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: $2,642 in United States versus $1,778 in Macao (China).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,857 in United States versus $2,855 in Macao (China).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,072 in United States versus $3,932 in Macao (China).

Living in United States is roughly 49% more expensive than in Macao (China) on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: United States 98% above, Macao (China) 33% above.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $1,335 to $5,182, compared to $1,721–$1,835 in Macao (China). City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$6.26 MOP 50.6

213.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.4 $75.4

$56.6 MOP 457

33.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 $11.57

$6.06 MOP 48.91

90.92%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$4.79 MOP 38.72

8.98%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$0.95 MOP 7.69

162.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.76 MOP 6.16

171.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$5.93 MOP 47.88

-0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$7.28 MOP 58.8

-2.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.69 MOP 21.75

-59.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$1.58 MOP 12.77

125.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$1.49 MOP 12.01

218.12%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$3.00 MOP 24.22

44.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 $12.68

$19.15 MOP 155

-33.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$7.75 MOP 62.6

58.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 $16.60

$22.72 MOP 184

-26.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$3.89 MOP 31.41

32.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$3.09 MOP 24.98

-44.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.82 MOP 30.84

16.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$2.77 MOP 22.36

73.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$4.28 MOP 34.57

-31.54%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.35 MOP 27.09

-7.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.66 MOP 13.38

33.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.04 MOP 8.40

116.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 $9.90

$6.09 MOP 49.18

62.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$12.24 MOP 98.9

24.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.35 MOP 10.89

41.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.03 MOP 16.42

76.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.72 MOP 5.84

241.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 $64.6

$22.23 MOP 180

190.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 $3.77

$2.56 MOP 20.65

47.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.16 MOP 9.41

47.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.08 $30.08

$14.81 MOP 120

103.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.77 MOP 14.29

-45.76%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$31.4K MOP 253.9K

-5.02%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$28.2K MOP 227.7K

-7.29%

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

$210 $210

$92.7 MOP 749

126.59%

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

$56.3 $56.3

$25.14 MOP 203

123.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$34.99 MOP 283

108.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.39 $45.39

$76.9 MOP 621

-41.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.60 $21.60

$2.73 MOP 22.05

691.21%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 $14.04

$14.23 MOP 115

-1.34%

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

$1,377 $1,377

$677 MOP 5,464

103.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K $22.4K

$13.3K MOP 107.5K

68.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 $52.7

$65.5 MOP 529

-19.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.41 $42.41

$28.63 MOP 231

48.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

$91.0 MOP 735

0.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$99.7 MOP 805

13.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$1,168 MOP 9,434

51.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 $1,462

$850 MOP 6,867

71.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,849 $2,849

$2,083 MOP 16.8K

36.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 $2,369

$1,743 MOP 14.1K

35.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,364 $3,364

$11.0K MOP 88.7K

-69.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,665 $2,665

$8,003 MOP 64.6K

-66.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,378 $4,378

$2,022 MOP 16.3K

116.51%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Macao (China): July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,635 in United States, $1,129 in Macao (China). Capital cities: $1,625 in Washington, MI vs $1,061 in Macao.

National salary averages: $4,500 in United States, $2,055 in Macao (China). Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 45% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 46% more in United States.

Public transport is 127% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 119% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

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 $1,778 per month in Macao (China) and $3,259 in United States, there's a 83% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Macao (China): 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 is consistently higher than in 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 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; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.