Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Macao (China) Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Macao (China)

Name: Macao (China)
Address: MO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,643 in United States versus $1,797 in Macao (China).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,857 in United States versus $2,831 in Macao (China).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,070 in United States versus $3,864 in Macao (China).

Living in United States is roughly 47% more expensive than Macao (China) on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: United States 97% above, Macao (China) 34% above.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $1,343 to $5,081, compared to $1,764–$1,830 in Macao (China). City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$6.04 MOP 48.74

231.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$54.9 MOP 443

38.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 $11.42

$6.28 MOP 50.6

81.85%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$4.74 MOP 38.28

13.71%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$0.97 MOP 7.82

162.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.75 MOP 6.03

172.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$5.82 MOP 46.99

5.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$7.28 MOP 58.7

-1.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.77 MOP 22.37

-62.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$1.58 MOP 12.75

131.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$1.48 MOP 11.91

219.59%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$2.85 MOP 23.02

53.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$18.99 MOP 153

-32.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$7.68 MOP 62.0

61.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$23.15 MOP 187

-29.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$3.71 MOP 29.94

46.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$3.08 MOP 24.83

-46.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.82 MOP 30.79

20.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$2.75 MOP 22.20

78.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$4.39 MOP 35.44

-33.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.52 MOP 28.40

-11.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.65 MOP 13.30

36.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.08 MOP 8.74

112.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$6.08 MOP 49.08

62.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

$12.18 MOP 98.3

23.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.42 MOP 11.49

34.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.09 MOP 16.82

75.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.71 MOP 5.71

249.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

$22.48 MOP 181

188.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.53 MOP 20.42

51.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.18 MOP 9.51

49.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.58 $30.58

$14.64 MOP 118

108.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.78 MOP 14.35

-46.07%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$30.5K MOP 246.0K

-0.05%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$28.0K MOP 225.7K

-5.73%

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

$204 $204

$93.4 MOP 753

118.71%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$25.67 MOP 207

123.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$34.24 MOP 276

107.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 $46.67

$78.3 MOP 632

-40.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.12 $22.12

$2.83 MOP 22.83

681.63%

Cinema Ticket

$13.84 $13.84

$14.27 MOP 115

-3.01%

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

$1,384 $1,384

$683 MOP 5,506

102.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$13.5K MOP 108.8K

68.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$64.7 MOP 522

-18.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 $43.17

$28.78 MOP 232

50.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 $90.6

$89.6 MOP 723

1.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$102 MOP 825

11.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$1,144 MOP 9,226

54.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$857 MOP 6,910

70.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 $2,832

$2,059 MOP 16.6K

37.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 $2,411

$1,760 MOP 14.2K

36.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,287 $3,287

$11.1K MOP 89.6K

-70.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$8,298 MOP 67.0K

-68.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 $4,379

$1,980 MOP 16.0K

121.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

3.21

102.80%

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

Last update for United States: May 30, 2026

Last update for Macao (China): June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,637 in United States, $1,143 in Macao (China). Capital cities: $2,591 in Washington, DC vs $1,064 in Macao.

National salary averages: $4,500 in United States, $1,983 in Macao (China). Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 43% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 46% more in United States.

Public transport is 127% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 127% higher in United States, giving United States stronger purchasing power.

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

United States vs Macao (China): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,797 per month in Macao (China) and $3,212 in United States, there's a 79% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Macao (China) is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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.

Rent in United States beats 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.

In Macao (China), $2,500 covers most cities easily. In United States, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. Macao (China) wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.