Last update: Oct 2026

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

Name: Macao (China)
Address: MO

For one person, living is cheaper in Macao (China): $1,996 a month against $2,727 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

132

Cost of Living Index in the United States
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United States Living Index
97

Cost of Living Index in Macao (China)
Learn more

Macao (China) Living Index

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🇺🇸 United States

$2,727

/mo nomad

🇲🇴 Macao (China)

$1,996

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the United States and in Macao (China)

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in the United States and in Macao (China) actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,727 in the United States versus $1,996 in Macao (China).

United States $2,727
Macao (China) $1,996

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,009 in the United States versus $3,037 in Macao (China).

United States $4,009
Macao (China) $3,037

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,291 in the United States versus $4,078 in Macao (China).

United States $5,291
Macao (China) $4,078

Internal cost variation is higher in the United States: monthly costs span $977 to $5,215, compared to $2,035–$2,139 in Macao (China). City choice carries more weight in the United States.

Living in the United States is roughly 37% more expensive than in Macao (China) on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: the United States 101% above, Macao (China) 47% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.73 $19.73

$6.08 MOP 49.12

224.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 $81.0

$54.7 MOP 442

48.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 $11.98

$6.15 MOP 49.70

94.80%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$5.05 MOP 40.85

10.69%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$1.02 MOP 8.28

172.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$0.79 MOP 6.35

165.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$5.63 MOP 45.47

6.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 $7.92

$7.40 MOP 59.8

7.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$3.11 MOP 25.14

-66.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.70 MOP 13.72

120.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$1.73 MOP 13.98

157.80%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$3.46 MOP 27.96

25.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.75 $12.75

$15.90 MOP 129

-19.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.27 $12.27

$19.62 MOP 159

-37.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.29 $17.29

$28.68 MOP 232

-39.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$2.70 MOP 21.85

96.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.87 MOP 23.19

-41.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$1.93 MOP 15.62

123.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.36 MOP 19.07

113.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.85 MOP 31.08

-27.01%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.97 MOP 23.99

2.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.62 MOP 5.04

258.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.15 MOP 9.31

104.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.92 $10.92

$6.76 MOP 54.7

61.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$12.20 MOP 98.6

21.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.79 MOP 14.46

17.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.18 MOP 17.65

66.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.71 MOP 5.73

246.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.7 $65.7

$22.62 MOP 183

190.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.58 MOP 20.88

38.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.28 MOP 10.34

48.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.51 $29.51

$14.79 MOP 120

99.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.85 MOP 14.95

-44.86%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$30.8K MOP 248.7K

-8.02%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$31.1K MOP 251.7K

-16.61%

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

$221 $221

$124 MOP 1,000

78.46%

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

$61.3 $61.3

$23.96 MOP 194

155.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.3 $73.3

$37.38 MOP 302

95.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 $44.89

$66.9 MOP 541

-32.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.65 $22.65

$3.68 MOP 29.72

515.49%

Cinema Ticket

$15.16 $15.16

$13.83 MOP 112

9.62%

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

$1,471 $1,471

$1,234 MOP 9,972

19.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K $25.0K

$18.7K MOP 150.8K

34.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 $53.5

$70.5 MOP 569

-24.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.76 $43.76

$33.85 MOP 274

29.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 $92.0

$93.0 MOP 752

-1.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$137 MOP 1,108

-16.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,654 $1,654

$1,100 MOP 8,892

50.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 $1,332

$931 MOP 7,529

43.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,669 $2,669

$2,101 MOP 17.0K

27.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,207 $2,207

$1,644 MOP 13.3K

34.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,054 $3,054

$10.8K MOP 87.3K

-71.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,522 $2,522

$8,075 MOP 65.3K

-68.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,391 $4,391

$2,031 MOP 16.4K

116.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

118.33%

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

Last update for the United States: October 18, 2026

Last update for Macao (China): October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

United States

$1.3K 48.9%

Macao (China)

$931 46.7% 30.1% $401

Groceries & Markets

United States

$413 15.1%

Macao (China)

$422 21.2% 2.4% $9.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

United States

$355 13%

Macao (China)

$185 9.3% 47.9% $170

Eating Out

United States

$326 12%

Macao (China)

$178 8.9% 45.5% $148

Clothing & Footwear

United States

$137 5%

Macao (China)

$150 7.5% 10.2% $14

Getting Around

United States

$89 3.3%

Macao (China)

$34 1.7% 61.1% $54

Sport & Entertainment

United States

$75 2.8%

Macao (China)

$95 4.7% 25.7% $19

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,612 in the United States, $1,101 in Macao (China). Capital cities: $2,743 in Washington, DC vs $1,132 in Macao.

National salary averages: $4,548 in the United States, $2,054 in Macao (China). Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 46% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 36% more in the United States.

Public transport is 145% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are 121% higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇺🇸 United States

🇲🇴 Macao (China)

🕒 Local time

13:03 1:03 PM

01:03 1:03 AM

12 h ahead of the United States

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

340,110,988

682,100

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Macanese Pataca MOP P

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 MOP = 0.124 USD

1 MOP = 0.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MOP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇲🇴 Macanese Pataca (P)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Macanese Pataca exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 8.08 MOP (1 MOP = 0.124 USD). 1 EUR = 9.09 MOP (1 MOP = 0.11 EUR).

MOP to USD in detail →

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Between locations

United States Macao (China) 13,230 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

United States
Macao (China)

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 $1,996 per month in Macao (China) and $2,727 in the United States, there's a 37% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,612 in the United States and $1,101 in Macao (China). Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.

In Macao (China), $2,500 covers most cities easily; in the United States it stretches only to regional areas and 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; the United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.