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: $1,271 in Cheongju versus $1,466 in Taipei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,916 in Cheongju versus $2,363 in Taipei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,562 in Cheongju versus $3,259 in Taipei.

Living in Cheongju costs roughly 13% less than in Taipei, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cheongju is 5% below, Taipei is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.10 ₩10.5K

$6.61 NT$209

7.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.92 ₩54.4K

$41.06 NT$1,296

-10.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 ₩7,000

$5.61 NT$177

-15.33%

Cappuccino

$4.20 ₩6,192

$3.86 NT$122

8.81%

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

$1.82 ₩2,675

$1.12 NT$35.52

62.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,960

$0.80 NT$25.18

66.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩5,385

$3.32 NT$105

9.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 ₩8,619

$3.41 NT$108

71.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ₩2,989

$3.27 NT$103

-37.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 ₩5,135

$1.91 NT$60.4

82.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ₩2,646

$3.13 NT$98.9

-42.49%

Eggs

$2.14 ₩3,149

$2.93 NT$92.5

-26.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.37 ₩15.3K

$20.24 NT$639

-48.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.15 ₩12.0K

$9.73 NT$307

-16.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 ₩21.7K

$20.05 NT$633

-26.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ₩4,276

$5.10 NT$161

-43.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 ₩4,205

$2.99 NT$94.5

-4.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.33 ₩10.8K

$2.89 NT$91.4

153.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.10 ₩7,520

$4.14 NT$131

23.19%

Potato (1kg)

$5.18 ₩7,634

$2.94 NT$92.7

76.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 ₩4,407

$2.16 NT$68.3

38.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 ₩3,097

$1.88 NT$59.3

11.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₩670

$1.33 NT$41.93

-66.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₩5,011

$4.14 NT$131

-17.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 ₩19.7K

$14.79 NT$467

-9.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₩2,589

$1.83 NT$57.6

-3.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ₩3,284

$2.41 NT$76.0

-7.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 ₩1,771

$0.81 NT$25.67

48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.2 ₩109.3K

$40.43 NT$1,277

83.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 ₩4,000

$2.94 NT$92.7

-7.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₩1,151

$0.73 NT$23.11

6.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.73 ₩24.6K

$10.33 NT$326

61.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,771

$1.07 NT$33.72

12.15%

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

$27.8K ₩41.0M

$38.2K NT$1.2M

-27.10%

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

$24.8K ₩36.5M

$27.5K NT$868.6K

-10.01%

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

$187 ₩274.8K

$83.9 NT$2,648

122.42%

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

$24.21 ₩35.7K

$18.83 NT$594

28.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.77 ₩21.8K

$24.50 NT$773

-39.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ₩89.4K

$41.71 NT$1,317

45.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.69 ₩49.6K

$13.81 NT$436

143.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.54 ₩11.1K

$11.98 NT$378

-37.06%

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

$487 ₩718.0K

$646 NT$20.4K

-24.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩20.9M

$18.9K NT$595.2K

-24.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.46 ₩53.7K

$58.7 NT$1,854

-37.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.11 ₩69.4K

$32.99 NT$1,041

42.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 ₩132.4K

$92.6 NT$2,923

-2.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₩159.3K

$121 NT$3,812

-10.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$300 ₩442.6K

$795 NT$25.1K

-62.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 ₩348.0K

$538 NT$17.0K

-56.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 ₩616.0K

$1,652 NT$52.2K

-74.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ₩443.3K

$1,106 NT$34.9K

-72.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,730 ₩14.3M

$14.2K NT$446.9K

-31.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,844 ₩8.6M

$8,454 NT$266.9K

-30.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,369 ₩3.5M

$1,657 NT$52.3K

42.99%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Taipei: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $300 in Cheongju and $795 in Taipei. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheongju pays 43% 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 $41.00 in Taipei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 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 15% 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 43% 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: $300 in Cheongju versus $795 in Taipei. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Cheongju versus $1,466 in Taipei – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cheongju runs roughly 84% less than in Taipei. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,271 in Cheongju versus $1,466 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 15% less than in Taipei. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.