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.
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: Pula17% above, Macao58% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Pula
Macao
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.68€13.06
$6.21MOP 50.2
136.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.1€60.6
$55.3MOP 447
23.13%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.92€7.94
$5.79MOP 46.84
54.06%
Cappuccino
$2.55€2.27
$4.93MOP 39.81
-48.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93€2.60
$1.01MOP 8.13
190.10%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09€1.86
$0.93MOP 7.49
124.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.42€3.05
$5.84MOP 47.17
-41.44%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41€3.92
$7.49MOP 60.6
-41.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pula
Macao
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.23€1.10
$3.23MOP 26.10
-61.92%
White Bread(500g)
$1.86€1.65
$1.70MOP 13.75
9.41%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.18€2.83
$1.74MOP 14.03
82.76%
Eggs
$3.78€3.37
$3.39MOP 27.38
11.50%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.95€9.74
$15.91MOP 129
-31.18%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.79€9.59
$19.45MOP 157
-44.52%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.80€16.72
$28.73MOP 232
-34.56%
Apples(1kg)
$1.98€1.76
$2.59MOP 20.96
-23.55%
Banana(1kg)
$1.87€1.67
$2.90MOP 23.48
-35.52%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.14€1.90
$1.94MOP 15.70
10.31%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.59€2.30
$2.34MOP 18.92
10.68%
Potato(1kg)
$1.36€1.21
$4.05MOP 32.72
-66.42%
Onion(1kg)
$1.33€1.19
$2.81MOP 22.73
-52.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.30€1.15
$0.63MOP 5.09
106.35%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22€1.08
$1.14MOP 9.23
7.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.59€4.97
$6.61MOP 53.5
-15.43%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.80€6.94
$12.32MOP 99.6
-36.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85€1.64
$1.70MOP 13.77
8.82%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40€2.14
$2.23MOP 18.05
7.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Pula
Macao
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.28€2.03
$0.73MOP 5.87
212.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$33.26€29.58
$22.85MOP 185
45.56%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.28€2.91
$2.54MOP 20.53
29.13%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.22€1.98
$1.24MOP 10.01
79.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$22.18€19.73
$14.67MOP 119
51.19%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.83€1.62
$1.85MOP 14.94
-1.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.0K€23.1K
$30.5KMOP 246.9K
-14.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K€23.7K
$31.9KMOP 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
$124MOP 1,004
25.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.01€19.58
$23.42MOP 189
-6.02%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.37€35.02
$36.77MOP 297
7.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pula
Macao
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.70€44.21
$65.2MOP 527
-23.71%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$37.64€33.48
$3.78MOP 30.56
895.77%
Cinema Ticket
$10.59€9.42
$14.84MOP 120
-28.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pula
Macao
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$240€214
$1,197MOP 9,679
-79.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,826€2,514
$19.0KMOP 153.9K
-85.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pula
Macao
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$114€101
$69.9MOP 565
62.62%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.80€32.74
$32.93MOP 266
11.75%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$144€128
$93.3MOP 754
54.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131€116
$134MOP 1,081
-2.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pula
Macao
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$685€609
$1,132MOP 9,153
-39.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$522€464
$1,077MOP 8,702
-51.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,315€1,170
$2,106MOP 17.0K
-37.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$999€889
$1,474MOP 11.9K
-32.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,363€3,881
$8,212MOP 66.4K
-46.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,650€3,246
$5,513MOP 44.6K
-33.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pula
Macao
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,517€1,349
$2,054MOP 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.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Pula
$522 33%
Macao
$1.1K 50.3% ↑ 106%$555
🛒Groceries & Markets
Pula
$301 19%
Macao
$422 19.8% ↑ 40.5%$122
🍽Eating Out
Pula
$221 14%
Macao
$178 8.3% ↓ 19.4%$43
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pula
$218 13.8%
Macao
$184 8.6% ↓ 15.3%$33
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Pula
$192 12.1%
Macao
$148 6.9% ↓ 22.5%$43
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Pula
$71 4.5%
Macao
$95 4.4% ↑ 33.8%$24
🚌Getting Around
Pula
$57 3.6%
Macao
$34 1.6% ↓ 39.2%$22
🏠Accommodation & Living
Pula
$999 29%
Macao
$1.5K 37.7% ↑ 47.5%$475
🛒Groceries & Markets
Pula
$703 20.4%
Macao
$1K 25.8% ↑ 43.3%$304
🍽Eating Out
Pula
$786 22.8%
Macao
$624 16% ↓ 20.6%$162
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pula
$240 6.9%
Macao
$208 5.3% ↓ 13.3%$32
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Pula
$426 12.3%
Macao
$330 8.5% ↓ 22.5%$96
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Pula
$179 5.2%
Macao
$193 5% ↑ 7.8%$14
🚌Getting Around
Pula
$118 3.4%
Macao
$70 1.8% ↓ 40.4%$48
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.
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.