Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiayi and Yokosuka

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiayi: $1,067 a month against $1,193 in Yokosuka, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chiayi
🇹🇼 Taiwan
$1,067
/mo nomad
Yokosuka
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,193
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiayi and in Yokosuka

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiayi and in Yokosuka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,067 in Chiayi versus $1,193 in Yokosuka.

  • Chiayi $1,067
  • Yokosuka $1,193

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,503 in Chiayi versus $2,146 in Yokosuka.

  • Chiayi $1,503
  • Yokosuka $2,146

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,940 in Chiayi versus $3,099 in Yokosuka.

  • Chiayi $1,940
  • Yokosuka $3,099

Living in Chiayi costs roughly 11% less than in Yokosuka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiayi 21% lower, Yokosuka 12% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiayi
Yokosuka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.83 NT$157
$6.24 ¥987
-22.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84 NT$1,519
$31.79 ¥5,023
47.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.70 NT$185
$5.05 ¥798
12.87%
Cappuccino
$3.36 NT$109
$2.81 ¥445
19.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 NT$28.58
$1.28 ¥203
-31.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67 NT$21.68
$0.87 ¥137
-22.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.85 NT$92.4
$2.54 ¥402
12.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 NT$123
$3.19 ¥504
19.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiayi
Yokosuka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.10 NT$101
$1.45 ¥229
113.79%
White Bread (500g)
$2.06 NT$66.8
$1.55 ¥245
32.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.04 NT$98.6
$4.19 ¥663
-27.45%
Eggs
$2.66 NT$86.3
$1.98 ¥312
34.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.77 NT$641
$10.29 ¥1,626
92.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.75 NT$316
$6.20 ¥980
57.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.98 NT$680
$17.37 ¥2,745
20.78%
Apples (1kg)
$4.87 NT$158
$5.68 ¥897
-14.26%
Banana (1kg)
$3.22 NT$104
$2.79 ¥441
15.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.99 NT$97.0
$3.17 ¥501
-5.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.55 NT$148
$4.21 ¥665
8.08%
Potato (1kg)
$2.80 NT$90.9
$2.54 ¥401
10.24%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 NT$76.3
$2.53 ¥400
-7.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.68 NT$54.3
$1.25 ¥197
34.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 NT$37.04
$0.87 ¥137
31.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.01 NT$130
$3.71 ¥586
8.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.66 NT$151
$6.34 ¥1,001
-26.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 NT$53.7
$2.45 ¥388
-32.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 NT$70.8
$2.01 ¥317
8.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiayi
Yokosuka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.25 ¥355
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.43 NT$403
$62.3 ¥9,849
-80.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.64 NT$85.5
$3.07 ¥485
-14.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.46 NT$14.94
$2.79 ¥441
-83.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.66 NT$313
$15.84 ¥2,502
-39.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.06 NT$34.43
$1.06 ¥167
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.9K NT$1.1M
$21.2K ¥3.3M
54.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K NT$795.8K
$14.9K ¥2.4M
64.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiayi
Yokosuka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$66.7 NT$2,164
$132 ¥20.9K
-49.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.52 NT$568
$24.18 ¥3,820
-27.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.93 NT$873
$31.00 ¥4,897
-13.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiayi
Yokosuka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.82 NT$1,032
$43.60 ¥6,888
-27.02%
Cinema Ticket
$9.84 NT$319
$11.48 ¥1,813
-14.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiayi
Yokosuka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$660 NT$21.4K
$575 ¥90.8K
14.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.8K NT$543.4K
$14.8K ¥2.3M
13.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiayi
Yokosuka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.3 NT$2,020
$49.42 ¥7,807
26.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.44 NT$1,279
$35.20 ¥5,561
12.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.2 NT$2,763
$59.6 ¥9,408
43.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 NT$3,383
$96.6 ¥15.3K
8.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiayi
Yokosuka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$369 NT$12.0K
$539 ¥85.2K
-31.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$253 NT$8,194
$311 ¥49.2K
-18.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$958 ¥151.3K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,207 ¥190.7K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,179 NT$103.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 NT$61.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiayi
Yokosuka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,110 NT$68.4K
$3,026 ¥478.0K
-30.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.4
2.23
7.62%

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

Last update for Chiayi: October 12, 2026

Last update for Yokosuka: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Chiayi
$379
Yokosuka
$305 19.7% $75
Accommodation & Living
Chiayi
$253
Yokosuka
$311 23.2% $59
Clothing & Footwear
Chiayi
$131
Yokosuka
$108 17.3% $23
Eating Out
Chiayi
$124
Yokosuka
$127 2% $2.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiayi
$111
Yokosuka
$188 68.7% $76
Sport & Entertainment
Chiayi
$51
Yokosuka
$67 29.3% $15
Getting Around
Chiayi
$17 *
Yokosuka
$88 409% $71

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $369 in Chiayi and $539 in Yokosuka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yokosuka pays 43% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Chiayi vs $32.00 in Yokosuka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $379 vs $305 per month, with Yokosuka cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇼 Chiayi
🇯🇵 Yokosuka
🕒 Local time
07:24 7:24 AM
08:24 8:24 AM
1 h ahead of Chiayi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
269,874
388,078
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to TWD – New Taiwan Dollar Converter

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 32.43 TWD (100 TWD = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 36.46 TWD (100 TWD = 2.74 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiayi Yokosuka 2,270 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiayi
  • Yokosuka

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Yokosuka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiayi or Yokosuka?
Chiayi wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Yokosuka. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiayi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Chiayi or in Yokosuka?
On paper, salaries run 43% lower in Yokosuka. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Chiayi compared to Yokosuka?
Rent for a central apartment: $369 in Chiayi versus $539 in Yokosuka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Chiayi compared to Yokosuka?
All in, you'll spend $1,067 per month in Chiayi versus $1,193 in Yokosuka – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Chiayi compared to Yokosuka?
A monthly transit pass in Chiayi runs roughly 402% less than in Yokosuka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiayi or in Yokosuka?
At $1,067 in Chiayi versus $1,193 in Yokosuka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiayi but tight or insufficient in Yokosuka. The gap between the two cities makes Chiayi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Chiayi or Yokosuka?
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.
How safe is Chiayi compared to Yokosuka?
Safety-wise, Chiayi and Yokosuka are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Chiayi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Yokosuka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Chiayi vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?