Cost of Living Comparison Between Almada and Taichung Cost of Living Comparison Between Almada and Taichung

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,908 per month in Almada vs $1,116 in Taichung, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,775 per month in Almada vs $1,868 in Taichung, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,642 per month in Almada vs $2,619 in Taichung, rent included.

Almada costs about 71% more than Taichung, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Almada sits 39% above the global median, while Taichung is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.37 €15.14

$4.69 NT$149

270.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.2 €50.7

$31.50 NT$1,003

84.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.47 €9.99

$4.71 NT$150

143.52%

Cappuccino

$2.64 €2.31

$2.84 NT$90.4

-7.04%

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

$1.60 €1.39

$0.98 NT$31.26

63.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 €1.11

$0.77 NT$24.66

66.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 €3.11

$1.57 NT$49.97

127.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 €3.08

$2.79 NT$88.8

26.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 €0.92

$3.31 NT$105

-67.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 €1.13

$1.72 NT$54.9

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 €1.37

$2.64 NT$84.2

-40.53%

Eggs

$3.77 €3.29

$2.63 NT$83.6

43.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 €10.53

$28.72 NT$914

-57.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 €7.18

$7.70 NT$245

6.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.68 €13.67

$16.71 NT$532

-6.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 €1.94

$4.24 NT$135

-47.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 €1.23

$1.92 NT$61.0

-26.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.86 NT$59.3

-1.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.29

$2.21 NT$70.2

19.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$1.25 NT$39.85

47.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$1.97 NT$62.6

7.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 €1.45

$2.46 NT$78.2

-32.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.92 NT$29.15

-8.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.24 €5.44

$3.75 NT$120

66.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.82 €5.08

$15.82 NT$504

-63.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.64 NT$52.3

-16.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 €1.95

$2.56 NT$81.5

-12.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 €2.04

$0.73 NT$23.24

219.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.34 €39.53

$31.76 NT$1,011

42.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 €3.47

$2.69 NT$85.7

48.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.98 NT$31.20

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.16 €14.96

$9.64 NT$307

78.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.80

$1.06 NT$33.59

94.34%

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

$34.3K €29.9K

$33.7K NT$1.1M

1.84%

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

$39.0K €34.0K

$23.2K NT$738.9K

67.91%

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

$130 €113

$108 NT$3,429

20.33%

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

$19.36 €16.88

$14.98 NT$477

29.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.25 €35.09

$21.66 NT$689

85.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.87 €33.88

$32.20 NT$1,025

20.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.39 €13.41

$13.29 NT$423

15.80%

Cinema Ticket

$9.08 €7.92

$9.69 NT$308

-6.30%

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

$641 €558

$343 NT$10.9K

87.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K €9,925

$17.2K NT$546.1K

-33.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €92.9

$68.9 NT$2,193

54.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.91 €40.89

$36.40 NT$1,159

28.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 €75.3

$83.3 NT$2,650

3.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 €94.7

$112 NT$3,577

-3.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 €1,017

$405 NT$12.9K

188.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$959 €836

$280 NT$8,918

242.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,768 €1,541

$1,190 NT$37.9K

48.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 €1,237

$763 NT$24.3K

85.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,317 €4,635

$7,101 NT$226.0K

-25.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,354 €2,924

$5,181 NT$164.9K

-35.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,366 €1,191

$1,407 NT$44.8K

-2.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.54

2.27

55.95%

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

Last update for Almada: September 12, 2026

Last update for Taichung: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,167 in Almada versus $405 in Taichung. 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 3% higher in Taichung, 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 $58.0 in Almada versus $32.00 in Taichung. Groceries tell a different story – $259 in Almada vs $371 in Taichung – so Almada 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

Almada vs Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,908 in Almada, $1,116 in Taichung – roughly 71% apart. Almada costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,862 per month in Almada and $1,674 in Taichung. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taichung, 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 $58.0 in Almada and $32.00 in Taichung. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,908 in Almada and $1,116 in Taichung. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taichung, where all-in costs run around $1,116, than in Almada at $1,908. In Taichung it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almada it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taichung – 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 Taichung. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Almada makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.