Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheongju and Taipei Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheongju and Taipei

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,281 in Cheongju versus $1,497 in Taipei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,902 in Cheongju versus $2,340 in Taipei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,523 in Cheongju versus $3,184 in Taipei.

Living in Cheongju costs roughly 14% less than in Taipei, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cheongju is 5% below, Taipei is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.13 ₩10.8K

$6.83 NT$216

4.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.55 ₩55.5K

$39.89 NT$1,261

-8.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 ₩7,217

$5.74 NT$182

-17.25%

Cappuccino

$4.01 ₩6,086

$3.82 NT$121

4.97%

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

$1.86 ₩2,825

$1.18 NT$37.35

57.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₩2,038

$0.74 NT$23.45

81.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩5,547

$3.43 NT$109

6.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₩9,060

$3.35 NT$106

78.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ₩3,059

$3.15 NT$99.7

-36.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.61 ₩5,475

$1.89 NT$59.8

91.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 ₩2,828

$3.14 NT$99.1

-40.76%

Eggs

$2.18 ₩3,305

$2.83 NT$89.4

-22.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 ₩16.1K

$20.13 NT$636

-47.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 ₩12.5K

$9.90 NT$313

-16.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.64 ₩22.2K

$20.51 NT$649

-28.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 ₩4,388

$5.30 NT$167

-45.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 ₩4,540

$2.95 NT$93.4

1.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.49 ₩11.4K

$2.81 NT$88.8

166.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 ₩7,769

$4.20 NT$133

21.90%

Potato (1kg)

$5.03 ₩7,635

$2.91 NT$91.9

72.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 ₩4,402

$2.22 NT$70.0

30.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 ₩3,186

$1.97 NT$62.2

6.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₩651

$1.32 NT$41.82

-67.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₩5,098

$3.97 NT$125

-15.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.89 ₩19.6K

$14.26 NT$451

-9.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₩2,672

$1.76 NT$55.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₩3,429

$2.40 NT$75.8

-5.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 ₩1,826

$0.84 NT$26.53

42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.6 ₩113.3K

$40.75 NT$1,288

83.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 ₩3,998

$2.93 NT$92.6

-10.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 ₩1,282

$0.74 NT$23.28

13.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.78 ₩25.5K

$10.29 NT$325

63.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₩1,754

$1.02 NT$32.25

13.73%

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

$28.0K ₩42.6M

$37.5K NT$1.2M

-25.23%

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

$24.7K ₩37.5M

$27.1K NT$855.9K

-8.83%

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

$191 ₩289.8K

$83.9 NT$2,653

127.45%

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

$24.60 ₩37.4K

$18.55 NT$587

32.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.88 ₩22.6K

$24.94 NT$788

-40.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ₩93.0K

$41.43 NT$1,310

47.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.47 ₩52.3K

$13.55 NT$428

154.39%

Cinema Ticket

$7.40 ₩11.2K

$11.89 NT$376

-37.76%

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

$480 ₩729.3K

$624 NT$19.7K

-23.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K ₩21.7M

$18.7K NT$591.8K

-23.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.54 ₩55.5K

$59.6 NT$1,884

-38.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.44 ₩72.0K

$33.93 NT$1,073

39.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 ₩132.4K

$94.1 NT$2,975

-7.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₩165.6K

$125 NT$3,941

-12.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 ₩461.7K

$782 NT$24.7K

-61.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ₩364.3K

$552 NT$17.5K

-56.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$417 ₩633.3K

$1,678 NT$53.1K

-75.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 ₩447.3K

$1,088 NT$34.4K

-72.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,450 ₩14.4M

$13.7K NT$431.7K

-30.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,234 ₩7.9M

$8,549 NT$270.3K

-38.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,277 ₩3.5M

$1,788 NT$56.5K

27.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

2.19

92.69%

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

Last update for Cheongju: June 9, 2026

Last update for Taipei: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $304 in Cheongju and $782 in Taipei. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheongju pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Cheongju vs $40.00 in Taipei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 vs $401 per month, with Cheongju cheaper across the board.

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

Cheongju vs Taipei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cheongju wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Taipei. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cheongju the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Cheongju pays 27% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $304 in Cheongju versus $782 in Taipei. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,281 per month in Cheongju versus $1,497 in Taipei – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cheongju runs roughly 83% less than in Taipei. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,281 in Cheongju versus $1,497 in Taipei, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cheongju but tight or insufficient in Taipei. The gap between the two cities makes Cheongju the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Cheongju and Taipei are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cheongju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Taipei. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.