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