Cost of Living Comparison Between Roseau and Macao Cost of Living Comparison Between Roseau and Macao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,245 in Roseau versus $2,122 in Macao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,117 in Roseau versus $2,990 in Macao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,989 in Roseau versus $3,858 in Macao.

Living in Roseau costs roughly 41% less than in Macao, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Roseau is 9% below, Macao is 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.23 EC$19.51

$6.30 MOP 50.9

14.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 EC$148

$55.2 MOP 445

-0.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 EC$17.44

$5.89 MOP 47.52

9.68%

Cappuccino

$4.20 EC$11.33

$5.17 MOP 41.72

-18.76%

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

$2.50 EC$6.75

$1.02 MOP 8.21

145.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 EC$6.16

$0.87 MOP 7.01

162.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 EC$4.86

$5.87 MOP 47.41

-69.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 EC$6.82

$7.48 MOP 60.4

-66.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.28 EC$8.87

$3.15 MOP 25.42

4.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 EC$5.56

$1.76 MOP 14.22

17.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 EC$3.33

$1.68 MOP 13.55

-26.79%

Eggs

$5.76 EC$15.55

$3.38 MOP 27.32

70.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.36 EC$6.37

$16.02 MOP 129

-85.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.25 EC$30.38

$19.37 MOP 156

-41.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.35 EC$36.04

$28.90 MOP 233

-53.81%

Apples (1kg)

$6.27 EC$16.94

$2.69 MOP 21.72

133.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 EC$6.46

$2.87 MOP 23.17

-16.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.58 EC$12.36

$1.88 MOP 15.16

143.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 EC$14.09

$2.46 MOP 19.89

112.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.52 EC$9.49

$3.92 MOP 31.65

-10.20%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 EC$8.11

$2.92 MOP 23.55

3.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 EC$5.79

$0.61 MOP 4.96

250.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 EC$6.94

$1.21 MOP 9.77

112.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.55 EC$20.38

$6.88 MOP 55.6

9.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.93 EC$29.51

$12.29 MOP 99.3

-11.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 EC$7.20

$1.72 MOP 13.92

55.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 EC$8.30

$2.20 MOP 17.75

39.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.86 EC$5.03

$0.77 MOP 6.23

141.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.1 EC$143

$22.27 MOP 180

138.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 EC$14.60

$2.52 MOP 20.36

114.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.88 EC$7.79

$1.23 MOP 9.91

134.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.15 EC$27.41

$14.91 MOP 120

-31.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 EC$3.91

$1.85 MOP 14.96

-21.62%

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

$35.0K EC$94.5K

$31.0K MOP 250.6K

12.82%

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

$29.4K EC$79.4K

$31.8K MOP 256.6K

-7.45%

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

$141 EC$380

$120 MOP 969

17.15%

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

$43.93 EC$119

$23.91 MOP 193

83.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.1 EC$192

$36.83 MOP 297

93.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.73 EC$123

$65.0 MOP 525

-29.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.64 EC$61.1

$3.81 MOP 30.76

494.23%

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 EC$22.53

$14.53 MOP 117

-42.60%

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

$130 EC$351

$1,217 MOP 9,830

-89.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,517 EC$12.2K

$18.8K MOP 151.5K

-75.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 EC$151

$69.2 MOP 559

-18.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.04 EC$100

$33.86 MOP 273

9.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 EC$199

$92.1 MOP 744

-19.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 EC$246

$136 MOP 1,101

-33.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 EC$757

$1,127 MOP 9,104

-75.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 EC$559

$1,084 MOP 8,756

-80.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 EC$2,409

$2,086 MOP 16.8K

-57.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 EC$1,727

$1,472 MOP 11.9K

-56.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$122 EC$328

$8,369 MOP 67.6K

-98.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$57.8 EC$156

$5,647 MOP 45.6K

-98.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$487 EC$1,316

$1,984 MOP 16.0K

-75.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.6

153.33%

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

Last update for Roseau: August 30, 2026

Last update for Macao: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $280 in Roseau and $1,127 in Macao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Macao pays 307% 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: $55.0 in Roseau vs $55.0 in Macao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $372 vs $424 per month, with Roseau 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

Roseau vs Macao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Roseau wins on cost – living expenses run 70% lower than in Macao. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Roseau the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 307% 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: $280 in Roseau versus $1,127 in Macao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Roseau – a meal for two runs $55.0 versus $55.0 in Macao. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,245 per month in Roseau versus $2,122 in Macao – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,245 in Roseau versus $2,122 in Macao, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Roseau but tight or insufficient in Macao. The gap between the two cities makes Roseau the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Roseau 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 Roseau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Macao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.