Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Macao Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Macao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,507 in Singapore versus $1,721 in Macao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,136 in Singapore versus $2,815 in Macao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,764 in Singapore versus $3,908 in Macao.

Living in Singapore is roughly 104% more expensive than in Macao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Singapore 163% above, Macao 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.77 SGD 13.91

$6.24 MOP 50.4

72.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.1 SGD 101

$49.70 MOP 401

57.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 SGD 9.78

$6.32 MOP 51.1

19.94%

Cappuccino

$4.84 SGD 6.25

$4.87 MOP 39.32

-0.62%

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

$1.70 SGD 2.19

$1.20 MOP 9.66

41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 SGD 1.55

$0.88 MOP 7.10

36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 SGD 10.13

$5.67 MOP 45.78

38.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.15 SGD 11.81

$7.14 MOP 57.7

28.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 SGD 3.96

$2.95 MOP 23.84

4.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 SGD 3.07

$1.59 MOP 12.80

49.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 SGD 3.60

$1.53 MOP 12.32

82.35%

Eggs

$3.29 SGD 4.24

$3.08 MOP 24.86

6.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.19 SGD 24.78

$17.32 MOP 140

10.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.42 SGD 14.74

$7.80 MOP 63.0

46.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.61 SGD 29.19

$23.05 MOP 186

-1.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 SGD 5.88

$3.76 MOP 30.38

21.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 SGD 3.85

$3.00 MOP 24.26

-0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.95 SGD 6.40

$3.75 MOP 30.30

32.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 SGD 3.53

$2.75 MOP 22.17

-0.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 SGD 3.25

$4.26 MOP 34.40

-40.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 SGD 2.80

$3.38 MOP 27.30

-35.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 SGD 2.52

$1.62 MOP 13.11

20.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SGD 1.93

$1.09 MOP 8.77

36.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.20 SGD 17.04

$6.19 MOP 49.95

113.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.04 SGD 29.75

$12.27 MOP 99.0

87.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 SGD 5.38

$1.40 MOP 11.34

197.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 SGD 6.66

$2.09 MOP 16.87

146.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 SGD 2.06

$0.77 MOP 6.21

106.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.0 SGD 121

$21.92 MOP 177

328.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 SGD 4.75

$2.63 MOP 21.25

39.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 SGD 0.94

$1.17 MOP 9.48

-38.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.54 SGD 21.35

$14.96 MOP 121

10.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 SGD 2.84

$1.74 MOP 14.08

26.44%

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

$142.5K SGD 184.0K

$31.0K MOP 250.5K

359.25%

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

$127.5K SGD 164.6K

$27.5K MOP 221.7K

364.34%

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

$156 SGD 201

$103 MOP 830

51.32%

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

$18.63 SGD 24.06

$25.16 MOP 203

-25.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.75 SGD 48.74

$33.06 MOP 267

14.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 SGD 155

$85.1 MOP 687

40.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.10 SGD 15.62

$3.45 MOP 27.88

250.72%

Cinema Ticket

$11.53 SGD 14.89

$14.39 MOP 116

-19.87%

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

$1,190 SGD 1,536

$693 MOP 5,599

71.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.1K SGD 37.6K

$13.6K MOP 110.0K

113.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.5 SGD 108

$64.9 MOP 524

28.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.55 SGD 54.9

$29.20 MOP 236

45.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 SGD 139

$88.5 MOP 715

21.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 SGD 166

$102 MOP 820

26.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,209 SGD 4,143

$1,061 MOP 8,567

202.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,299 SGD 2,969

$771 MOP 6,222

198.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,127 SGD 7,911

$1,955 MOP 15.8K

213.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,793 SGD 4,898

$1,593 MOP 12.9K

138.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.3K SGD 30.1K

$8,503 MOP 68.7K

173.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K SGD 21.2K

$5,652 MOP 45.6K

190.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,969 SGD 5,125

$2,055 MOP 16.6K

93.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.19

3.28

-2.74%

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

Last update for Singapore: July 14, 2026

Last update for Macao: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,209 in Singapore and $1,061 in Macao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Singapore pays 93% 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: $78.0 in Singapore vs $50.0 in Macao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $450 vs $364 per month, with Macao 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

Singapore vs Macao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Macao wins on cost – living expenses run 104% lower than in Singapore. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Macao the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 93% higher in Singapore, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $3,209 in Singapore 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 Macao – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $78.0 in Singapore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,507 per month in Singapore versus $1,721 in Macao – a 104% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,721 in Macao versus $3,507 in Singapore, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Macao but tight or insufficient in Singapore. The gap between the two cities makes Macao 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, Singapore 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 Macao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Singapore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.