Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiayi and Kinmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiayi and Kinmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,066 in Chiayi versus $1,095 in Kinmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,512 in Chiayi versus $1,855 in Kinmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,957 in Chiayi versus $2,614 in Kinmen.

Living in Chiayi costs roughly 3% less than in Kinmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiayi 23% lower, Kinmen 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 NT$152

$4.64 NT$147

3.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.39 NT$1,530

$31.44 NT$995

53.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.05 NT$191

$4.92 NT$156

22.97%

Cappuccino

$3.48 NT$110

$3.02 NT$95.6

15.23%

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

$0.90 NT$28.58

$0.97 NT$30.69

-7.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 NT$20.99

$0.72 NT$22.71

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 NT$90.1

$1.71 NT$53.9

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 NT$121

$2.59 NT$81.9

48.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.15 NT$99.6

$2.99 NT$94.6

5.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 NT$62.0

$1.87 NT$59.3

4.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 NT$101

$2.74 NT$86.8

16.79%

Eggs

$2.78 NT$87.9

$2.58 NT$81.7

7.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.06 NT$634

$20.15 NT$637

-0.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 NT$312

$8.12 NT$257

21.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.01 NT$696

$21.62 NT$684

1.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 NT$157

$3.93 NT$124

25.95%

Banana (1kg)

$3.41 NT$108

$2.52 NT$79.7

35.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NT$94.6

$2.92 NT$92.4

2.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 NT$141

$3.24 NT$103

37.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 NT$90.0

$2.69 NT$85.2

5.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 NT$72.9

$2.26 NT$71.5

2.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 NT$53.8

$2.30 NT$72.6

-26.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NT$37.16

$1.05 NT$33.07

12.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 NT$126

$4.14 NT$131

-3.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.64 NT$147

$11.91 NT$377

-61.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 NT$54.8

$1.59 NT$50.3

8.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 NT$69.5

$2.23 NT$70.6

-1.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 NT$20.78

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.53 NT$396

$39.56 NT$1,251

-68.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 NT$86.8

$2.66 NT$84.1

3.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 NT$13.28

$0.82 NT$25.89

-48.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.44 NT$299

$8.89 NT$281

6.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$32.09

$1.07 NT$33.89

-5.61%

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

$34.3K NT$1.1M

$32.5K NT$1.0M

5.24%

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

$24.9K NT$786.9K

$20.8K NT$657.9K

19.60%

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

$66.9 NT$2,114

$102 NT$3,227

-34.49%

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

$17.89 NT$566

$16.95 NT$536

5.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.41 NT$867

$23.41 NT$741

17.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.38 NT$992

$41.18 NT$1,303

-23.80%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 NT$294

$11.32 NT$358

-17.84%

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

$632 NT$20.0K

$464 NT$14.7K

36.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K NT$539.2K

$18.2K NT$577.1K

-6.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 NT$1,952

$56.4 NT$1,783

9.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 NT$1,267

$38.88 NT$1,230

3.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 NT$2,668

$91.3 NT$2,887

-7.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 NT$3,295

$102 NT$3,235

1.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 NT$12.2K

$408 NT$12.9K

-5.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 NT$8,163

$255 NT$8,065

1.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 NT$31.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$737 NT$23.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,228 NT$102.1K

$6,355 NT$201.0K

-49.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,939 NT$61.3K

$5,173 NT$163.6K

-62.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,155 NT$68.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.4

2.27

5.73%

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

Last update for Chiayi: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kinmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $386 in Chiayi and $408 in Kinmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Chiayi vs $31.00 in Kinmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $369 per month, with Kinmen 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 Kinmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiayi wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Kinmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiayi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,600 in Chiayi and $1,643 in Kinmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $386 in Chiayi versus $408 in Kinmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,066 per month in Chiayi versus $1,095 in Kinmen – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiayi runs roughly 216% less than in Kinmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,066 in Chiayi versus $1,095 in Kinmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiayi but tight or insufficient in Kinmen. 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 Kinmen 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 3% less than in Kinmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.