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: $3,651 in Singapore versus $1,764 in Macao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,223 in Singapore versus $2,775 in Macao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,796 in Singapore versus $3,787 in Macao.

Living in Singapore is roughly 107% more expensive than Macao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Singapore 172% above, Macao 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.73 SGD 13.74

$6.19 MOP 49.95

73.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 SGD 100

$49.59 MOP 400

58.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 SGD 10.09

$6.05 MOP 48.87

30.25%

Cappuccino

$4.92 SGD 6.30

$4.86 MOP 39.22

1.23%

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

$1.63 SGD 2.09

$1.20 MOP 9.71

35.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 SGD 1.57

$0.81 MOP 6.57

51.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 SGD 10.05

$5.86 MOP 47.27

33.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.61 SGD 12.30

$7.23 MOP 58.3

32.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 SGD 3.93

$2.94 MOP 23.76

4.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 SGD 3.09

$1.60 MOP 12.89

50.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 SGD 3.59

$1.53 MOP 12.39

83.66%

Eggs

$3.37 SGD 4.32

$3.17 MOP 25.62

6.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 SGD 24.76

$17.37 MOP 140

11.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.36 SGD 14.54

$7.56 MOP 61.1

50.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.95 SGD 29.38

$23.17 MOP 187

-0.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 SGD 5.79

$3.84 MOP 30.96

17.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 SGD 3.77

$3.11 MOP 25.14

-5.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.86 SGD 6.23

$3.83 MOP 30.88

26.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 SGD 3.37

$2.80 MOP 22.61

-6.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 SGD 3.16

$4.37 MOP 35.24

-43.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 SGD 2.77

$3.50 MOP 28.21

-38.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 SGD 2.57

$1.71 MOP 13.78

17.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 SGD 1.94

$1.09 MOP 8.80

38.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.24 SGD 16.95

$6.14 MOP 49.60

115.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.27 SGD 32.35

$12.17 MOP 98.2

107.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.31 SGD 5.52

$1.36 MOP 11.01

216.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 SGD 6.66

$2.06 MOP 16.60

152.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 SGD 2.02

$0.77 MOP 6.25

105.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.7 SGD 120

$22.17 MOP 179

322.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 SGD 4.49

$2.65 MOP 21.36

32.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 SGD 0.99

$1.19 MOP 9.57

-35.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.11 SGD 20.62

$15.12 MOP 122

6.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 SGD 2.81

$1.74 MOP 14.08

26.44%

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

$142.1K SGD 182.0K

$31.0K MOP 250.2K

358.51%

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

$129.1K SGD 165.3K

$28.2K MOP 227.9K

357.27%

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

$160 SGD 205

$103 MOP 835

54.56%

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

$18.36 SGD 23.50

$25.14 MOP 203

-26.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.57 SGD 46.82

$34.23 MOP 276

6.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$117 SGD 150

$85.3 MOP 689

37.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.39 SGD 15.86

$3.51 MOP 28.35

252.99%

Cinema Ticket

$11.65 SGD 14.92

$14.28 MOP 115

-18.42%

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

$1,184 SGD 1,516

$674 MOP 5,436

75.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.9K SGD 38.2K

$13.3K MOP 107.0K

125.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.2 SGD 105

$65.1 MOP 525

26.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.04 SGD 55.1

$29.06 MOP 235

48.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SGD 138

$88.3 MOP 713

21.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 SGD 168

$102 MOP 823

28.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,101 SGD 3,970

$1,064 MOP 8,588

191.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,280 SGD 2,919

$778 MOP 6,277

193.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,201 SGD 7,939

$1,966 MOP 15.9K

215.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,793 SGD 4,856

$1,621 MOP 13.1K

133.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.5K SGD 30.1K

$12.7K MOP 102.8K

84.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.5K SGD 21.1K

$8,010 MOP 64.6K

106.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,285 SGD 5,485

$1,983 MOP 16.0K

116.12%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Macao: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,101 in Singapore and $1,064 in Macao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Singapore pays 116% 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 $457 vs $366 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 107% 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.

Singapore pays 116% more on average, 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: $3,101 in Singapore versus $1,064 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 $3,651 per month in Singapore versus $1,764 in Macao – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,764 in Macao versus $3,651 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 107% less than in Singapore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.