Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Taiwan Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Taiwan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,184 per month in Australia vs $1,146 in Taiwan, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,219 per month in Australia vs $1,897 in Taiwan, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,253 per month in Australia vs $2,647 in Taiwan, rent included.

Australia costs about 91% more than Taiwan on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Australia sits 63% above the global median, while Taiwan is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Australia has a wider regional cost range ($1,592$2,842) than Taiwan ($877$1,497), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Australia.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Australia
Taiwan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.44 A$23.23
$5.05 NT$160
225.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.1 A$110
$33.32 NT$1,053
134.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.94 A$14.05
$5.53 NT$175
79.75%
Cappuccino
$3.60 A$5.08
$3.18 NT$101
13.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 A$3.78
$1.04 NT$32.99
157.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 A$3.02
$0.70 NT$22.11
205.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.53 A$9.23
$1.99 NT$63.1
228.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.05 A$9.96
$2.68 NT$84.6
163.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Australia
Taiwan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.58 A$2.23
$3.30 NT$104
-52.12%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 A$3.57
$1.93 NT$61.1
31.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.07 A$2.93
$3.27 NT$103
-36.70%
Eggs
$4.30 A$6.08
$2.92 NT$92.5
47.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.03 A$12.76
$17.49 NT$553
-48.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.55 A$12.08
$9.11 NT$288
-6.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 A$19.72
$20.47 NT$647
-31.80%
Apples (1kg)
$3.18 A$4.49
$4.84 NT$153
-34.30%
Banana (1kg)
$2.84 A$4.01
$2.58 NT$81.5
10.08%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.95 A$4.17
$2.90 NT$91.7
1.72%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.43 A$6.26
$3.73 NT$118
18.77%
Potato (1kg)
$2.46 A$3.47
$2.85 NT$90.3
-13.68%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 A$3.07
$2.24 NT$70.9
-3.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.29 A$3.24
$2.08 NT$65.7
10.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.57 A$2.22
$1.30 NT$41.17
20.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$30.87 A$43.61
$4.19 NT$132
636.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.06 A$19.86
$14.33 NT$453
-1.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.55 A$6.43
$1.72 NT$54.5
164.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.81 A$6.80
$2.36 NT$74.6
103.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Australia
Taiwan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.87 A$4.05
$0.88 NT$27.76
226.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$95.8 A$135
$41.45 NT$1,310
131.10%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.65 A$5.15
$3.13 NT$98.8
16.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.76 A$2.49
$0.73 NT$23.04
141.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$38.27 A$54.1
$9.97 NT$315
283.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.15 A$1.63
$1.05 NT$33.28
9.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K A$40.1K
$37.0K NT$1.2M
-23.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K A$32.5K
$26.1K NT$824.7K
-11.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
Taiwan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 A$251
$83.4 NT$2,638
113.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.46 A$37.38
$24.03 NT$759
10.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.1 A$76.4
$23.86 NT$754
126.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Australia
Taiwan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.64 A$65.9
$39.19 NT$1,239
19.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.54 A$23.37
$11.83 NT$374
39.81%
Cinema Ticket
$13.65 A$19.28
$11.05 NT$349
23.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Australia
Taiwan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,575 A$2,225
$556 NT$17.6K
183.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.7K A$17.9K
$15.7K NT$497.7K
-19.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Australia
Taiwan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.5 A$101
$67.9 NT$2,145
5.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.8 A$71.8
$32.79 NT$1,037
54.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 A$142
$92.4 NT$2,921
8.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 A$153
$117 NT$3,694
-7.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Australia
Taiwan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,384 A$1,955
$540 NT$17.1K
156.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,105 A$1,562
$374 NT$11.8K
195.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,298 A$3,246
$1,179 NT$37.3K
94.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,728 A$2,441
$867 NT$27.4K
99.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,610 A$10.8K
$9,333 NT$295.0K
-18.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,504 A$7,776
$6,081 NT$192.2K
-9.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Australia
Taiwan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,002 A$5,654
$1,757 NT$55.5K
127.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.35
2.14
196.73%

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

Last update for Australia: June 7, 2026

Last update for Taiwan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,232 in Australia vs $451 in Taiwan. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,568 in Canberra and $782 in Taipei.

Average salary: $3,845 in Australia vs $1,918 in Taiwan. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 173% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 148% more in Australia.

Public transport is 72% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 100% higher in Australia.

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
Australia vs Taiwan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Taiwan?
Taiwan is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 87% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Taiwan, contributing to the overall 87% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget in Australia or Taiwan?
$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Taiwan, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or Taiwan?
Taiwan is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

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