Bali vs Macau Cost of Living Comparison
Executive summary: Bali leads on CPI (16.7 vs 49.3, NYC=100), Bali leads on rent index, and Macau leads on purchasing power. Validate neighbourhood rents before relocating — city-wide winners can reverse at district scale.
Overall Cost Winner
Bali
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Purchasing Power (432% gap, Macau ahead); Housing (188% gap, Bali ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $394 lower in Bali than in Macau (~188% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $394 (favoring Bali).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Bali | CPI 16.7 vs 49.3 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Bali | Rent index 5.2 vs 15 (lower is better) |
| Food | Bali | Groceries index 24.7 vs 55.4 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Macau | One-way ticket 1.06 vs 162.9 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Macau | Utilities (85m²) 27.6 vs 6281.6 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Macau | Internet 44.5 vs 10358.6 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Bali | Restaurant index 14.8 vs 39.4 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Bali | Avg net salary 374480 vs 3034.53 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Macau | PP index 53.2 vs 10 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Purchasing Power: Macau leads with a 432% gap.
PP index 53.2 vs 10 (higher is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Bali — Lower housing / rent index (188% gap).
- Families: Bali — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Bali; purchasing power favors Macau.
- Remote Workers: Bali — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Bali (~195% gap).
- Budget Living: Bali — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Bali is the overall cost winner on CPI (~195% lower everyday-cost index than Macau).
- Housing: Bali leads on rent index (188% gap).
- Food / groceries: Bali is lower (124% gap).
- Purchasing power: Macau scores higher (432% gap).
- Largest category gap: Purchasing Power (432%), favoring Macau.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$394 cheaper in Bali.
Analysis
Detailed breakdown uses only paired indices: CPI 16.7/49.3, rent 5.2/15, purchasing power 10/53.2. Category winners can diverge — a city may win rent while losing CPI. No GDP, climate, or industry claims are invented for either city.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-20
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Nearby
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Nearby.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.