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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,946 per month in Algarve vs $1,169 in Chiayi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,525 per month in Algarve vs $1,949 in Chiayi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,105 per month in Algarve vs $2,730 in Chiayi, rent included.

Algarve costs about 66% more than Chiayi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Algarve sits 45% above the global median, while Chiayi is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.89 €13.68

$6.86 NT$216

131.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.6 €53.9

$40.64 NT$1,280

54.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.63 €8.29

$5.63 NT$178

71.05%

Cappuccino

$2.67 €2.30

$2.18 NT$68.6

22.48%

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

$1.99 €1.71

$1.16 NT$36.69

71.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 €1.30

$0.74 NT$23.33

104.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 €2.94

$1.85 NT$58.2

84.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 €2.66

$3.10 NT$97.7

-0.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 €0.94

$3.16 NT$99.6

-65.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 €1.13

$1.88 NT$59.2

-30.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 €1.26

$3.06 NT$96.3

-52.29%

Eggs

$3.16 €2.72

$2.84 NT$89.5

11.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.50 €11.62

$19.79 NT$624

-31.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.71 €6.64

$10.05 NT$317

-23.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 €13.68

$20.14 NT$635

-21.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$5.05 NT$159

-54.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 €1.28

$2.98 NT$93.9

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 €1.42

$2.89 NT$91.1

-42.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.19

$4.13 NT$130

-38.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 €1.27

$2.83 NT$89.0

-47.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 €1.64

$2.25 NT$70.8

-15.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.95 NT$61.4

2.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.39 NT$43.74

-43.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.26 €5.39

$4.03 NT$127

55.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.37 €5.49

$4.76 NT$150

33.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.96

$1.76 NT$55.4

-36.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 €0.92

$2.40 NT$75.5

-55.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.30 €2.84

$0.87 NT$27.45

279.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.68 €36.74

$38.39 NT$1,209

11.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 €3.53

$2.90 NT$91.3

41.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.41 NT$12.94

92.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.50 €15.93

$9.97 NT$314

85.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 €1.69

$0.99 NT$31.23

97.98%

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

$34.1K €29.4K

$38.8K NT$1.2M

-12.16%

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

$38.6K €33.2K

$27.9K NT$878.8K

38.23%

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

$147 €126

$72.9 NT$2,296

101.08%

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

$20.41 €17.57

$18.60 NT$586

9.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.97 €33.55

$25.38 NT$799

53.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.80 €33.40

$36.80 NT$1,159

5.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.30 €25.22

$15.14 NT$477

93.53%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.83

$11.77 NT$371

-22.68%

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

$626 €539

$641 NT$20.2K

-2.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K €13.9K

$19.1K NT$601.4K

-15.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$59.6 NT$1,876

75.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.29 €35.54

$33.07 NT$1,042

24.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 €69.5

$92.0 NT$2,898

-12.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.3 €58.8

$124 NT$3,921

-45.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,176 €1,013

$437 NT$13.8K

169.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$997 €859

$292 NT$9,206

241.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,123 €1,827

$1,035 NT$32.6K

105.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$941 €810

$722 NT$22.7K

30.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,512 €3,884

$8,190 NT$258.0K

-44.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,151 €2,713

$4,884 NT$153.9K

-35.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,237 €1,065

$2,172 NT$68.4K

-43.02%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiayi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,176 in Algarve versus $437 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 75% 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 $41.00 in Chiayi. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Algarve vs $380 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 66% 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 $2,918 per month in Algarve and $1,753 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 $41.00 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 $1,946 in Algarve and $1,169 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 $1,169, than in Algarve at $1,946. 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.