Cost of Living Comparison Between Douliu and Kaohsiung Cost of Living Comparison Between Douliu and Kaohsiung

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,178 per month in Douliu vs $1,149 in Kaohsiung, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,970 per month in Douliu vs $1,925 in Kaohsiung, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,762 per month in Douliu vs $2,701 in Kaohsiung, rent included.

Douliu costs about 3% more than Kaohsiung, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Douliu and Kaohsiung are more affordable than the global median – Douliu 12% lower, Kaohsiung 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 NT$128

$4.03 NT$127

0.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.60 NT$743

$33.84 NT$1,065

-30.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 NT$183

$5.54 NT$174

4.69%

Cappuccino

$3.76 NT$118

$3.08 NT$96.8

22.08%

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

$1.18 NT$37.06

$1.02 NT$32.01

15.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 NT$22.87

$0.78 NT$24.41

-6.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.42 NT$108

$1.72 NT$54.1

98.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 NT$108

$2.77 NT$87.2

23.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.15 NT$99.2

$3.62 NT$114

-12.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 NT$62.3

$2.05 NT$64.5

-3.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$95.5

$2.76 NT$86.8

9.78%

Eggs

$2.95 NT$92.7

$3.21 NT$101

-8.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.24 NT$637

$15.85 NT$499

27.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.96 NT$313

$9.05 NT$285

10.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.40 NT$642

$17.92 NT$564

13.84%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 NT$165

$6.00 NT$189

-12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 NT$89.5

$2.58 NT$81.2

10.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 NT$89.6

$2.77 NT$87.1

2.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 NT$131

$4.15 NT$131

0.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 NT$88.0

$2.99 NT$94.0

-6.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 NT$70.5

$2.21 NT$69.7

1.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 NT$59.3

$1.94 NT$61.2

-3.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 NT$43.17

$1.16 NT$36.44

18.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 NT$127

$4.34 NT$137

-7.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.52 NT$457

$15.85 NT$499

-8.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 NT$57.3

$1.73 NT$54.5

5.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 NT$75.4

$2.54 NT$80.0

-5.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 NT$27.78

$0.82 NT$25.70

7.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.46 NT$1,242

$26.88 NT$846

46.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 NT$89.5

$2.95 NT$93.0

-3.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NT$24.63

$0.73 NT$22.97

6.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.03 NT$316

$5.98 NT$188

67.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.70

$1.04 NT$32.73

2.88%

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

$37.7K NT$1.2M

$33.9K NT$1.1M

11.13%

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

$27.2K NT$855.4K

$25.1K NT$790.9K

8.15%

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

$85.6 NT$2,695

$104 NT$3,265

-17.47%

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

$18.60 NT$585

$25.58 NT$805

-27.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.43 NT$800

$25.14 NT$791

1.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.14 NT$1,169

$38.16 NT$1,201

-2.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.22 NT$479

$11.48 NT$361

32.58%

Cinema Ticket

$12.05 NT$379

$10.07 NT$317

19.66%

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

$645 NT$20.3K

$431 NT$13.6K

49.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K NT$590.5K

$11.4K NT$358.3K

64.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 NT$1,848

$94.9 NT$2,987

-38.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.78 NT$1,032

$35.33 NT$1,112

-7.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 NT$2,919

$91.4 NT$2,878

1.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NT$3,912

$101 NT$3,170

23.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 NT$13.6K

$432 NT$13.6K

-0.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 NT$9,054

$282 NT$8,866

2.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 NT$33.1K

$940 NT$29.6K

11.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 NT$22.4K

$681 NT$21.4K

4.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,501 NT$236.1K

$4,727 NT$148.8K

58.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,325 NT$167.6K

$3,275 NT$103.1K

62.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,632 NT$82.9K

$1,509 NT$47.5K

74.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.19

2.3

-4.78%

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

Last update for Douliu: May 30, 2026

Last update for Kaohsiung: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $431 in Douliu versus $432 in Kaohsiung. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 74% higher in Douliu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Douliu versus $34.00 in Kaohsiung. Groceries tell a different story – $402 in Douliu vs $385 in Kaohsiung – so Kaohsiung wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Douliu vs Kaohsiung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Douliu costs about 3% more than Kaohsiung, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,767 per month in Douliu and $1,724 in Kaohsiung. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kaohsiung, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Douliu and $34.00 in Kaohsiung. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,178 in Douliu and $1,149 in Kaohsiung. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kaohsiung, where all-in costs run around $1,149, than in Douliu at $1,178. In Kaohsiung it covers expenses comfortably, while in Douliu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kaohsiung – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kaohsiung. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Douliu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.