Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pula and Macao

For one person, living is cheaper in Pula: $1,580 a month against $2,139 in Macao, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Pula
🇭🇷 Croatia
$1,580
/mo nomad
Macao
🇲🇴 Macao (China)
$2,139
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pula and in Macao

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Pula and in Macao actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,580 in Pula versus $2,139 in Macao.

  • Pula $1,580
  • Macao $2,139

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,515 in Pula versus $3,023 in Macao.

  • Pula $2,515
  • Macao $3,023

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,450 in Pula versus $3,906 in Macao.

  • Pula $3,450
  • Macao $3,906

Living in Pula costs roughly 26% less than in Macao, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Pula 17% above, Macao 58% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pula
Macao
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.68 €13.06
$6.21 MOP 50.2
136.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.1 €60.6
$55.3 MOP 447
23.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.92 €7.94
$5.79 MOP 46.84
54.06%
Cappuccino
$2.55 €2.27
$4.93 MOP 39.81
-48.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 €2.60
$1.01 MOP 8.13
190.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 €1.86
$0.93 MOP 7.49
124.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.05
$5.84 MOP 47.17
-41.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41 €3.92
$7.49 MOP 60.6
-41.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pula
Macao
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 €1.10
$3.23 MOP 26.10
-61.92%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.65
$1.70 MOP 13.75
9.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.18 €2.83
$1.74 MOP 14.03
82.76%
Eggs
$3.78 €3.37
$3.39 MOP 27.38
11.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.95 €9.74
$15.91 MOP 129
-31.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.79 €9.59
$19.45 MOP 157
-44.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.80 €16.72
$28.73 MOP 232
-34.56%
Apples (1kg)
$1.98 €1.76
$2.59 MOP 20.96
-23.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.87 €1.67
$2.90 MOP 23.48
-35.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.14 €1.90
$1.94 MOP 15.70
10.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.30
$2.34 MOP 18.92
10.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.36 €1.21
$4.05 MOP 32.72
-66.42%
Onion (1kg)
$1.33 €1.19
$2.81 MOP 22.73
-52.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 €1.15
$0.63 MOP 5.09
106.35%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 €1.08
$1.14 MOP 9.23
7.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.59 €4.97
$6.61 MOP 53.5
-15.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.80 €6.94
$12.32 MOP 99.6
-36.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 €1.64
$1.70 MOP 13.77
8.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 €2.14
$2.23 MOP 18.05
7.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Pula
Macao
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.28 €2.03
$0.73 MOP 5.87
212.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$33.26 €29.58
$22.85 MOP 185
45.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.28 €2.91
$2.54 MOP 20.53
29.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.22 €1.98
$1.24 MOP 10.01
79.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.18 €19.73
$14.67 MOP 119
51.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.83 €1.62
$1.85 MOP 14.94
-1.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.0K €23.1K
$30.5K MOP 246.9K
-14.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K €23.7K
$31.9K MOP 258.1K
-16.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pula
Macao
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$156 €139
$124 MOP 1,004
25.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.01 €19.58
$23.42 MOP 189
-6.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.37 €35.02
$36.77 MOP 297
7.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pula
Macao
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.70 €44.21
$65.2 MOP 527
-23.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$37.64 €33.48
$3.78 MOP 30.56
895.77%
Cinema Ticket
$10.59 €9.42
$14.84 MOP 120
-28.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pula
Macao
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$240 €214
$1,197 MOP 9,679
-79.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,826 €2,514
$19.0K MOP 153.9K
-85.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pula
Macao
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$114 €101
$69.9 MOP 565
62.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.80 €32.74
$32.93 MOP 266
11.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$144 €128
$93.3 MOP 754
54.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 €116
$134 MOP 1,081
-2.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pula
Macao
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$685 €609
$1,132 MOP 9,153
-39.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$522 €464
$1,077 MOP 8,702
-51.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,315 €1,170
$2,106 MOP 17.0K
-37.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$999 €889
$1,474 MOP 11.9K
-32.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,363 €3,881
$8,212 MOP 66.4K
-46.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,650 €3,246
$5,513 MOP 44.6K
-33.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pula
Macao
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,517 €1,349
$2,054 MOP 16.6K
-26.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.54
3
18.00%

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

Last update for Pula: October 18, 2026

Last update for Macao: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Pula
$522
Macao
$1.1K 106% $555
Groceries & Markets
Pula
$301
Macao
$422 40.5% $122
Eating Out
Pula
$221
Macao
$178 19.4% $43
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pula
$218
Macao
$184 15.3% $33
Clothing & Footwear
Pula
$192
Macao
$148 22.5% $43
Sport & Entertainment
Pula
$71
Macao
$95 33.8% $24
Getting Around
Pula
$57
Macao
$34 39.2% $22

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $685 in Pula and $1,132 in Macao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Macao pays 35% 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: $68.0 in Pula vs $55.0 in Macao. Groceries flip the comparison at $301 vs $422, with Pula cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇭🇷 Pula
🇲🇴 Macao
🕒 Local time
19:44 7:44 PM
01:44 1:44 AM
6 h ahead of Pula
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
52,220
622,567 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

MOP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Macanese Pataca exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 8.08 MOP (1 MOP = 0.124 USD). 1 EUR = 9.09 MOP (1 MOP = 0.11 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Pula Macao 9,010 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Pula
  • Macao

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Pula vs Macao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Pula or Macao?
Pula wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Macao. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pula the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Pula or in Macao?
On paper, salaries run 35% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Pula compared to Macao?
Rent for a central apartment: $685 in Pula versus $1,132 in Macao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Pula and in Macao?
Dining out is cheaper in Pula – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $55.0 in Macao. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Pula compared to Macao?
All in, you'll spend $1,580 per month in Pula versus $2,139 in Macao – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Pula or in Macao?
At $1,580 in Pula versus $2,139 in Macao, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pula but tight or insufficient in Macao. The gap between the two cities makes Pula the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Pula or Macao?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
How safe is Pula compared to Macao?
Safety-wise, Pula 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Pula gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Macao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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