Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipa and Cartago Cost of Living Comparison Between Taipa and Cartago

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,067 in Taipa versus $1,683 in Cartago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,202 in Taipa versus $2,387 in Cartago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,337 in Taipa versus $3,090 in Cartago.

Living in Taipa is roughly 23% more expensive than in Cartago, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Taipa 50% above, Cartago 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.12 MOP 49.43

$8.92 ₡3,993

-31.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.3 MOP 455

$36.02 ₡16.1K

56.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 MOP 49.39

$9.87 ₡4,416

-37.99%

Cappuccino

$5.13 MOP 41.42

$4.49 ₡2,009

14.25%

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

$0.77 MOP 6.25

$2.19 ₡980

-64.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MOP 3.08

$1.44 ₡645

-73.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.63 MOP 45.47

$2.21 ₡991

154.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.34 MOP 59.2

$4.17 ₡1,868

76.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.18 MOP 25.72

$2.46 ₡1,102

29.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 MOP 13.75

$2.42 ₡1,083

-29.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 MOP 13.93

$2.57 ₡1,149

-32.68%

Eggs

$3.46 MOP 27.90

$3.46 ₡1,550

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.36 MOP 132

$8.82 ₡3,947

85.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.23 MOP 155

$10.39 ₡4,649

85.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$29.35 MOP 237

$14.23 ₡6,369

106.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MOP 21.42

$5.25 ₡2,348

-49.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 MOP 23.57

$1.37 ₡612

113.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MOP 15.07

$4.37 ₡1,956

-57.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 MOP 19.91

$3.09 ₡1,383

-20.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.86 MOP 31.20

$2.19 ₡981

76.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 MOP 23.64

$2.20 ₡987

33.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 MOP 5.26

$1.09 ₡489

-40.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 MOP 9.33

$2.29 ₡1,023

-49.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.80 MOP 54.9

$6.17 ₡2,762

10.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.60 MOP 102

$15.44 ₡6,909

-18.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 MOP 14.36

$2.94 ₡1,315

-39.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 MOP 18.25

$2.02 ₡905

11.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 ₡587

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.5 ₡33.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 MOP 21.09

$1.37 ₡614

90.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 MOP 10.48

$1.65 ₡739

-21.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.76 MOP 119

$8.94 ₡4,003

65.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 MOP 14.93

$1.55 ₡695

19.35%

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

$31.4K MOP 253.3K

$22.0K ₡9.8M

42.67%

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

$31.6K MOP 254.8K

$34.4K ₡15.4M

-8.21%

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

$122 MOP 988

$54.5 ₡24.4K

124.72%

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

$23.44 MOP 189

$36.55 ₡16.4K

-35.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.39 MOP 294

$61.5 ₡27.5K

-40.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.7 MOP 611

$74.9 ₡33.5K

1.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.81 MOP 30.77

$78.7 ₡35.2K

-95.16%

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 MOP 99.9

$7.03 ₡3,145

75.96%

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

$1,190 MOP 9,613

$547 ₡244.9K

117.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K MOP 153.4K

$8,044 ₡3.6M

136.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.0 MOP 573

$72.0 ₡32.2K

-1.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.79 MOP 273

$56.1 ₡25.1K

-39.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 MOP 736

$121 ₡54.0K

-24.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 MOP 1,094

$89.1 ₡39.8K

52.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 MOP 8,563

$920 ₡411.5K

15.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$972 MOP 7,852

$663 ₡296.6K

46.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,142 MOP 17.3K

$1,880 ₡841.4K

13.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 MOP 15.8K

$714 ₡319.4K

174.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.2K MOP 130.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.1K MOP 106.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,333 ₡596.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

-65.83%

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

Last update for Taipa: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cartago: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,060 in Taipa and $920 in Cartago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $56.0 in Taipa vs $36.00 in Cartago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $426 vs $354 per month, with Cartago 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

Taipa vs Cartago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cartago is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,101 in Taipa and $2,525 in Cartago to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,060 in Taipa versus $920 in Cartago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Taipa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,067 per month in Taipa versus $1,683 in Cartago – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,683 in Cartago versus $2,067 in Taipa, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cartago but tight or insufficient in Taipa. The gap between the two cities makes Cartago 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, Taipa and Cartago 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 Cartago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Taipa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.