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 $867 per month in Chang-hua vs $1,107 in Kaohsiung, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,370 per month in Chang-hua vs $1,829 in Kaohsiung, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,872 per month in Chang-hua vs $2,551 in Kaohsiung, rent included.

Chang-hua is about 22% cheaper than Kaohsiung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chang-hua and Kaohsiung are more affordable than the global median – Chang-hua 37% lower, Kaohsiung 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 NT$127

$5.50 NT$175

-27.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 NT$1,038

$32.11 NT$1,022

1.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 NT$184

$4.83 NT$154

19.88%

Cappuccino

$1.67 NT$53.1

$2.81 NT$89.6

-40.57%

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

$0.91 NT$28.84

$1.08 NT$34.48

-15.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 NT$17.96

$0.67 NT$21.33

-16.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 NT$43.16

$1.48 NT$47.02

-8.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 NT$69.5

$2.55 NT$81.2

-14.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 NT$74.9

$3.25 NT$103

-27.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 NT$61.8

$2.27 NT$72.3

-14.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 NT$95.9

$3.03 NT$96.5

-0.66%

Eggs

$2.76 NT$88.0

$2.69 NT$85.7

2.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.56 NT$527

$15.37 NT$489

7.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 NT$322

$7.86 NT$250

28.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.85 NT$696

$15.16 NT$483

44.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.85 NT$154

$6.54 NT$208

-25.84%

Banana (1kg)

$3.42 NT$109

$2.78 NT$88.6

23.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 NT$94.6

$2.52 NT$80.4

17.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 NT$101

$3.13 NT$99.5

1.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 NT$88.9

$2.71 NT$86.3

2.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 NT$71.1

$2.04 NT$64.9

9.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 NT$55.8

$2.35 NT$74.9

-25.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 NT$25.58

$1.07 NT$34.19

-25.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.95 NT$126

$4.07 NT$130

-2.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.29 NT$296

$15.91 NT$507

-41.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 NT$44.71

$1.59 NT$50.8

-11.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 NT$70.8

$2.15 NT$68.6

3.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 NT$49.81

$0.75 NT$23.72

108.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.45 NT$1,097

$12.42 NT$395

177.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 NT$87.1

$2.73 NT$86.9

0.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 NT$24.63

$0.78 NT$24.81

-1.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.71 NT$309

$5.73 NT$182

69.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.62

$1.06 NT$33.66

-3.77%

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

$33.3K NT$1.1M

$33.2K NT$1.1M

0.09%

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

$24.2K NT$770.0K

$23.1K NT$735.7K

4.66%

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

$31.91 NT$1,016

$84.7 NT$2,695

-62.30%

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

$18.19 NT$579

$17.10 NT$544

6.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.17 NT$610

$25.77 NT$820

-25.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.19 NT$1,025

$40.62 NT$1,293

-20.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.32 NT$329

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 NT$305

$10.95 NT$349

-12.60%

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

$616 NT$19.6K

$474 NT$15.1K

29.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,959 NT$253.4K

$14.0K NT$444.4K

-42.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 NT$1,637

$94.5 NT$3,007

-45.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.65 NT$498

$33.58 NT$1,069

-53.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 NT$2,541

$86.5 NT$2,753

-7.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.7 NT$1,612

$99.8 NT$3,176

-49.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$253 NT$8,065

$407 NT$13.0K

-37.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 NT$5,515

$284 NT$9,042

-39.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$502 NT$16.0K

$998 NT$31.8K

-49.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 NT$5,529

$670 NT$21.3K

-74.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,060 NT$97.4K

$4,684 NT$149.1K

-34.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,651 NT$52.6K

$3,170 NT$100.9K

-47.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,053 NT$65.3K

$1,439 NT$45.8K

42.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.2

2.56

-14.06%

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

Last update for Chang-hua: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kaohsiung: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $253 in Chang-hua versus $407 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 43% 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 $33.00 in Chang-hua versus $32.00 in Kaohsiung. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $364 vs $363 – making Kaohsiung 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 28% 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 $1,301 per month in Chang-hua and $1,660 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 $867 in Chang-hua and $1,107 in Kaohsiung. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 177% 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 $867, than in Kaohsiung at $1,107. 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.