Cost of Living Comparison Between Chang-hua and Kaohsiung Cost of Living Comparison Between Chang-hua and Kaohsiung

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $877 per month in Chang-hua vs $1,188 in Kaohsiung, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,349 per month in Chang-hua vs $1,951 in Kaohsiung, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,822 per month in Chang-hua vs $2,714 in Kaohsiung, rent included.

Chang-hua is about 26% cheaper than Kaohsiung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chang-hua and Kaohsiung are more affordable than the global median – Chang-hua 35% lower, Kaohsiung 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.82 NT$121

$4.05 NT$128

-5.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.60 NT$873

$34.24 NT$1,082

-19.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.88 NT$186

$5.51 NT$174

6.72%

Cappuccino

$1.86 NT$58.7

$3.09 NT$97.8

-39.81%

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

$0.92 NT$29.06

$0.97 NT$30.78

-5.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 NT$14.81

$0.71 NT$22.50

-33.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 NT$46.94

$1.66 NT$52.4

-10.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 NT$64.8

$2.73 NT$86.2

-24.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.67 NT$84.6

$3.50 NT$110

-23.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NT$59.6

$2.00 NT$63.3

-6.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 NT$97.0

$2.61 NT$82.4

17.62%

Eggs

$2.91 NT$91.9

$3.33 NT$105

-12.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.59 NT$556

$16.02 NT$506

9.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.94 NT$251

$9.41 NT$297

-15.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.98 NT$632

$18.01 NT$569

10.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.13 NT$162

$6.17 NT$195

-16.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 NT$93.4

$2.56 NT$81.1

15.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 NT$87.0

$2.84 NT$89.9

-3.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 NT$99.2

$3.99 NT$126

-21.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 NT$86.3

$3.01 NT$95.1

-9.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NT$68.4

$2.13 NT$67.2

1.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 NT$62.2

$1.85 NT$58.6

6.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 NT$25.95

$1.19 NT$37.52

-31.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 NT$131

$4.38 NT$139

-5.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.72 NT$307

$15.51 NT$490

-37.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 NT$49.46

$1.72 NT$54.3

-9.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 NT$76.3

$2.46 NT$77.7

-2.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 NT$52.8

$0.82 NT$25.79

103.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.82 NT$1,196

$26.56 NT$840

42.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 NT$92.2

$2.94 NT$92.9

-0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NT$24.60

$0.78 NT$24.73

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 NT$322

$6.28 NT$198

62.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.30

$1.03 NT$32.71

-0.97%

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

$38.5K NT$1.2M

$33.9K NT$1.1M

13.55%

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

$27.1K NT$857.1K

$25.7K NT$811.1K

5.67%

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

$33.42 NT$1,056

$102 NT$3,225

-67.24%

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

$19.07 NT$603

$25.18 NT$796

-24.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.95 NT$631

$25.61 NT$810

-22.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.94 NT$820

$39.43 NT$1,246

-34.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.31 NT$484

$11.15 NT$352

37.31%

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 NT$316

$10.08 NT$319

-0.89%

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

$640 NT$20.2K

$428 NT$13.5K

49.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,402 NT$265.6K

$11.5K NT$362.7K

-26.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 NT$1,731

$95.0 NT$3,004

-42.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.53 NT$522

$36.01 NT$1,138

-54.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 NT$2,694

$89.3 NT$2,824

-4.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.4 NT$1,688

$101 NT$3,191

-47.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$311 NT$9,835

$443 NT$14.0K

-29.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 NT$5,830

$281 NT$8,897

-34.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 NT$16.9K

$950 NT$30.0K

-43.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 NT$5,953

$682 NT$21.6K

-72.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,984 NT$94.3K

$4,584 NT$144.9K

-34.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,694 NT$53.6K

$3,194 NT$101.0K

-46.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,004 NT$63.4K

$1,503 NT$47.5K

33.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

2.3

-4.78%

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

Last update for Chang-hua: June 9, 2026

Last update for Kaohsiung: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $311 in Chang-hua versus $443 in Kaohsiung. 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 33% higher in Chang-hua, 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 $28.00 in Chang-hua versus $34.00 in Kaohsiung. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $385 – making Chang-hua the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Chang-hua vs Kaohsiung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kaohsiung costs about 35% more than Chang-hua, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,316 per month in Chang-hua and $1,782 in Kaohsiung. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $877 in Chang-hua and $1,188 in Kaohsiung. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 42% less in Chang-hua. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chang-hua, where all-in costs run around $877, than in Kaohsiung at $1,188. In Chang-hua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kaohsiung it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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