How expensive is Macau? In our Macau travel tips guide to Macau, China we cover arriving from the airport, accommodations, local transportation, casinos, Portuguese architecture and ruins and free attractions in the city. We explore what to see and do and local must eats including what we loved about Macau along with what we hated about Macau. Now let’s explore the cost of travel in Macao, China in depth!

Official Exchange Rate = $1 USD = 7.99 Macanese Pataca (current as of February, 2017)

*Tip* Hong Kong Dollars are widely accepted in Macau so that is an option for paying for food, souvenirs and experiences. However, Macanese Pataca is not accepted in Hong Kong so be sure to spend your coins before heading back to Hong Kong.

*Check out our best things to do in Macau travel guide video =

Arriving to Macau from Hong Kong, Mainland China and elsewhere

1) TurboJET ferry from Hong Kong (takes about an hour and economy class is about $21-$24 USD – cheaper on weekdays). Frequent departures from Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and Hong Kong International Airport
2) Helicopter from Hong Kong (over $500 one way and takes less than 20 minutes)
3) Bus from mainland China (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, etc)
4) Budget flight from SE Asia or other elsewhere. Sometimes cheaper than flying into Hong Kong. Worth checking prices to confirm.
5) From the airport public buses and taxis are a cheap and efficient way to get to your hotel

Accommodations in Macau

1) Hostel in Macau – (basically non-existant)
2) 2 star or 3 star Hotel in Macau ($88 to $161 USD)
3) 3 star or 4 star Hotel in Macau ($120 to $600 USD)
4) AirBnB in Macau or apartment in Macau (rental) – (for a private room $40 to $60 USD and for your own apartment $80 to $200+)

*Note* Accommodations are expensive in Macau with essentially no budget options. Consider staying in Hong Kong and going on a day-trip or just biting the bullet and paying more than you budget elsewhere for a decent hotel.

Local Transportation around Macau

1) On foot (FREE! Great way to sightsee in Taipa and around Senado Square)
2) Casino and Hotel shuttle buses (absolutely FREE and how we got around when traveling any distance)
3) Local Bus (local price = 3.20 to 5.00 MOP)
4) Taxi (starting at 17 MOP and most rides are 50 MOP or less)
5) Cycle Rickshaw (local price = 200 MOP for a city tour)

Our prefered way to get around was by foot when distances were close and by free casino and hotel shuttles when distances were not within comfortable walking distance. We literally paid ZERO for our transportation and you can easily do this as well.

Macau Free Attractions (Free things to do in Macau)

1) Senado Square
2) Ruins of St. Paul’s
3) Hotels and Casinos
4) Taipa Village
5) Free Samples of street food

Things to do in Macau (Macau must see)

1) Macau Tower (130 MOP for adults and 70 MOP for seniors and kids)
2) City of Dreams House of Dancing Water Spectacular (580 Hong Kong Dollars for adults and 406 HKD for kids)
3) Gambling (oh my gosh you could spend as much or as little as you want)

What to eat in Macau (Macau street food and local eats)

1) Eggs Tarts
2) Pork Chop Bun
3) Durian ice cream
4) Jerky
5) Almond Cookies
6) Portuguese wine

Macau Travel Tips | How Expensive Is Macau?

Things we LOVED about Macau (I love Macau)

1) Free to visit the hotels and casinos for shopping and entertainment (aside from gambling area)
2) Great street food options throughout the city
3) Cool Portuguese architecture and ruins
3) Easy as a day trip from Hong Kong
5) Free Transportation with casino and hotel shuttles

Things we HATED about Macau (I love Macau)

1) Lack of budget accommodations
2) Crowded around major attractions by midday
3) Potentially choppy ferry ride from Hong Kong

Final Thoughts

Macau is definitely worth a visit – especially if you’re combining your trip with a visit to Hong Kong. Macau offers enough in terms of attractions even for non-gamblers to have a good time on a day trip from Hong Kong. For those wanting to gamble, enjoy nightlife and entertainment (shows) then a few days in Macau would be your best bet.

GEAR WE USE
Olympus OM-D E-M5 II:
Canon G7X:
Olympus 14-150mm II Lens:
Rode Video Mic GO:
Joby Gorilla Pod:
SanDisk 16GB Extreme Pro:

SOCIAL MEDIA & TRAVEL BLOGS

AUDREY:
blog:
instagram:
facebook:
twitter:

SAMUEL:
blog:
facebook:
twitter:
instragram:

This is part of our Travel in Macau video series showcasing Macau food, Macau culture and Macau cuisine.

Music in this video courtesy of Audio Network

Comments are closed.