Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiayi and Algarve Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiayi and Algarve

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,169 per month in Chiayi vs $1,946 in Algarve, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,949 per month in Chiayi vs $2,525 in Algarve, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,730 per month in Chiayi vs $3,105 in Algarve, rent included.

Chiayi is about 40% cheaper than Algarve, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chiayi sits 13% below the global median, while Algarve is 45% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.86 NT$216

$15.89 €13.68

-56.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.64 NT$1,280

$62.6 €53.9

-35.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 NT$178

$9.63 €8.29

-41.54%

Cappuccino

$2.18 NT$68.6

$2.67 €2.30

-18.35%

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

$1.16 NT$36.69

$1.99 €1.71

-41.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 NT$23.33

$1.51 €1.30

-50.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 NT$58.2

$3.41 €2.94

-45.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 NT$97.7

$3.09 €2.66

0.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.16 NT$99.6

$1.10 €0.94

187.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 NT$59.2

$1.31 €1.13

43.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 NT$96.3

$1.46 €1.26

109.59%

Eggs

$2.84 NT$89.5

$3.16 €2.72

-10.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.79 NT$624

$13.50 €11.62

46.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 NT$317

$7.71 €6.64

30.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.14 NT$635

$15.89 €13.68

26.75%

Apples (1kg)

$5.05 NT$159

$2.29 €1.97

120.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 NT$93.9

$1.49 €1.28

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 NT$91.1

$1.65 €1.42

75.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 NT$130

$2.54 €2.19

62.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 NT$89.0

$1.48 €1.27

91.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 NT$70.8

$1.91 €1.64

17.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NT$61.4

$1.99 €1.71

-2.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 NT$43.74

$0.79 €0.68

75.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 NT$127

$6.26 €5.39

-35.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.76 NT$150

$6.37 €5.49

-25.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 NT$55.4

$1.11 €0.96

58.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 NT$75.5

$1.07 €0.92

124.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 NT$27.45

$3.30 €2.84

-73.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.39 NT$1,209

$42.68 €36.74

-10.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 NT$91.3

$4.10 €3.53

-29.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 NT$12.94

$0.79 €0.68

-48.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.97 NT$314

$18.50 €15.93

-46.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 NT$31.23

$1.96 €1.69

-49.49%

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

$38.8K NT$1.2M

$34.1K €29.4K

13.84%

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

$27.9K NT$878.8K

$38.6K €33.2K

-27.66%

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

$72.9 NT$2,296

$147 €126

-50.27%

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

$18.60 NT$586

$20.41 €17.57

-8.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.38 NT$799

$38.97 €33.55

-34.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.80 NT$1,159

$38.80 €33.40

-5.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.14 NT$477

$29.30 €25.22

-48.33%

Cinema Ticket

$11.77 NT$371

$9.10 €7.83

29.34%

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

$641 NT$20.2K

$626 €539

2.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.1K NT$601.4K

$16.1K €13.9K

18.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 NT$1,876

$105 €90.1

-43.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.07 NT$1,042

$41.29 €35.54

-19.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 NT$2,898

$80.7 €69.5

14.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NT$3,921

$68.3 €58.8

82.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 NT$13.8K

$1,176 €1,013

-62.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 NT$9,206

$997 €859

-70.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,035 NT$32.6K

$2,123 €1,827

-51.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$722 NT$22.7K

$941 €810

-23.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,190 NT$258.0K

$4,512 €3,884

81.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,884 NT$153.9K

$3,151 €2,713

54.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,172 NT$68.4K

$1,237 €1,065

75.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

3.81

-42.52%

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

Last update for Chiayi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Algarve: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Chiayi versus $1,176 in Algarve. 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 75% higher in Chiayi, 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 $41.00 in Chiayi versus $63.0 in Algarve. Groceries tell a different story – $380 in Chiayi vs $255 in Algarve – so Algarve 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

Chiayi vs Algarve: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Algarve costs about 66% more than Chiayi, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,753 per month in Chiayi and $2,918 in Algarve. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiayi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Chiayi and $63.0 in Algarve. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,169 in Chiayi and $1,946 in Algarve. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiayi, where all-in costs run around $1,169, than in Algarve at $1,946. In Chiayi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Algarve it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiayi – 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 Chiayi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Algarve makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.