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: $1,160 in Chiayi versus $1,182 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,967 in Chiayi versus $1,940 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,774 in Chiayi versus $2,698 in Taichung.

Living in Chiayi costs roughly 2% less than in Taichung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 NT$211

$4.98 NT$158

33.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.85 NT$1,291

$30.88 NT$976

32.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 NT$177

$5.39 NT$171

4.08%

Cappuccino

$2.17 NT$68.7

$3.04 NT$96.2

-28.62%

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

$1.12 NT$35.40

$1.10 NT$34.75

1.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 NT$24.90

$0.80 NT$25.19

-1.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 NT$60.4

$2.17 NT$68.5

-11.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 NT$97.4

$2.82 NT$89.2

9.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.10 NT$97.9

$3.77 NT$119

-17.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 NT$61.9

$1.75 NT$55.3

12.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 NT$96.7

$2.72 NT$86.1

12.50%

Eggs

$2.93 NT$92.7

$3.25 NT$103

-9.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.43 NT$646

$31.55 NT$997

-35.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.21 NT$323

$7.90 NT$250

29.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.12 NT$636

$15.51 NT$490

29.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 NT$164

$4.50 NT$142

15.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 NT$94.3

$1.79 NT$56.7

66.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 NT$88.3

$2.19 NT$69.2

27.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 NT$130

$2.95 NT$93.2

38.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 NT$89.0

$1.34 NT$42.24

110.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 NT$72.1

$1.87 NT$59.2

21.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 NT$60.0

$2.37 NT$75.0

-19.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 NT$41.67

$1.26 NT$39.79

4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 NT$129

$4.14 NT$131

-1.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.66 NT$147

$16.02 NT$507

-70.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NT$58.0

$1.70 NT$53.8

7.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 NT$76.7

$2.63 NT$83.2

-7.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 NT$26.14

$0.88 NT$27.78

-5.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.35 NT$1,244

$28.52 NT$902

37.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 NT$88.3

$2.82 NT$89.0

-1.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 NT$13.10

$1.19 NT$37.55

-65.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.12 NT$320

$10.27 NT$325

-1.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.65

$1.05 NT$33.23

-1.90%

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

$38.7K NT$1.2M

$33.3K NT$1.1M

16.04%

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

$27.1K NT$856.1K

$26.4K NT$834.0K

2.65%

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

$73.3 NT$2,318

$95.6 NT$3,022

-23.30%

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

$18.55 NT$586

$25.01 NT$791

-25.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.60 NT$778

$21.47 NT$679

14.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.24 NT$1,177

$35.63 NT$1,126

4.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.21 NT$481

$10.26 NT$324

48.25%

Cinema Ticket

$11.88 NT$376

$10.63 NT$336

11.76%

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

$632 NT$20.0K

$355 NT$11.2K

77.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K NT$581.8K

$21.0K NT$665.4K

-12.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 NT$1,859

$83.0 NT$2,625

-29.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.12 NT$1,047

$34.55 NT$1,092

-4.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 NT$2,921

$93.8 NT$2,966

-1.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NT$3,902

$130 NT$4,116

-5.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 NT$13.8K

$381 NT$12.0K

15.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 NT$9,252

$285 NT$8,999

2.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 NT$33.4K

$1,028 NT$32.5K

2.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 NT$22.8K

0.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,631 NT$241.2K

$7,118 NT$225.0K

7.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,251 NT$166.0K

$5,250 NT$166.0K

0.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,156 NT$68.1K

$1,386 NT$43.8K

55.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

2.18

0.46%

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

Last update for Chiayi: June 8, 2026

Last update for Taichung: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Chiayi and $381 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiayi pays 56% 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 $31.00 in Taichung. Groceries flip the comparison at $382 vs $395, 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 Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiayi wins on cost – living expenses run 2% 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.

Chiayi pays 56% 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 $381 in Taichung. 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 $1,182 in Taichung – 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 38% less than in Taichung. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,160 in Chiayi versus $1,182 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 2% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.