Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiayi and Da Nang Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiayi and Da Nang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,173 in Chiayi versus $707 in Da Nang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,961 in Chiayi versus $1,081 in Da Nang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,750 in Chiayi versus $1,455 in Da Nang.

Living in Chiayi is roughly 66% more expensive than Da Nang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiayi 12% lower, Da Nang 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.76 NT$213

$1.94 ₫50.9K

248.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.59 NT$1,282

$19.32 ₫507.4K

110.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 NT$177

$4.69 ₫123.0K

19.83%

Cappuccino

$2.17 NT$68.6

$1.57 ₫41.3K

38.22%

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

$1.13 NT$35.56

$0.54 ₫14.2K

109.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 NT$24.84

$0.29 ₫7,507

172.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 NT$59.4

$1.02 ₫26.8K

84.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 NT$95.0

$1.68 ₫44.0K

79.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.26 NT$103

$1.42 ₫37.3K

129.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 NT$60.0

$1.00 ₫26.4K

90.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 NT$100

$1.13 ₫29.5K

181.42%

Eggs

$2.81 NT$88.8

$1.42 ₫37.3K

97.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.24 NT$639

$12.36 ₫324.6K

63.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 NT$312

$3.79 ₫99.4K

160.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.08 NT$634

$10.17 ₫267.1K

97.44%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 NT$165

$2.75 ₫72.3K

89.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 NT$93.6

$0.93 ₫24.4K

219.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 NT$90.3

$1.09 ₫28.5K

162.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.30 NT$136

$1.09 ₫28.7K

294.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 NT$89.3

$1.11 ₫29.1K

154.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 NT$69.7

$1.20 ₫31.6K

84.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 NT$62.2

$1.05 ₫27.5K

87.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 NT$42.12

$0.48 ₫12.5K

177.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 NT$129

$1.36 ₫35.8K

200.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.84 NT$153

$7.55 ₫198.4K

-35.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 NT$55.2

$0.80 ₫20.9K

118.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 NT$75.5

$1.67 ₫43.8K

43.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 NT$25.88

$0.34 ₫9,013

141.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.66 NT$1,221

$3.78 ₫99.2K

922.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 NT$93.0

$0.83 ₫21.8K

255.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 NT$13.10

$0.70 ₫18.5K

-41.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.10 NT$319

$11.79 ₫309.5K

-14.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.50

$0.92 ₫24.0K

11.96%

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

$38.8K NT$1.2M

$27.2K ₫713.7M

42.92%

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

$28.1K NT$886.2K

$27.9K ₫731.4M

0.78%

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

$72.1 NT$2,275

$76.4 ₫2.0M

-5.67%

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

$18.85 NT$595

$5.81 ₫152.7K

224.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.69 NT$780

$8.47 ₫222.5K

191.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.78 NT$1,193

$19.98 ₫524.7K

89.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.13 NT$478

$7.68 ₫201.7K

97.01%

Cinema Ticket

$11.66 NT$368

$3.04 ₫79.8K

283.55%

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

$645 NT$20.4K

$156 ₫4.1M

314.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K NT$592.6K

$12.7K ₫332.3M

48.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 NT$1,884

$39.04 ₫1.0M

52.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.01 NT$1,074

$25.36 ₫666.0K

34.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 NT$2,934

$52.7 ₫1.4M

76.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 NT$3,942

$76.5 ₫2.0M

63.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 NT$13.9K

$354 ₫9.3M

24.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 NT$9,163

$247 ₫6.5M

17.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,034 NT$32.6K

$743 ₫19.5M

39.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 NT$22.5K

$459 ₫12.1M

55.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,483 NT$236.2K

$3,867 ₫101.5M

93.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,182 NT$163.6K

$1,277 ₫33.5M

305.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,122 NT$67.0K

$324 ₫8.5M

554.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

10.67

-79.48%

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

Last update for Chiayi: April 27, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Chiayi and $354 in Da Nang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiayi pays 555% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $41.00 in Chiayi vs $19.00 in Da Nang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $188 per month, with Da Nang 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

Chiayi vs Da Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Da Nang wins on cost – living expenses run 66% lower than in Chiayi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Da Nang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Chiayi pays 555% 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: $440 in Chiayi versus $354 in Da Nang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,173 per month in Chiayi versus $707 in Da Nang – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Da Nang runs roughly 923% less than in Chiayi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $707 in Da Nang versus $1,173 in Chiayi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Da Nang but tight or insufficient in Chiayi. The gap between the two cities makes Da Nang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Da Nang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $707 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Da Nang hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiayi and Da Nang 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 Da Nang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Chiayi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.