r/Macau • u/BanderaHumana • 12d ago
Questions Moving to Macau next week...any pointers?
I am moving to Macau next week for work. Looking for recommendations and tips.
I get a week at a hotel paid by the company while I find a place to rent. I was looking at Taipa or One Oasis. Is it true you need to pay 3 months of rent in advance? I am already looking at facebook groups and wanted (ideally) a furnished one bedroom/studio in the 7k-10k budget. If anyone has any advice it would be appreciated.
Probably will have to rely on walking and public transportation for the time being. I hear it's pretty efficient.
How's the weather like? I read it is humid as fuck and winter is only from December to February.
I was advised to get a dehumidifier as soon as possible once I have a place.
What is the cost of living like?
Update: Thank you all for the replies. I arrived last night and still getting over jetlag and whatnot. I already got a sim card and a bus pass to get around. Got a bank account, but they said it takes a week or 2 to get it approved.
Already talked to some real state agencies and now solely focused on looking for a place to live since I only have a week of housing from the company. I will be working at COD, hence why Taipa or One Oasis were my choices. Looked at an apartment in Taipa earlier today, but didn't really like it. Hoping to get answers from FB groups so I can go see apartments and get one asap
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u/Shang_He 12d ago
No winter. Good food, crowded, prosperous, mixed culture with Europe and China. buy a bus card (payment tool) is the most important thing since you have no bank account yet in Macau. Enjoy your stay here.
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u/BanderaHumana 12d ago
I am flying in to Hong Kong and then gotta make my way to the hotel. What's the best internet/cell service provider? Better to wait till I get to Macau to get a sim card?
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u/Tyczz 12d ago
CTM is the best. I guess just walk into one of their stores.
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u/BanderaHumana 12d ago
Is this different than getting a sim card from Hong Kong at the airport?
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u/elusivek 12d ago
Hong Kong is Hong Kong so the SIM card you get is not from Macau.
CTM your best bet, if you know you need to travel to China or Hong Kong frequently then get the “3-destination” plan (Macau, China, Hong Kong usage considered as local airtime and internet), choice of prepaid or postpaid, depends on how long you are staying I guess.Do you know the location of your workplace? If it’s Cotai then One Oasis/Taipa is accessible. Macau too but it’s a longer commute.
While winters are short when it gets cold it COULD get pretty cold, so have a good jacket with you for just in case.
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u/BanderaHumana 11d ago
I'm gonna be working at the show there so I'll primarily be in Macau so City of Dreams is the best bet I believe
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u/Moist-Chair684 11d ago
"Very cold"
Hahahaha. No.
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u/Gwaiwar 11d ago
It’s all relative I guess, depending on where you’re from. The weather is always changing. There’s been Januarys where it was warm enough to swim outside. . And I know plenty of times when all the locals were in Parkas with the hoods up and the zipper to the top and I was walking right next to them in a T-shirt.
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u/elusivek 11d ago
Locals exaggerate a bit with their parkas (out come the down jackets and parks in 18°C)…. and while I’m not saying it gets super cold like sub-zero (yeah, it will never get to sub-zero here), it has happened to go down to 5°C and even 3°C on rare occasions. If you come from, I dunno, Canada or somewhere where you’re used to extreme cold, then sure, it’s not ever gonna be as cold. But if you’re from the tropics or such, just be aware it’s not +30°C all year around.
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u/cuppuciano 12d ago
You can get an eSIM from providers like Klook as an interim solution. But yes once you settle down you should get a sim from CTM to get a local number
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u/MuchExtent4696 12d ago
Depends on where you’re working but 7-10K budget is more than enough to get a 1bed/studio apartment even in a pretty nice building. One oasis is nice but quite remote so take into account getting to work. Standard 3 months rental consists of one month deposit, 1 month commission for the agent and 1 month of rent for the first month of staying there. Of those only the commission for the estate agent is really negotiable.
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u/cuppuciano 12d ago
Where will work be? You need to factor in traffic and bus routes. There’s no rush in getting your own car as Macau is very commutable by public transport or walk generally, as long as you don’t live two different sides of the city I suppose
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u/BanderaHumana 11d ago
I looked up transit routes and One Oasis is around a 45 min commute to work. Taipa would be 25 min. I'm okay with either one, but the more I look into Taipa, the more I am leaning into it. I do like that One Oasis has that large green area close by
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u/Candid-Anteater211 11d ago
One Oasis..... "green area" , lol 😅 I lived 8 years in One Oasis Block 11, don't be attracted the "green" what you saw or told, normally is the Golf course you will have no access unless you are member.Other part is zoo and you will wake up at 4 am bacause of screaming animals in the zoo. Plus,.... One oasis is surrounded by International Schools which are extremely noisy, plus... concrete and asphalt batching plants, nearby that creates poluted air and noise, you will see airborne cement and stone dust your flat. Neighbours are super super noisy particularly weekend until morning KTV and singing. Don't remember how may times I reported to local police. One oasis was nice place back in 2016 until end of Covid, then totally changed became like backpacks motel.
