Moving to Macau from Spain

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Spain to Macau — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Spain to Macau, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese and Portuguese. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Macao averages 77°F vs 68°F in Madrid, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Spain and Macau stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

ES
0.7
MO
0.6

Macau performs significantly better than Spain across all safety metrics.

What about the environment?

CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ES
4.5t
MO
2.5t

Macau performs significantly better than Spain across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ES
36.0
MO
30.0
Internet access The World Factbook, 2021

share of households with internet

ES
94.0%
MO
88.0%

Spain performs better than Macau across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

ES
12.1%
MO
2.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ES
$46,400
MO
$102,000

Macau performs significantly better than Spain across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ES
82.5 yrs
MO
85.0 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ES
2.5
MO
4.6

Spain generally does better on family life, though Macau leads in life expectancy.

Data: Agencia Tributaria, Spain, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Madrid Rain: 16.6 in/yr (421 mm)
68° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Macao Rain: 83.6 in/yr (2123 mm)
77° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Madrid Macao
Jan–Mar 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) 66°/57°F (19°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) 82°/73°F (28°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) 88°/78°F (31°/26°C)
Oct–Dec 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) 74°/64°F (23°/18°C)
View all months
Month Madrid Macao
Jan 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) 64°/54°F (17.7°/12.2°C)
Feb 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) 64°/56°F (17.7°/13.1°C)
Mar 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) 69°/61°F (20.7°/16.2°C)
Apr 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) 76°/68°F (24.5°/20.2°C)
May 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) 83°/74°F (28.1°/23.6°C)
Jun 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) 87°/78°F (30.3°/25.7°C)
Jul 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) 89°/79°F (31.5°/26.3°C)
Aug 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) 88°/79°F (31.2°/26.0°C)
Sep 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) 86°/77°F (30.0°/24.9°C)
Oct 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) 81°/72°F (27.4°/22.3°C)
Nov 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) 74°/64°F (23.4°/17.8°C)
Dec 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) 67°/57°F (19.6°/13.8°C)

Data: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain and Macau. To live, work, or study long-term in Macau, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Macau's immigration authority.

Spain passport

Spain passport holder visiting Macau

Visa Free
Spain passport holders can enter Macau without a visa.
Macau passport

Macau passport holder visiting Spain

Visa Free
Macau passport holders can enter Spain without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Macau?

With 30.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Macau can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Spain and Macau.

Is Macau safe for expats?

Macau performs significantly better than Spain across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Macau is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Spain.

What's the weather like in Macau compared to Spain?

The average high temperature in Macao is 77°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Macao receives around 83.6 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.

What language do they speak in Macau?

The official languages in Macau are Chinese and Portuguese. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.

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At a Glance

ES MO
Population 47,163,418 635,293
Currency Euro (€) Macanese Pataca (MOP)
Languages Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish Chinese, Portuguese
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +34 +853
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 112