Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiayi and Kaohsiung Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiayi and Kaohsiung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,160 in Chiayi versus $1,188 in Kaohsiung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,967 in Chiayi versus $1,951 in Kaohsiung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,774 in Chiayi versus $2,714 in Kaohsiung.

Living in Chiayi costs roughly 2% less than in Kaohsiung, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiayi 14% lower, Kaohsiung 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 NT$211

$4.05 NT$128

64.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.85 NT$1,291

$34.24 NT$1,082

19.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 NT$177

$5.51 NT$174

1.81%

Cappuccino

$2.17 NT$68.7

$3.09 NT$97.8

-29.77%

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

$1.12 NT$35.40

$0.97 NT$30.78

15.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 NT$24.90

$0.71 NT$22.50

11.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 NT$60.4

$1.66 NT$52.4

15.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 NT$97.4

$2.73 NT$86.2

12.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.10 NT$97.9

$3.50 NT$110

-11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 NT$61.9

$2.00 NT$63.3

-2.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 NT$96.7

$2.61 NT$82.4

17.24%

Eggs

$2.93 NT$92.7

$3.33 NT$105

-12.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.43 NT$646

$16.02 NT$506

27.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.21 NT$323

$9.41 NT$297

8.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.12 NT$636

$18.01 NT$569

11.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 NT$164

$6.17 NT$195

-15.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 NT$94.3

$2.56 NT$81.1

16.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 NT$88.3

$2.84 NT$89.9

-1.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 NT$130

$3.99 NT$126

2.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 NT$89.0

$3.01 NT$95.1

-6.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 NT$72.1

$2.13 NT$67.2

7.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 NT$60.0

$1.85 NT$58.6

2.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 NT$41.67

$1.19 NT$37.52

10.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 NT$129

$4.38 NT$139

-6.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.66 NT$147

$15.51 NT$490

-69.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NT$58.0

$1.72 NT$54.3

6.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 NT$76.7

$2.46 NT$77.7

-1.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 NT$26.14

$0.82 NT$25.79

1.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.35 NT$1,244

$26.56 NT$840

48.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 NT$88.3

$2.94 NT$92.9

-5.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 NT$13.10

$0.78 NT$24.73

-47.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.12 NT$320

$6.28 NT$198

61.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.65

$1.03 NT$32.71

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

$38.7K NT$1.2M

$33.9K NT$1.1M

14.08%

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

$27.1K NT$856.1K

$25.7K NT$811.1K

5.55%

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

$73.3 NT$2,318

$102 NT$3,225

-28.13%

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

$18.55 NT$586

$25.18 NT$796

-26.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.60 NT$778

$25.61 NT$810

-3.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.24 NT$1,177

$39.43 NT$1,246

-5.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.21 NT$481

$11.15 NT$352

36.41%

Cinema Ticket

$11.88 NT$376

$10.08 NT$319

17.86%

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

$632 NT$20.0K

$428 NT$13.5K

47.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K NT$581.8K

$11.5K NT$362.7K

60.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 NT$1,859

$95.0 NT$3,004

-38.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.12 NT$1,047

$36.01 NT$1,138

-8.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 NT$2,921

$89.3 NT$2,824

3.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NT$3,902

$101 NT$3,191

22.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 NT$13.8K

$443 NT$14.0K

-1.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 NT$9,252

$281 NT$8,897

3.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 NT$33.4K

$950 NT$30.0K

11.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 NT$22.8K

$682 NT$21.6K

5.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,631 NT$241.2K

$4,584 NT$144.9K

66.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,251 NT$166.0K

$3,194 NT$101.0K

64.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,156 NT$68.1K

$1,503 NT$47.5K

43.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

2.3

-4.78%

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

Last update for Chiayi: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kaohsiung: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Chiayi and $443 in Kaohsiung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiayi 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: $41.00 in Chiayi vs $34.00 in Kaohsiung. Groceries flip the comparison at $382 vs $385, with Chiayi cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kaohsiung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiayi wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Kaohsiung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiayi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Chiayi 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: $438 in Chiayi versus $443 in Kaohsiung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,160 per month in Chiayi versus $1,188 in Kaohsiung – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiayi runs roughly 48% less than in Kaohsiung. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,160 in Chiayi versus $1,188 in Kaohsiung, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiayi but tight or insufficient in Kaohsiung. The gap between the two cities makes Chiayi 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, Chiayi and Kaohsiung 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 Chiayi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Kaohsiung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.