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: $1,173 in Chiayi versus $1,203 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,961 in Chiayi versus $1,954 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,750 in Chiayi versus $2,704 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 12% lower, Taichung 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.76 NT$213

$4.99 NT$157

35.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.59 NT$1,282

$29.95 NT$946

35.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 NT$177

$5.46 NT$172

2.93%

Cappuccino

$2.17 NT$68.6

$2.93 NT$92.5

-25.94%

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

$1.13 NT$35.56

$1.16 NT$36.54

-2.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 NT$24.84

$0.86 NT$27.14

-8.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 NT$59.4

$2.16 NT$68.2

-12.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 NT$95.0

$2.83 NT$89.4

6.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.26 NT$103

$3.79 NT$120

-13.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 NT$60.0

$1.75 NT$55.4

8.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 NT$100

$2.77 NT$87.6

14.80%

Eggs

$2.81 NT$88.8

$3.29 NT$104

-14.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.24 NT$639

$31.49 NT$994

-35.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 NT$312

$8.10 NT$256

21.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.08 NT$634

$15.61 NT$493

28.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 NT$165

$4.72 NT$149

10.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 NT$93.6

$1.82 NT$57.5

63.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 NT$90.3

$2.28 NT$72.0

25.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.30 NT$136

$3.07 NT$96.9

40.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 NT$89.3

$1.35 NT$42.48

109.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 NT$69.7

$1.88 NT$59.2

17.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 NT$62.2

$2.35 NT$74.2

-16.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 NT$42.12

$1.28 NT$40.54

3.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 NT$129

$4.14 NT$131

-1.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.84 NT$153

$15.69 NT$495

-69.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 NT$55.2

$1.65 NT$52.0

6.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 NT$75.5

$2.62 NT$82.7

-8.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 NT$25.88

$0.86 NT$27.18

-4.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.66 NT$1,221

$29.22 NT$922

32.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 NT$93.0

$2.96 NT$93.5

-0.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 NT$13.10

$1.23 NT$38.80

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.10 NT$319

$10.33 NT$326

-2.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.50

$1.00 NT$31.71

3.00%

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

$38.8K NT$1.2M

$34.4K NT$1.1M

13.04%

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

$28.1K NT$886.2K

$26.4K NT$833.3K

6.34%

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

$72.1 NT$2,275

$97.3 NT$3,072

-25.95%

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

$18.85 NT$595

$24.15 NT$762

-21.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.69 NT$780

$21.53 NT$680

14.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.78 NT$1,193

$35.96 NT$1,135

5.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.13 NT$478

$10.14 NT$320

49.21%

Cinema Ticket

$11.66 NT$368

$10.66 NT$337

9.38%

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

$645 NT$20.4K

$356 NT$11.2K

81.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K NT$592.6K

$21.0K NT$663.1K

-10.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 NT$1,884

$85.7 NT$2,705

-30.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.01 NT$1,074

$34.47 NT$1,088

-1.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 NT$2,934

$93.9 NT$2,964

-1.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 NT$3,942

$131 NT$4,126

-4.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 NT$13.9K

$385 NT$12.2K

14.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 NT$9,163

$281 NT$8,871

3.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,034 NT$32.6K

$1,025 NT$32.3K

0.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 NT$22.5K

$714 NT$22.5K

-0.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,483 NT$236.2K

$7,104 NT$224.3K

5.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,182 NT$163.6K

$5,345 NT$168.8K

-3.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,122 NT$67.0K

$1,415 NT$44.7K

49.94%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Taichung: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Chiayi and $385 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiayi pays 50% 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 $30.00 in Taichung. Groceries flip the comparison at $383 vs $398, 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.

Chiayi pays 50% 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: $440 in Chiayi versus $385 in Taichung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,173 per month in Chiayi versus $1,203 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 32% less than in Taichung. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,173 in Chiayi versus $1,203 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.