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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $904 per month in Chang-hua vs $1,494 in Taipei, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,361 per month in Chang-hua vs $2,394 in Taipei, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,819 per month in Chang-hua vs $3,295 in Taipei, rent included.

Chang-hua is about 40% cheaper than Taipei, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chang-hua sits 33% below the global median, while Taipei is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.76 NT$118

$6.64 NT$209

-43.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.15 NT$855

$40.45 NT$1,273

-32.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 NT$178

$5.79 NT$182

-2.59%

Cappuccino

$1.84 NT$57.8

$3.75 NT$118

-50.93%

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

$0.88 NT$27.63

$1.13 NT$35.42

-22.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 NT$14.54

$0.72 NT$22.75

-36.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 NT$45.62

$3.31 NT$104

-56.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 NT$62.3

$3.30 NT$104

-40.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.76 NT$86.9

$3.12 NT$98.2

-11.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 NT$60.1

$1.98 NT$62.3

-3.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 NT$99.9

$3.07 NT$96.5

3.26%

Eggs

$2.91 NT$91.7

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.14 NT$540

$19.73 NT$621

-13.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.81 NT$246

$9.90 NT$311

-21.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 NT$634

$20.36 NT$641

-1.03%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 NT$164

$5.15 NT$162

1.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 NT$91.1

$2.92 NT$91.8

-1.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 NT$86.7

$2.89 NT$90.8

-4.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.23 NT$102

$4.26 NT$134

-24.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 NT$86.5

$2.79 NT$88.0

-1.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 NT$69.0

$2.19 NT$69.1

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 NT$59.0

$1.97 NT$62.1

-5.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 NT$25.47

$1.39 NT$43.72

-41.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.95 NT$124

$4.00 NT$126

-1.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.61 NT$302

$14.48 NT$456

-33.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 NT$49.26

$1.75 NT$55.1

-10.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 NT$75.8

$2.42 NT$76.2

-0.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 NT$54.0

$0.89 NT$28.05

93.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.34 NT$1,175

$41.16 NT$1,296

-9.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 NT$93.0

$2.91 NT$91.6

1.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NT$24.68

$0.79 NT$24.94

-1.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.29 NT$324

$10.05 NT$316

2.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.18

$1.07 NT$33.63

-4.67%

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

$38.6K NT$1.2M

$38.1K NT$1.2M

1.11%

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

$27.5K NT$864.1K

$27.9K NT$877.6K

-1.55%

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

$34.13 NT$1,074

$84.9 NT$2,672

-59.80%

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

$18.70 NT$589

$18.69 NT$588

0.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.26 NT$638

$24.75 NT$779

-18.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.09 NT$821

$42.03 NT$1,323

-37.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.35 NT$483

$14.06 NT$443

9.17%

Cinema Ticket

$10.07 NT$317

$11.84 NT$373

-14.95%

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

$643 NT$20.2K

$626 NT$19.7K

2.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,353 NT$262.9K

$18.6K NT$586.5K

-55.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 NT$1,692

$58.9 NT$1,855

-8.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.87 NT$531

$34.01 NT$1,071

-50.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 NT$2,647

$95.1 NT$2,995

-11.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.8 NT$1,692

$124 NT$3,891

-56.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$312 NT$9,829

$789 NT$24.8K

-60.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 NT$5,974

$541 NT$17.0K

-64.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 NT$17.2K

$1,667 NT$52.5K

-67.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 NT$5,953

$1,113 NT$35.0K

-83.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,014 NT$94.9K

$13.7K NT$430.6K

-77.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,682 NT$52.9K

$8,450 NT$266.0K

-80.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,015 NT$63.4K

$1,713 NT$53.9K

17.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

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

Last update for Chang-hua: May 30, 2026

Last update for Taipei: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $312 in Chang-hua versus $789 in Taipei. 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 18% 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 $40.00 in Taipei. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $401 – 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 Taipei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taipei costs about 65% more than Chang-hua, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,355 per month in Chang-hua and $2,240 in Taipei. 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 $904 in Chang-hua and $1,494 in Taipei. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 10% 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 $904, than in Taipei at $1,494. In Chang-hua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taipei 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, Taipei makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.