Cost of Living Comparison Between Douliu and Taichung Cost of Living Comparison Between Douliu and Taichung

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,130 per month in Douliu vs $1,148 in Taichung, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,853 per month in Douliu vs $1,904 in Taichung, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,576 per month in Douliu vs $2,659 in Taichung, rent included.

Douliu is about 2% cheaper than Taichung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Douliu and Taichung are more affordable than the global median – Douliu 18% lower, Taichung 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 NT$117

$4.83 NT$153

-23.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.43 NT$712

$32.11 NT$1,019

-30.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 NT$181

$4.78 NT$152

19.04%

Cappuccino

$3.45 NT$109

$2.74 NT$87.1

25.91%

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

$0.91 NT$28.72

$0.99 NT$31.36

-8.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 NT$18.83

$0.76 NT$24.16

-22.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 NT$89.1

$1.60 NT$50.7

75.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 NT$118

$2.85 NT$90.6

30.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 NT$97.5

$3.17 NT$101

-3.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 NT$59.4

$1.76 NT$56.0

6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 NT$104

$2.67 NT$84.6

23.22%

Eggs

$2.64 NT$83.7

$2.50 NT$79.4

5.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 NT$597

$28.55 NT$906

-34.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 NT$315

$7.72 NT$245

28.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.68 NT$688

$16.58 NT$526

30.76%

Apples (1kg)

$5.02 NT$159

$4.19 NT$133

19.81%

Banana (1kg)

$3.34 NT$106

$1.96 NT$62.3

70.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 NT$95.1

$1.85 NT$58.8

62.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 NT$137

$2.24 NT$71.0

93.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 NT$89.6

$1.24 NT$39.48

128.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 NT$75.0

$1.92 NT$60.9

22.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.73 NT$54.9

$2.41 NT$76.4

-28.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NT$36.37

$0.90 NT$28.40

27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 NT$123

$3.85 NT$122

0.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.02 NT$445

$16.07 NT$510

-12.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 NT$51.1

$1.62 NT$51.4

-0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 NT$69.9

$2.48 NT$78.7

-11.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 NT$20.47

$0.74 NT$23.43

-12.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.67 NT$1,163

$31.80 NT$1,009

15.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 NT$87.1

$2.62 NT$83.1

4.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NT$24.61

$0.93 NT$29.63

-16.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.62 NT$305

$9.67 NT$307

-0.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 NT$31.95

$1.05 NT$33.47

-3.81%

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

$33.0K NT$1.0M

$33.3K NT$1.1M

-0.98%

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

$24.0K NT$760.8K

$23.3K NT$739.5K

2.89%

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

$82.3 NT$2,610

$110 NT$3,480

-25.00%

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

$17.78 NT$564

$15.30 NT$485

16.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.62 NT$876

$20.93 NT$664

31.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.21 NT$1,149

$32.98 NT$1,046

9.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.13 NT$417

Cinema Ticket

$9.47 NT$301

$10.01 NT$318

-5.39%

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

$616 NT$19.6K

$336 NT$10.7K

83.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K NT$535.7K

$16.8K NT$534.0K

0.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 NT$1,801

$67.9 NT$2,155

-16.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.64 NT$1,289

$36.17 NT$1,147

12.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 NT$2,616

$85.6 NT$2,715

-3.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 NT$3,203

$109 NT$3,465

-7.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$395 NT$12.5K

$401 NT$12.7K

-1.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 NT$7,946

$283 NT$8,979

-11.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$960 NT$30.5K

$1,237 NT$39.2K

-22.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$729 NT$23.1K

$747 NT$23.7K

-2.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,200 NT$228.4K

$7,108 NT$225.5K

1.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,928 NT$156.3K

$5,222 NT$165.7K

-5.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,526 NT$80.1K

$1,393 NT$44.2K

81.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.35

2.27

3.52%

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

Last update for Douliu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Taichung: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $395 in Douliu versus $401 in Taichung. 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 81% higher in Douliu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Douliu versus $32.00 in Taichung. Groceries tell a different story – $398 in Douliu vs $369 in Taichung – so Taichung 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 Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taichung costs about 2% more than Douliu, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,695 per month in Douliu and $1,723 in Taichung. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Douliu, 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 $22.00 in Douliu and $32.00 in Taichung. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,130 in Douliu and $1,148 in Taichung. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Douliu, where all-in costs run around $1,130, than in Taichung at $1,148. In Douliu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taichung it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Douliu – 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 Douliu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Taichung makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.