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: $1,689 in Spain versus $2,054 in Macao (China).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,496 in Spain versus $3,057 in Macao (China).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,303 in Spain versus $4,059 in Macao (China).

Living in Spain costs about 18% less than in Macao (China) on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Spain 22% above, Macao (China) 49% above.

Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $973 to $2,672, compared to $2,003$2,104 in Macao (China). City choice carries more weight in Spain.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Macao (China)
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.71 €15.27
$6.11 MOP 49.38
189.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.6 €49.61
$55.8 MOP 451
3.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.81 €10.18
$6.10 MOP 49.24
93.61%
Cappuccino
$2.43 €2.10
$5.00 MOP 40.36
-51.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 €2.38
$1.02 MOP 8.27
170.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 €1.59
$0.84 MOP 6.76
119.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.52 €3.03
$5.70 MOP 46.06
-38.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.16 €3.58
$7.23 MOP 58.4
-42.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Macao (China)
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 €1.04
$3.26 MOP 26.34
-62.88%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 €1.32
$1.73 MOP 14.01
-10.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.64 €1.41
$1.66 MOP 13.42
-1.20%
Eggs
$3.59 €3.10
$3.35 MOP 27.03
7.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.81 €12.77
$16.03 MOP 129
-7.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.49 €7.32
$19.25 MOP 156
-55.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.68 €14.38
$29.11 MOP 235
-42.70%
Apples (1kg)
$2.53 €2.18
$2.57 MOP 20.78
-1.56%
Banana (1kg)
$2.09 €1.80
$2.85 MOP 23.06
-26.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.13 €1.84
$1.93 MOP 15.61
10.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.55 €2.20
$2.34 MOP 18.94
8.97%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.57
$4.04 MOP 32.64
-54.95%
Onion (1kg)
$2.00 €1.72
$2.93 MOP 23.64
-31.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.37 €1.18
$0.66 MOP 5.30
107.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 €0.70
$1.21 MOP 9.80
-33.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71 €5.79
$6.63 MOP 53.6
1.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.64 €4.87
$12.30 MOP 99.4
-54.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 €1.11
$1.70 MOP 13.76
-24.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 €1.81
$2.23 MOP 18.03
-5.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Macao (China)
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.76 €1.51
$0.78 MOP 6.27
125.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.25 €29.52
$22.90 MOP 185
49.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.55 €3.92
$2.53 MOP 20.43
79.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.47 €1.27
$1.27 MOP 10.26
15.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.66 €22.12
$14.71 MOP 119
74.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.79 €1.54
$1.80 MOP 14.51
-0.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.4K €31.4K
$30.6K MOP 247.3K
18.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.6K €26.4K
$31.5K MOP 254.7K
-2.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Macao (China)
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$152 €131
$124 MOP 1,001
22.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.49 €15.94
$23.31 MOP 188
-20.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.57 €28.94
$36.73 MOP 297
-8.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Macao (China)
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.38 €40.84
$67.1 MOP 542
-29.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.56 €13.41
$3.77 MOP 30.42
312.73%
Cinema Ticket
$9.96 €8.59
$14.16 MOP 114
-29.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Macao (China)
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$548 €473
$1,205 MOP 9,736
-54.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.8K €9,343
$18.9K MOP 153.0K
-42.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Macao (China)
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.1 €77.6
$70.6 MOP 570
27.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.31 €32.16
$33.15 MOP 268
12.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.0 €79.3
$93.8 MOP 758
-1.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 €96.1
$136 MOP 1,100
-18.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Macao (China)
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,049 €905
$1,095 MOP 8,844
-4.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$836 €720
$943 MOP 7,617
-11.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,663 €1,433
$2,071 MOP 16.7K
-19.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,250 €1,078
$1,624 MOP 13.1K
-23.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,240 €3,655
$10.8K MOP 87.2K
-60.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,711 €2,337
$8,074 MOP 65.2K
-66.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Macao (China)
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,021 €1,742
$2,054 MOP 16.6K
-1.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.28
3
9.33%

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

Last update for Spain: September 7, 2026

Last update for Macao (China): September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $931 in Spain, $1,105 in Macao (China). Capital cities: $1,577 in Madrid vs $1,139 in Macao.

National salary averages: $2,035 in Spain, $1,990 in Macao (China). Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 19% higher in Macao (China).

Public transport is 182% 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 $2,054 per month in Macao (China) and $1,823 in Spain, there's a 13% 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 Spain: 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 Macao (China) is consistently higher than in Spain across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget in Macao (China) or in Spain?
In Spain, $3,000 covers most cities easily; in Macao (China) 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: Spain wins on affordability; Macao (China) may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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