 1,087

-10.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$1,109 MOP 8,957

-0.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$1,084 MOP 8,756

-33.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$2,054 MOP 16.6K

23.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$1,459 MOP 11.8K

-11.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$8,173 MOP 66.0K

-51.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$5,659 MOP 45.7K

-63.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$2,036 MOP 16.4K

-49.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

276.67%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Macao: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $1,109 in Macao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Macao pays 96% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $56.0 in Macao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $424 per month, with Mexico City 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

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

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 28% 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 96% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City 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 Mexico City – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $56.0 in Macao. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $2,122 in Macao – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,122 in Macao, a $3,000 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 $1,660 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 28% less than in Macao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.