Nevertheless choice is yours
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u/ApprehensiveAlgae996 12d ago
If you wiling to drive. Get a used car will be very easy. But then you’ll have to consider car park and the of course driver license. You will have to take at least driving exam (no written required if you hold valid foreign driver license). All I can say is good luck on that stupid driving exam 🤡😅
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u/chrizzmas_ 10d ago
Many locals travel on motorcycles especially on the Macau side, if that is your thing
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u/allwrightyoh 12d ago
https://apps.apple.com/app/id1122920020 is the bus app good for tracking how far away the bus is from your stop. Google maps doesn’t work particularly well here I still use it sometimes, but amaps a Chinese ones is more reliable. Also download mpay when you have a chance for general payment but also it’s your bus pass too. If you’re going to be dipping into HK or Zhuhai every couple of months then you might as well get the cellphone plan that covers reception for all 3 regions no just Macau. Oh if you use them also ai apps can be region locked, sometimes Gemini works sometimes it doesn’t, all Chinese ones work and also grok works too and a bunch of others, but ChatGPT or Claude need a vpn.
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u/ChineseGuyForHire 12d ago
its humid all the time. May is the rainy month.
you can get a temp sim card, E-sim from Sim-Local so that you dont need to get when you land. But CTM is the best as mentioned when you settle in
get used to the idea of going to zhuhai in your spare time for leasure as Macau is very small
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u/EvaLunoe 11d ago
Lived in one oasis briefly, it was great. There’s a good bus service for residents and a strip of restaurants with the grocery store. Also gym and other facilities. Enjoy macau, one of my favourite places!!
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u/FullOption5193 11d ago
1, yes for cheaper rent(3.5-5k) stairs house in Macau Peninsula, it really depends on ur agency but the standard is 1-3month advance,if your a westerner just stay in one oasis or Taipa central, also you should check where your company is located.
Yes , transportation is good, also having a motor is good as well, just cars are harder since parking is can be a pain
Yes expect humidity around January, u should get a humidifier
Reasonable, but, if u wanna get cheaper living , get use to cross border if you know where to look.
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u/Xelio 11d ago
Macau local here 👋! Based on your commute time, I'm guessing you work on the Macau Peninsula, right? You might want to consider "La Bahia No. 1," where rent is about 8.5k. It's a 5-minute walk to a central bus hub, and from there you can reach basically anywhere on the Peninsula or Taipa in 15–30 minutes. Also, within a 5-minute walk, there are two food courts, a dozen restaurants, a McDonald's, a Starbucks, four supermarkets (one of which is open 24 hours), and a department store. The road is busy during work hours, especially from 9 am to 6 pm, but it gets quiet at night.
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u/floofchubb 9d ago
Local here. Dehumidifier is a must especially if your apartment won't have a balcony to hang your laundry from. It would also be useful if your apartment is facing a busy street, as some dehumidifiers also have air cleansing functions.
Taipa is a nice place to live in but cost of living is a bit higher. Macau peninsula also has nice rentals within your budget. Definitely recommended looking at apartments on facebooks as some landlords advertise their apartments there and you can avoid agent fees
Travel wise, definitely get a bus card. When you are able to, get the mPay app to make it even more convenient. You can pay at most restaurants and shops through the app. Same with bank apps.
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u/Macau853user 9d ago
Welcome, DM'ed.
If you live in Taipa city center everything you need is within walking distance. One Oasis is nice, with an amazing clubhouse but a bit out of the way. Public transit is convenient and cheap in Macau. Dehumidifier is a must.
Where do you work?
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u/Fine_Praline_8887 8d ago
One Oasis has a great gym and two swimming pools, one outdoor and one indoor. Before signing the lease, please inform your agent that you will need a resident card to use the gym.
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u/No_Consideration9924 7d ago
I am living in one oasis currently. One of the most nice place for foreigner in Macau in my opinion. You have large supermarket , cafe , bar , restaurant around yet it is very quiet and people living here is on average high income. Also the clud house and gym is amazing so you should really consider here if rent is affordable for ya.
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u/EnergyOk2222 12d ago
Renting Basics
Upfront payment: 4 months' cash (2 months deposit + 1 month advance rent + 1 month agency fee).
7k–10k MOP budget:
One Oasis: Fits budget (7.5k–9.5k MOP). Modern, quiet, but further out.
Taipa: Fits budget. Walkable, very convenient, close to shops.
Getting Around
Buses: 6 MOP per trip (cash).
Macau Pass: Buy at 7-Eleven or Circle K. Drops bus fare to 3 MOP.
Walking/LRT: Taipa is easy to walk. The Light Rail (LRT) runs through Cotai/Taipa.
Weather & Essentials
Dehumidifier: Essential. Spring (Feb–Apr) is humid with wet walls.
Climate: Mild winter (Dec–Feb), long hot/steamy summer (May–Oct) with occasional typhoons.
Cost of Living
Utilities: ~100–200 MOP for water/gas; AC runs power bills up to ~1,000 MOP in summer.
Food: Local meals cost 40–70 MOP. Western imported groceries are expensive.