Macau life expectancy rises to 83.5 years, among world’s highest, gov’t data shows

Macau residents’ life expectancy has risen sharply, reaching 83.5 years in 2025, according to a report shared by the WeChat public account of the Government Information Bureau (GCS).

The figure places Macau among the world’s leading regions for longevity.

The data show a breakdown of 80.6 years for men and 86.3 years for women. This marks a significant increase from 77.9 years recorded before the 1999 handover.

Over the past two decades, Macau’s life expectancy growth has outpaced many developed economies, according to the report.

Authorities attribute the improvement largely to sustained public health investment following the establishment of the Macau Special Administrative Region.

The report recalled that government spending on healthcare has steadily increased, with its share of GDP rising from 2.1% before the handover to 3.8% in 2023. Officials say expanded medical services, improved primary care, and stronger disease prevention systems have all contributed to longer lifespans.

“Primary healthcare coverage now spans the entire territory, with nine health centers providing services such as vaccination and chronic disease management,” the report noted.

“Vaccination coverage has consistently remained above 98%. To address health risks such as hypertension and diabetes, Macau has implemented a ‘Chronic Disease Shared Care Programme’, using a family doctor registration system to ensure continuous, full-cycle patient management,” it added.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong, Monaco and San Marino continue to lead global life expectancy rankings, according to Life Expectancy by Country 2026, published by World Population Review and based on United Nations (UN) data.

Monaco records the highest life expectancy at 86.5 years, followed by San Marino at 85.8 and Hong Kong at 85.6. These economies share common factors such as universal healthcare coverage, high GDP per capita and very low infant mortality rates, all of which contribute to longer lifespans.

In the report, Macau also reports a life expectancy of 83.2 years, with women averaging 85.35 years and men 81.05 years.

At the lower end of the ranking, countries such as Chad (55.2 years) and Nigeria (54.6 years) remain among those with the lowest life expectancy. Limited healthcare access, food insecurity and political instability are key contributing factors.

The United States ranks 62nd globally at 79.5 years, despite having the highest healthcare spending in the world. Analysts cite unequal access to care and higher rates of chronic disease as major challenges.

Globally, average life expectancy stands at 73.8 years. Women continue to outlive men by around five to six years across most regions, driven by both biological and lifestyle factors.