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: $1,149 in Chiayi versus $1,181 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,950 in Chiayi versus $1,953 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,751 in Chiayi versus $2,725 in Taichung.

Living in Chiayi costs roughly 3% less than in Taichung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiayi 14% lower, Taichung 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 NT$217

$5.06 NT$163

32.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.61 NT$1,311

$31.00 NT$1,001

31.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.88 NT$190

$5.35 NT$173

9.91%

Cappuccino

$2.24 NT$72.2

$2.89 NT$93.4

-22.49%

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

$1.16 NT$37.59

$1.11 NT$35.71

4.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 NT$24.99

$0.81 NT$26.09

-4.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 NT$60.8

$2.14 NT$69.3

-12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 NT$96.3

$2.81 NT$90.8

6.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.21 NT$104

$3.71 NT$120

-13.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 NT$61.3

$1.77 NT$57.2

7.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$97.9

$2.76 NT$89.2

9.78%

Eggs

$2.92 NT$94.2

$3.15 NT$102

-7.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.98 NT$645

$31.26 NT$1,009

-36.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.89 NT$319

$8.16 NT$263

21.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.10 NT$649

$15.93 NT$514

26.18%

Apples (1kg)

$5.12 NT$165

$4.52 NT$146

13.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 NT$92.6

$1.82 NT$58.7

57.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 NT$89.0

$2.19 NT$70.7

26.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 NT$133

$3.06 NT$98.8

34.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 NT$91.5

$1.33 NT$43.10

112.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 NT$70.2

$1.89 NT$61.0

14.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 NT$60.6

$2.35 NT$75.9

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 NT$42.92

$1.31 NT$42.20

1.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 NT$131

$4.16 NT$134

-2.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.78 NT$154

$15.62 NT$505

-69.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 NT$58.0

$1.73 NT$55.9

3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 NT$78.3

$2.64 NT$85.2

-7.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 NT$27.07

$0.92 NT$29.76

-8.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.58 NT$1,278

$28.99 NT$936

36.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 NT$94.6

$2.85 NT$92.2

2.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 NT$13.43

$1.23 NT$39.59

-65.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.02 NT$324

$9.97 NT$322

0.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 NT$33.56

$1.05 NT$33.83

-0.95%

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

$37.9K NT$1.2M

$33.6K NT$1.1M

12.85%

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

$27.4K NT$883.6K

$26.0K NT$839.2K

5.29%

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

$72.4 NT$2,338

$95.5 NT$3,083

-24.17%

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

$19.02 NT$614

$24.72 NT$798

-23.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.90 NT$804

$21.38 NT$690

16.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 NT$1,205

$35.64 NT$1,151

4.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.33 NT$495

$10.04 NT$324

52.69%

Cinema Ticket

$11.98 NT$387

$10.50 NT$339

14.10%

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

$644 NT$20.8K

$362 NT$11.7K

78.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K NT$596.1K

$21.2K NT$683.1K

-12.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 NT$1,907

$84.9 NT$2,741

-30.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.77 NT$1,058

$34.21 NT$1,105

-4.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 NT$2,969

$93.9 NT$3,031

-2.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NT$3,987

$128 NT$4,137

-3.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 NT$13.8K

$376 NT$12.2K

13.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 NT$9,369

$287 NT$9,275

1.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,042 NT$33.6K

$1,054 NT$34.0K

-1.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$720 NT$23.3K

$715 NT$23.1K

0.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,045 NT$98.3K

$6,933 NT$223.9K

-56.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,834 NT$59.2K

$5,135 NT$165.8K

-64.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,116 NT$68.3K

$1,400 NT$45.2K

51.18%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Taichung: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $426 in Chiayi and $376 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: $41.00 in Chiayi vs $31.00 in Taichung. Groceries flip the comparison at $379 vs $396, 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 3% 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: $426 in Chiayi versus $376 in Taichung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,149 per month in Chiayi versus $1,181 in Taichung – 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 37% less than in Taichung. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,149 in Chiayi versus $1,181 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 3% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.