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: $1,058 in Chiayi versus $1,107 in Kaohsiung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,497 in Chiayi versus $1,829 in Kaohsiung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,937 in Chiayi versus $2,551 in Kaohsiung.

Living in Chiayi costs roughly 4% less than in Kaohsiung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiayi 23% lower, Kaohsiung 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.83 NT$154

$5.50 NT$175

-12.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 NT$1,483

$32.11 NT$1,022

45.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.83 NT$186

$4.83 NT$154

20.70%

Cappuccino

$3.53 NT$113

$2.81 NT$89.6

25.62%

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

$0.85 NT$26.98

$1.08 NT$34.48

-21.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 NT$20.81

$0.67 NT$21.33

-2.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 NT$90.8

$1.48 NT$47.02

92.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 NT$117

$2.55 NT$81.2

44.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.12 NT$99.2

$3.25 NT$103

-4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 NT$64.8

$2.27 NT$72.3

-10.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 NT$97.9

$3.03 NT$96.5

1.65%

Eggs

$2.69 NT$85.6

$2.69 NT$85.7

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.52 NT$621

$15.37 NT$489

27.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 NT$304

$7.86 NT$250

21.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.35 NT$680

$15.16 NT$483

40.83%

Apples (1kg)

$5.07 NT$161

$6.54 NT$208

-22.48%

Banana (1kg)

$3.43 NT$109

$2.78 NT$88.6

23.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 NT$101

$2.52 NT$80.4

25.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.57 NT$145

$3.13 NT$99.5

46.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 NT$85.8

$2.71 NT$86.3

-0.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 NT$71.8

$2.04 NT$64.9

10.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 NT$56.4

$2.35 NT$74.9

-24.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 NT$35.72

$1.07 NT$34.19

4.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 NT$122

$4.07 NT$130

-5.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.63 NT$147

$15.91 NT$507

-70.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 NT$54.9

$1.59 NT$50.8

8.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 NT$73.0

$2.15 NT$68.6

6.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 NT$23.72

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.51 NT$398

$12.42 NT$395

0.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 NT$83.1

$2.73 NT$86.9

-4.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 NT$14.64

$0.78 NT$24.81

-41.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.23 NT$294

$5.73 NT$182

61.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.49

$1.06 NT$33.66

-3.77%

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

$33.8K NT$1.1M

$33.2K NT$1.1M

1.61%

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

$24.5K NT$778.3K

$23.1K NT$735.7K

5.79%

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

$65.8 NT$2,095

$84.7 NT$2,695

-22.24%

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

$17.73 NT$564

$17.10 NT$544

3.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.95 NT$890

$25.77 NT$820

8.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.98 NT$1,018

$40.62 NT$1,293

-21.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.32 NT$329

Cinema Ticket

$9.85 NT$314

$10.95 NT$349

-10.05%

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

$631 NT$20.1K

$474 NT$15.1K

33.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K NT$527.0K

$14.0K NT$444.4K

18.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 NT$2,017

$94.5 NT$3,007

-32.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.63 NT$1,262

$33.58 NT$1,069

18.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 NT$2,672

$86.5 NT$2,753

-2.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 NT$3,304

$99.8 NT$3,176

4.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$375 NT$11.9K

$407 NT$13.0K

-7.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 NT$7,981

$284 NT$9,042

-11.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$998 NT$31.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 NT$21.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,152 NT$100.3K

$4,684 NT$149.1K

-32.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,883 NT$59.9K

$3,170 NT$100.9K

-40.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,129 NT$67.8K

$1,439 NT$45.8K

47.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

2.56

-6.25%

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

Last update for Chiayi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kaohsiung: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $375 in Chiayi and $407 in Kaohsiung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiayi pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Chiayi vs $32.00 in Kaohsiung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $363 per month, with Kaohsiung 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 Kaohsiung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiayi wins on cost – living expenses run 5% 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.

Average pay runs 48% higher in Chiayi, 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: $375 in Chiayi versus $407 in Kaohsiung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,058 per month in Chiayi versus $1,107 in Kaohsiung – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiayi runs roughly 1% less than in Kaohsiung. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,058 in Chiayi versus $1,107 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 5% less than in Kaohsiung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.