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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $894 per month in Chang-hua vs $1,148 in Taichung, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,355 per month in Chang-hua vs $1,904 in Taichung, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,815 per month in Chang-hua vs $2,659 in Taichung, rent included.

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

Both Chang-hua and Taichung are more affordable than the global median – Chang-hua 35% lower, Taichung 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 NT$129

$4.83 NT$153

-15.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.91 NT$1,044

$32.11 NT$1,019

2.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.10 NT$194

$4.78 NT$152

27.62%

Cappuccino

$1.65 NT$52.3

$2.74 NT$87.1

-39.78%

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

$0.94 NT$29.79

$0.99 NT$31.36

-5.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 NT$19.29

$0.76 NT$24.16

-19.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 NT$44.52

$1.60 NT$50.7

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 NT$72.1

$2.85 NT$90.6

-20.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 NT$74.6

$3.17 NT$101

-25.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 NT$64.5

$1.76 NT$56.0

15.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 NT$91.3

$2.67 NT$84.6

7.87%

Eggs

$2.72 NT$86.2

$2.50 NT$79.4

8.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.36 NT$519

$28.55 NT$906

-42.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.08 NT$320

$7.72 NT$245

30.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.88 NT$694

$16.58 NT$526

31.97%

Apples (1kg)

$5.05 NT$160

$4.19 NT$133

20.53%

Banana (1kg)

$3.32 NT$105

$1.96 NT$62.3

69.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NT$95.9

$1.85 NT$58.8

63.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 NT$99.5

$2.24 NT$71.0

40.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 NT$85.4

$1.24 NT$39.48

116.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 NT$70.0

$1.92 NT$60.9

15.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 NT$55.5

$2.41 NT$76.4

-27.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 NT$25.56

$0.90 NT$28.40

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 NT$128

$3.85 NT$122

5.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 NT$297

$16.07 NT$510

-41.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NT$46.33

$1.62 NT$51.4

-9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 NT$70.5

$2.48 NT$78.7

-10.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 NT$49.04

$0.74 NT$23.43

109.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.54 NT$1,096

$31.80 NT$1,009

8.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 NT$85.6

$2.62 NT$83.1

3.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 NT$23.82

$0.93 NT$29.63

-19.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.73 NT$309

$9.67 NT$307

0.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.37

$1.05 NT$33.47

-2.86%

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

$33.5K NT$1.1M

$33.3K NT$1.1M

0.58%

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

$24.4K NT$774.1K

$23.3K NT$739.5K

4.68%

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

$31.05 NT$985

$110 NT$3,480

-71.69%

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

$18.25 NT$579

$15.30 NT$485

19.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 NT$598

$20.93 NT$664

-9.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.87 NT$1,011

$32.98 NT$1,046

-3.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.13 NT$417

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 NT$293

$10.01 NT$318

-7.59%

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

$630 NT$20.0K

$336 NT$10.7K

87.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,739 NT$245.5K

$16.8K NT$534.0K

-54.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 NT$1,590

$67.9 NT$2,155

-26.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.20 NT$482

$36.17 NT$1,147

-57.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 NT$2,546

$85.6 NT$2,715

-6.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.0 NT$1,617

$109 NT$3,465

-53.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 NT$8,159

$401 NT$12.7K

-35.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 NT$5,421

$283 NT$8,979

-39.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 NT$15.8K

$1,237 NT$39.2K

-59.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 NT$5,486

$747 NT$23.7K

-76.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,061 NT$97.1K

$7,108 NT$225.5K

-56.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,650 NT$52.3K

$5,222 NT$165.7K

-68.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,024 NT$64.2K

$1,393 NT$44.2K

45.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.2

2.27

-3.08%

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

Last update for Chang-hua: August 31, 2026

Last update for Taichung: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $257 in Chang-hua versus $401 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 45% 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 Taichung. Groceries tell a different story – $364 in Chang-hua vs $369 in Taichung – so Chang-hua 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

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

Taichung 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 $1,342 per month in Chang-hua and $1,723 in Taichung. 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 $894 in Chang-hua and $1,148 in Taichung. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 9% 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 $894, than in Taichung at $1,148. In Chang-hua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taichung 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, Taichung makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.