Cost of Living Comparison Between Algarve and Chiayi Cost of Living Comparison Between Algarve and Chiayi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,898 per month in Algarve vs $1,151 in Chiayi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,473 per month in Algarve vs $1,940 in Chiayi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,047 per month in Algarve vs $2,729 in Chiayi, rent included.

Algarve costs about 65% more than Chiayi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Algarve sits 42% above the global median, while Chiayi is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.95 €13.97

$6.62 NT$214

140.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.7 €54.9

$40.40 NT$1,304

55.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.75 €8.53

$5.88 NT$190

65.82%

Cappuccino

$2.53 €2.22

$2.22 NT$71.7

13.96%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.77

$1.14 NT$36.76

78.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.36

$0.80 NT$25.66

93.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 €3.01

$1.88 NT$60.7

82.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 €2.85

$3.14 NT$101

3.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.95

$3.13 NT$101

-65.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 €1.10

$1.97 NT$63.5

-36.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 €1.27

$3.16 NT$102

-54.11%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.82

$2.93 NT$94.7

9.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.63 €11.94

$20.43 NT$660

-33.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.66 €6.71

$9.89 NT$319

-22.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.94 €13.96

$20.47 NT$661

-22.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 €2.02

$5.29 NT$171

-56.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 €1.30

$2.91 NT$93.8

-49.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 €1.50

$2.89 NT$93.2

-40.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.17

$4.24 NT$137

-41.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 €1.25

$2.83 NT$91.5

-49.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 €1.69

$2.16 NT$69.8

-10.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.69

$1.98 NT$63.9

-2.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 €0.64

$1.33 NT$42.90

-45.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.05 €5.30

$4.09 NT$132

47.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 €5.65

$4.79 NT$155

34.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.82 NT$58.8

-40.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 €0.89

$2.44 NT$78.7

-58.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.33 €2.92

$0.89 NT$28.68

274.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.28 €36.15

$39.14 NT$1,263

5.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.27 €3.74

$2.84 NT$91.6

50.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 €0.70

$0.44 NT$14.23

81.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.59 €16.28

$10.33 NT$333

79.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 €1.73

$1.03 NT$33.18

91.26%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.9K €30.6K

$38.2K NT$1.2M

-8.67%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.0K €34.2K

$27.6K NT$891.0K

41.39%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$149 €130

$73.4 NT$2,369

102.55%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.65 €18.08

$18.60 NT$600

11.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.71 €34.78

$25.22 NT$814

57.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.85 €33.15

$37.61 NT$1,214

0.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.45 €25.80

$15.08 NT$487

95.29%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 €8.01

$11.90 NT$384

-23.11%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$612 €536

$626 NT$20.2K

-2.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €14.2K

$18.8K NT$606.0K

-13.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €89.2

$57.6 NT$1,858

76.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.09 €35.99

$32.82 NT$1,059

25.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.1 €71.9

$92.6 NT$2,987

-11.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.8 €62.0

$123 NT$3,957

-42.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,165 €1,021

$435 NT$14.0K

167.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$995 €872

$286 NT$9,227

248.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 €1,847

$1,027 NT$33.2K

105.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$933 €817

$735 NT$23.7K

27.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,753 €4,163

$3,047 NT$98.3K

56.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,142 €2,752

$1,898 NT$61.3K

65.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,207 €1,057

$2,100 NT$67.8K

-42.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

2.19

73.97%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Algarve: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiayi: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,165 in Algarve versus $435 in Chiayi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 74% higher in Chiayi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Algarve versus $40.00 in Chiayi. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Algarve vs $384 in Chiayi – so Algarve wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Algarve vs Chiayi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Algarve costs about 65% more than Chiayi, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,847 per month in Algarve and $1,726 in Chiayi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiayi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Algarve and $40.00 in Chiayi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,898 in Algarve and $1,151 in Chiayi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiayi, where all-in costs run around $1,151, than in Algarve at $1,898. In Chiayi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Algarve it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiayi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiayi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Algarve makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.