Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Macao (China) Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Macao (China)

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,642 in Spain versus $1,778 in Macao (China).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,393 in Spain versus $2,855 in Macao (China).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,144 in Spain versus $3,932 in Macao (China).

Living in Spain costs about 8% less than in Macao (China) on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Spain 23% above, Macao (China) 33% above.

Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $1,125 to $3,182, compared to $1,721$1,835 in Macao (China). City choice carries more weight in Spain.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Macao (China)
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.46 €14.42
$6.26 MOP 50.6
162.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.1 €50.9
$56.6 MOP 457
2.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 €9.27
$6.06 MOP 48.91
74.75%
Cappuccino
$2.30 €2.01
$4.79 MOP 38.72
-51.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59 €2.27
$0.95 MOP 7.69
172.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 €1.65
$0.76 MOP 6.16
147.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.41 €2.98
$5.93 MOP 47.88
-42.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.97 €3.47
$7.28 MOP 58.8
-45.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Macao (China)
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.18 €1.03
$2.69 MOP 21.75
-56.13%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 €1.35
$1.58 MOP 12.77
-2.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.59 €1.40
$1.49 MOP 12.01
6.71%
Eggs
$3.05 €2.67
$3.00 MOP 24.22
1.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.38 €12.59
$19.15 MOP 155
-24.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.46 €7.40
$7.75 MOP 62.6
9.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.94 €13.96
$22.72 MOP 184
-29.84%
Apples (1kg)
$2.54 €2.22
$3.89 MOP 31.41
-34.70%
Banana (1kg)
$2.08 €1.82
$3.09 MOP 24.98
-32.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.02 €1.77
$3.82 MOP 30.84
-47.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.66 €2.33
$2.77 MOP 22.36
-3.97%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.59
$4.28 MOP 34.57
-57.48%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 €1.65
$3.35 MOP 27.09
-43.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 €1.18
$1.66 MOP 13.38
-18.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.75 €0.66
$1.04 MOP 8.40
-27.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.35 €5.56
$6.09 MOP 49.18
4.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.75 €5.04
$12.24 MOP 98.9
-53.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 €1.14
$1.35 MOP 10.89
-3.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.85
$2.03 MOP 16.42
3.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Macao (China)
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.72 €1.50
$0.72 MOP 5.84
138.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.11 €30.75
$22.23 MOP 180
57.94%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.56 €4.00
$2.56 MOP 20.65
78.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.30 €1.14
$1.16 MOP 9.41
12.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.70 €23.39
$14.81 MOP 120
80.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.81 €1.58
$1.77 MOP 14.29
2.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.2K €34.4K
$31.4K MOP 253.9K
24.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.6K €26.8K
$28.2K MOP 227.7K
8.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Macao (China)
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$153 €134
$92.7 MOP 749
64.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.36 €17.84
$25.14 MOP 203
-19.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.00 €29.78
$34.99 MOP 283
-2.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Macao (China)
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.13 €42.15
$76.9 MOP 621
-37.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.14 €14.13
$2.73 MOP 22.05
491.21%
Cinema Ticket
$9.37 €8.21
$14.23 MOP 115
-34.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Macao (China)
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$520 €455
$677 MOP 5,464
-23.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.2K €8,909
$13.3K MOP 107.5K
-23.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Macao (China)
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.9 €75.3
$65.5 MOP 529
31.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.75 €32.18
$28.63 MOP 231
28.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.7 €80.3
$91.0 MOP 735
0.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 €94.9
$99.7 MOP 805
8.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Macao (China)
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,043 €913
$1,168 MOP 9,434
-10.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$834 €730
$850 MOP 6,867
-1.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 €1,466
$2,083 MOP 16.8K
-19.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,223 €1,071
$1,743 MOP 14.1K
-29.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,158 €3,642
$11.0K MOP 88.7K
-62.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,629 €2,303
$8,003 MOP 64.6K
-67.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Macao (China)
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,965 €1,721
$2,022 MOP 16.3K
-2.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.51
3.21
9.35%

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

Last update for Spain: July 12, 2026

Last update for Macao (China): July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $897 in Spain, $1,129 in Macao (China). Capital cities: $1,607 in Madrid vs $1,061 in Macao.

National salary averages: $1,989 in Spain, $2,055 in Macao (China). Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 26% higher in Macao (China).

Public transport is 200% more expensive in Spain.

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
Spain vs Macao (China): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Macao (China) and Spain?
At $1,778 per month in Macao (China) and $2,154 in Spain, there's a 21% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Macao (China): lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Spain is consistently higher than in Macao (China) across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Macao (China) or in Spain?
In Macao (China), $2,500 covers most cities easily; in Spain it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Macao (China) or to Spain?
It depends on what you're after: Macao (China) wins on affordability; Spain may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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