😐A single person spends $2,184 per month in Australia vs $1,151 in Taiwan, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $3,217 per month in Australia vs $1,895 in Taiwan, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $4,249 per month in Australia vs $2,638 in Taiwan, rent included.
😐Australia costs about 90% more than Taiwan on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.
📊Australia sits 63% above the global median, while Taiwan is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
📏Australia has a wider regional cost range ($1,584–$2,827) than Taiwan ($893–$1,466), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Australia.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Australia
Taiwan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.24A$22.73
$5.02NT$159
223.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.1A$108
$34.23NT$1,083
125.15%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.81A$13.74
$5.54NT$175
77.08%
Cappuccino
$3.58A$5.01
$3.28NT$104
9.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57A$3.60
$1.05NT$33.09
144.76%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18A$3.05
$0.71NT$22.60
207.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.63A$9.28
$2.05NT$64.9
223.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.12A$9.97
$2.75NT$86.9
158.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Australia
Taiwan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.50A$2.10
$3.32NT$105
-54.82%
White Bread(500g)
$2.53A$3.54
$1.95NT$61.8
29.74%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.07A$2.90
$3.29NT$104
-37.08%
Eggs
$4.29A$6.01
$2.87NT$90.7
49.48%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.65A$12.11
$17.40NT$551
-50.29%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.34A$11.68
$9.06NT$287
-7.95%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.90A$19.47
$20.62NT$653
-32.59%
Apples(1kg)
$3.30A$4.61
$4.78NT$151
-30.96%
Banana(1kg)
$2.77A$3.88
$2.60NT$82.3
6.54%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.95A$4.13
$2.76NT$87.3
6.88%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.19A$5.87
$3.67NT$116
14.17%
Potato(1kg)
$2.42A$3.39
$2.90NT$91.8
-16.55%
Onion(1kg)
$2.10A$2.94
$2.24NT$70.9
-6.25%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.26A$3.16
$2.09NT$66.1
8.13%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.50A$2.10
$1.31NT$41.59
14.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$31.58A$44.22
$4.12NT$131
666.50%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.29A$20.00
$14.54NT$460
-1.72%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$4.59A$6.42
$1.80NT$56.9
155.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.82A$6.75
$2.41NT$76.2
100.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Australia
Taiwan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.02A$4.22
$0.87NT$27.59
247.13%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$98.3A$138
$41.22NT$1,305
138.38%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.48A$4.88
$3.00NT$95.0
16.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.75A$2.45
$0.75NT$23.64
133.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$37.97A$53.2
$10.13NT$321
274.83%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.21A$1.69
$1.05NT$33.24
15.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.0KA$40.6K
$38.0KNT$1.2M
-23.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.6KA$31.6K
$26.9KNT$851.0K
-16.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
Taiwan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$177A$248
$83.3NT$2,636
112.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.85A$37.59
$24.89NT$788
7.87%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.4A$73.4
$23.97NT$759
118.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Australia
Taiwan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.57A$66.6
$38.78NT$1,227
22.67%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.46A$23.04
$11.73NT$371
40.32%
Cinema Ticket
$13.73A$19.23
$11.03NT$349
24.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Australia
Taiwan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,593A$2,231
$566NT$17.9K
181.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.7KA$17.8K
$15.9KNT$504.0K
-20.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Australia
Taiwan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.0A$101
$67.5NT$2,135
6.77%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.3A$71.8
$32.81NT$1,038
56.23%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103A$144
$90.6NT$2,867
13.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108A$152
$116NT$3,664
-6.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Australia
Taiwan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,401A$1,961
$524NT$16.6K
167.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,080A$1,512
$370NT$11.7K
192.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,340A$3,276
$1,196NT$37.9K
95.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,756A$2,459
$866NT$27.4K
102.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,733A$10.8K
$10.1KNT$319.7K
-23.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,563A$7,788
$6,532NT$206.7K
-14.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Australia
Taiwan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,000A$5,600
$1,751NT$55.4K
128.39%
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: April 27, 2026
Last update for Taiwan: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $1,232 in Australia vs $452 in Taiwan. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,529 in Canberra and $795 in Taipei.
💰Average salary: $3,878 in Australia vs $1,930 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 76% more expensive in Australia.
⭐Salaries are 101% 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.