MigrantoCost of living in Macao
Average monthly spending, by standard of living, by category, and against other countries
Monthly cost
MOP 13,100
what a typical person spends
Spending by standard of living
MOP 5,600richest 20%
MOP 33,600
Macao funds itself on tourism and the casino floor, and that single engine shapes what life there costs. It's a tiny, crowded place where land is precious, so the cost of simply having somewhere to live runs ahead of almost everything else. Between a comfortable life and a modest one the gap is there but not extreme — the real pressure here is less about who you are than about where you can afford to sleep.
Where people spend money in Macao
A month in Macao is dominated by one line above all: housing. With so little space and so many people chasing it, rent doesn't just take the largest piece — it can swallow the budget whole before the month really begins. What's left tends to go on eating out and groceries, much of it brought in from outside, so even the everyday carries an imported price.
Living-cost calculator
What it costs to live in Macao
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Cost of living in Macao
MOP 5,600/mo
vs MOP 6,460 in your country
Take-home
MOP 5,440
vs MOP 9,690 in your country
Potential savings
−MOP 158
more than in your country
Standard of living
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How living costs in Macao compare
Set against the world, Macao ranks among the most expensive places to live, even if within Asia a handful of cities edge past it. The cause is its shape more than its wealth: a sliver of land running a tourism boom leaves almost no room to live cheaply. For anyone deciding, it's a place where the cost of a home, not the cost of a good time, is what you have to plan around.
Data source: household consumption 2024 (World Bank, regional estimate), PPP price levels (World Bank), category breakdown 2024 (United Nations Statistics Division), adjusted to 2026 using IMF GDP-per-capita growth
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Frequently asked questions
What is the cost of living in Macao?
A typical person in Macao spends about MOP 13,100 a month — around MOP 157,000 a year — on housing, groceries, transport and other everyday costs. It's a nationwide average across different regions, cities and types of housing.
What is the cost of living in Macao in US dollars?
The cost of living in Macao is about $1,625 a month, or roughly $19,500 a year per person.
How much money do you need to live comfortably in Macao?
It all depends on your standard of living. A modest budget runs about MOP 5,600 a month per person, a typical one around MOP 13,100, and a comfortable life around MOP 18,500. In big cities and for a family, costs are usually higher.
What do people spend the most on in Macao?
The biggest expense is housing, at about MOP 3,150 a month (24% of spending). Then come dining out (MOP 1,970, 15%) and groceries (MOP 1,490, 11%).
Is the average salary in Macao enough to live on?
In most cases yes, but without much of a cushion. Average spending is about MOP 13,100 a month, while the average take-home pay in Macao is about MOP 13,600. For more on incomes, see salaries in Macao.
Is Macao an expensive country to live in?
Yes. Macao is more expensive than 85% of countries worldwide and ranks 3rd of 27 in Asia by cost of living.
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Living in Macao
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