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 $887 per month in Chang-hua vs $1,180 in Taichung, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,367 per month in Chang-hua vs $1,966 in Taichung, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,848 per month in Chang-hua vs $2,752 in Taichung, rent included.

Chang-hua is about 25% cheaper than Taichung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chang-hua and Taichung are more affordable than the global median – Chang-hua 34% lower, Taichung 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.77 NT$122

$4.99 NT$161

-24.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.71 NT$863

$30.18 NT$975

-11.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 NT$189

$5.31 NT$172

9.98%

Cappuccino

$1.86 NT$60.2

$2.91 NT$94.1

-36.08%

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

$0.91 NT$29.43

$1.15 NT$37.25

-20.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 NT$13.86

$0.84 NT$27.00

-48.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 NT$46.57

$2.08 NT$67.2

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 NT$67.3

$2.86 NT$92.5

-27.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.76 NT$89.1

$3.91 NT$127

-29.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NT$60.7

$1.76 NT$56.8

6.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 NT$101

$2.78 NT$89.7

12.59%

Eggs

$2.79 NT$90.2

$3.14 NT$102

-11.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.71 NT$572

$31.84 NT$1,029

-44.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.81 NT$252

$8.23 NT$266

-5.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.98 NT$646

$15.91 NT$514

25.58%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 NT$163

$4.68 NT$151

7.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 NT$95.9

$1.73 NT$55.9

71.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 NT$89.5

$2.23 NT$72.0

24.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.10 NT$100

$3.07 NT$99.1

0.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 NT$85.5

$1.29 NT$41.73

105.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 NT$70.3

$1.90 NT$61.5

14.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 NT$63.9

$2.36 NT$76.4

-16.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 NT$26.13

$1.24 NT$40.17

-34.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 NT$134

$3.99 NT$129

4.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.07 NT$293

$15.50 NT$501

-41.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 NT$50.0

$1.65 NT$53.5

-6.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 NT$76.1

$2.67 NT$86.2

-11.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 NT$55.6

$0.87 NT$28.24

97.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.55 NT$1,181

$28.55 NT$923

28.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 NT$93.5

$2.94 NT$95.0

-1.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 NT$23.42

$1.19 NT$38.32

-39.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.29 NT$333

$10.22 NT$330

0.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 NT$34.76

$1.06 NT$34.19

1.89%

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

$37.3K NT$1.2M

$33.7K NT$1.1M

10.95%

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

$26.9K NT$868.8K

$26.4K NT$853.2K

1.83%

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

$34.24 NT$1,106

$95.7 NT$3,091

-64.21%

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

$18.64 NT$602

$24.69 NT$798

-24.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.98 NT$645

$21.22 NT$686

-5.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.57 NT$826

$35.41 NT$1,144

-27.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.29 NT$494

$10.35 NT$334

47.73%

Cinema Ticket

$10.36 NT$335

$10.85 NT$351

-4.52%

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

$636 NT$20.6K

$357 NT$11.5K

77.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,532 NT$275.7K

$20.8K NT$671.2K

-58.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 NT$1,736

$85.9 NT$2,777

-37.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.77 NT$542

$34.53 NT$1,116

-51.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 NT$2,729

$95.3 NT$3,079

-11.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.8 NT$1,772

$131 NT$4,227

-58.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 NT$10.0K

$377 NT$12.2K

-17.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 NT$5,932

$281 NT$9,088

-34.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 NT$17.2K

$1,044 NT$33.7K

-48.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 NT$6,039

$727 NT$23.5K

-74.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,945 NT$95.2K

$7,208 NT$232.9K

-59.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,608 NT$51.9K

$5,156 NT$166.6K

-68.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,032 NT$65.7K

$1,392 NT$45.0K

46.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

2.18

0.46%

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

Last update for Chang-hua: July 13, 2026

Last update for Taichung: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $310 in Chang-hua versus $377 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 46% 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 $27.00 in Chang-hua versus $30.00 in Taichung. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $400 – 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 Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taichung costs about 33% 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 $1,330 per month in Chang-hua and $1,770 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 $887 in Chang-hua and $1,180 in Taichung. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 28% 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 $887, than in Taichung at $1,180. 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.