Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Taiwan Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Taiwan

Name: Taiwan
Address: TW

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $711 in China versus $1,151 in Taiwan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in China versus $1,895 in Taiwan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,550 in China versus $2,638 in Taiwan.

Living in China costs about 38% less than in Taiwan on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, Taiwan 14% lower.

China ($525–$1,220) and Taiwan ($893–$1,466) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 ¥18.83

$5.02 NT$159

-45.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.03 ¥165

$34.23 NT$1,083

-29.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 ¥33.95

$5.54 NT$175

-10.47%

Cappuccino

$3.12 ¥21.37

$3.28 NT$104

-4.88%

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

$0.48 ¥3.26

$1.05 NT$33.09

-54.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.84

$0.71 NT$22.60

-61.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ¥6.73

$2.05 NT$64.9

-52.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥14.69

$2.75 NT$86.9

-21.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ¥12.53

$3.32 NT$105

-44.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 ¥11.54

$1.95 NT$61.8

-13.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.21

$3.29 NT$104

-72.34%

Eggs

$1.56 ¥10.66

$2.87 NT$90.7

-45.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 ¥88.9

$17.40 NT$551

-25.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 ¥22.23

$9.06 NT$287

-64.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 ¥72.0

$20.62 NT$653

-49.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.41

$4.78 NT$151

-62.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.90

$2.60 NT$82.3

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.26

$2.76 NT$87.3

-45.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.87

$3.67 NT$116

-68.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.20

$2.90 NT$91.8

-73.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 ¥6.07

$2.24 NT$70.9

-60.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.97

$2.09 NT$66.1

-72.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.95

$1.31 NT$41.59

-55.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.50 ¥23.95

$4.12 NT$131

-15.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 ¥79.1

$14.54 NT$460

-20.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.31

$1.80 NT$56.9

-56.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥11.03

$2.41 NT$76.2

-33.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.01

$0.87 NT$27.59

-49.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.15 ¥145

$41.22 NT$1,305

-48.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.35

$3.00 NT$95.0

-54.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.75 NT$23.64

-52.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 ¥45.28

$10.13 NT$321

-34.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.74

$1.05 NT$33.24

7.62%

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

$19.7K ¥135.2K

$38.0K NT$1.2M

-47.97%

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

$17.1K ¥117.0K

$26.9K NT$851.0K

-36.46%

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

$50.9 ¥349

$83.3 NT$2,636

-38.86%

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

$10.03 ¥68.7

$24.89 NT$788

-59.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.33 ¥77.6

$23.97 NT$759

-52.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.13 ¥275

$38.78 NT$1,227

3.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.97 ¥103

$11.73 NT$371

27.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 ¥41.74

$11.03 NT$349

-44.79%

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

$418 ¥2,860

$566 NT$17.9K

-26.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ¥118.2K

$15.9K NT$504.0K

8.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.40 ¥318

$67.5 NT$2,135

-31.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.92 ¥226

$32.81 NT$1,038

0.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.1 ¥487

$90.6 NT$2,867

-21.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 ¥499

$116 NT$3,664

-37.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 ¥3,003

$524 NT$16.6K

-16.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 ¥1,775

$370 NT$11.7K

-29.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 ¥6,341

$1,196 NT$37.9K

-22.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 ¥3,754

$866 NT$27.4K

-36.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,047 ¥34.6K

$10.1K NT$319.7K

-50.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,666 ¥18.3K

$6,532 NT$206.7K

-59.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,074 ¥7,357

$1,751 NT$55.4K

-38.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

2.14

89.72%

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

Last update for China: April 26, 2026

Last update for Taiwan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $452 in Taiwan. Capital cities: $886 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $795 in Taipei.

National salary averages: $834 in China, $1,930 in Taiwan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 58% higher in Taiwan.

Dining out costs 48% more in Taiwan.

Public transport is 111% more expensive in Taiwan.

Salaries are 131% higher in Taiwan, giving Taiwan stronger purchasing power.

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

China vs Taiwan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $873 per month in China and $1,180 in Taiwan, there's a 35% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

China is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Taiwan beats China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Taiwan, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. China wins on affordability; Taiwan may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.