Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiayi and Taichung Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiayi and Taichung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,058 in Chiayi versus $1,116 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,497 in Chiayi versus $1,868 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,937 in Chiayi versus $2,619 in Taichung.

Living in Chiayi costs roughly 5% less than in Taichung, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiayi 23% lower, Taichung 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.83 NT$154

$4.69 NT$149

2.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 NT$1,483

$31.50 NT$1,003

47.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.83 NT$186

$4.71 NT$150

23.78%

Cappuccino

$3.53 NT$113

$2.84 NT$90.4

24.30%

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

$0.85 NT$26.98

$0.98 NT$31.26

-13.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 NT$20.81

$0.77 NT$24.66

-15.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 NT$90.8

$1.57 NT$49.97

81.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 NT$117

$2.79 NT$88.8

31.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.12 NT$99.2

$3.31 NT$105

-5.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 NT$64.8

$1.72 NT$54.9

18.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 NT$97.9

$2.64 NT$84.2

16.67%

Eggs

$2.69 NT$85.6

$2.63 NT$83.6

2.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.52 NT$621

$28.72 NT$914

-32.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 NT$304

$7.70 NT$245

24.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.35 NT$680

$16.71 NT$532

27.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.07 NT$161

$4.24 NT$135

19.58%

Banana (1kg)

$3.43 NT$109

$1.92 NT$61.0

78.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 NT$101

$1.86 NT$59.3

69.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.57 NT$145

$2.21 NT$70.2

106.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 NT$85.8

$1.25 NT$39.85

116.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 NT$71.8

$1.97 NT$62.6

14.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 NT$56.4

$2.46 NT$78.2

-28.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 NT$35.72

$0.92 NT$29.15

21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 NT$122

$3.75 NT$120

2.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.63 NT$147

$15.82 NT$504

-70.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 NT$54.9

$1.64 NT$52.3

4.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 NT$73.0

$2.56 NT$81.5

-10.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 NT$23.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.51 NT$398

$31.76 NT$1,011

-60.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 NT$83.1

$2.69 NT$85.7

-2.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 NT$14.64

$0.98 NT$31.20

-53.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.23 NT$294

$9.64 NT$307

-4.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.49

$1.06 NT$33.59

-3.77%

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

$33.8K NT$1.1M

$33.7K NT$1.1M

0.26%

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

$24.5K NT$778.3K

$23.2K NT$738.9K

5.33%

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

$65.8 NT$2,095

$108 NT$3,429

-38.90%

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

$17.73 NT$564

$14.98 NT$477

18.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.95 NT$890

$21.66 NT$689

29.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.98 NT$1,018

$32.20 NT$1,025

-0.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.29 NT$423

Cinema Ticket

$9.85 NT$314

$9.69 NT$308

1.65%

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

$631 NT$20.1K

$343 NT$10.9K

84.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K NT$527.0K

$17.2K NT$546.1K

-3.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 NT$2,017

$68.9 NT$2,193

-8.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.63 NT$1,262

$36.40 NT$1,159

8.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 NT$2,672

$83.3 NT$2,650

0.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 NT$3,304

$112 NT$3,577

-7.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$375 NT$11.9K

$405 NT$12.9K

-7.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 NT$7,981

$280 NT$8,918

-10.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 NT$37.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 NT$24.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,152 NT$100.3K

$7,101 NT$226.0K

-55.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,883 NT$59.9K

$5,181 NT$164.9K

-63.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,129 NT$67.8K

$1,407 NT$44.8K

51.27%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Taichung: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $375 in Chiayi and $405 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiayi pays 51% 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 Taichung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $371 per month, with Taichung 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 Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiayi wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Taichung. 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 51% 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 $405 in Taichung. 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 $1,116 in Taichung – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiayi runs roughly 154% less than in Taichung. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,058 in Chiayi versus $1,116 in Taichung, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiayi but tight or insufficient in Taichung. 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 Taichung 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 6% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.