Cost of Living Comparison Between Hsinchu and Kaohsiung Cost of Living Comparison Between Hsinchu and Kaohsiung

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,163 per month in Hsinchu vs $1,107 in Kaohsiung, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,932 per month in Hsinchu vs $1,829 in Kaohsiung, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,701 per month in Hsinchu vs $2,551 in Kaohsiung, rent included.

Hsinchu costs about 5% more than Kaohsiung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hsinchu and Kaohsiung are more affordable than the global median – Hsinchu 15% lower, Kaohsiung 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.14 NT$132

$5.50 NT$175

-24.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.19 NT$897

$32.11 NT$1,022

-12.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 NT$151

$4.83 NT$154

-1.66%

Cappuccino

$2.97 NT$94.4

$2.81 NT$89.6

5.69%

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

$0.90 NT$28.66

$1.08 NT$34.48

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 NT$21.94

$0.67 NT$21.33

2.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 NT$61.7

$1.48 NT$47.02

31.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 NT$75.0

$2.55 NT$81.2

-7.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 NT$90.4

$3.25 NT$103

-12.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 NT$55.7

$2.27 NT$72.3

-22.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 NT$95.0

$3.03 NT$96.5

-1.65%

Eggs

$2.85 NT$90.6

$2.69 NT$85.7

5.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$36.84 NT$1,173

$15.37 NT$489

139.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 NT$223

$7.86 NT$250

-10.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.33 NT$679

$15.16 NT$483

40.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 NT$86.9

$6.54 NT$208

-58.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 NT$81.4

$2.78 NT$88.6

-7.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 NT$105

$2.52 NT$80.4

30.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 NT$97.3

$3.13 NT$99.5

-2.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 NT$73.7

$2.71 NT$86.3

-14.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 NT$74.3

$2.04 NT$64.9

14.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 NT$64.1

$2.35 NT$74.9

-14.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 NT$43.17

$1.07 NT$34.19

27.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 NT$125

$4.07 NT$130

-3.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.56 NT$400

$15.91 NT$507

-21.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 NT$61.5

$1.59 NT$50.8

21.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 NT$77.6

$2.15 NT$68.6

13.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 NT$19.70

$0.75 NT$23.72

-17.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.60 NT$1,261

$12.42 NT$395

218.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 NT$97.9

$2.73 NT$86.9

12.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 NT$10.59

$0.78 NT$24.81

-57.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.07 NT$320

$5.73 NT$182

75.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.84

$1.06 NT$33.66

-2.83%

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

$33.4K NT$1.1M

$33.2K NT$1.1M

0.52%

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

$26.7K NT$851.1K

$23.1K NT$735.7K

15.69%

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

$101 NT$3,211

$84.7 NT$2,695

19.16%

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

$19.53 NT$622

$17.10 NT$544

14.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.61 NT$688

$25.77 NT$820

-16.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 NT$1,681

$40.62 NT$1,293

29.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.32 NT$329

Cinema Ticket

$9.96 NT$317

$10.95 NT$349

-9.04%

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

$744 NT$23.7K

$474 NT$15.1K

57.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K NT$535.6K

$14.0K NT$444.4K

20.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 NT$1,818

$94.5 NT$3,007

-39.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.83 NT$1,141

$33.58 NT$1,069

6.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 NT$2,492

$86.5 NT$2,753

-9.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 NT$3,375

$99.8 NT$3,176

6.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 NT$14.0K

$407 NT$13.0K

8.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 NT$8,311

$284 NT$9,042

-8.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 NT$36.1K

$998 NT$31.8K

13.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 NT$23.9K

$670 NT$21.3K

12.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,143 NT$259.2K

$4,684 NT$149.1K

73.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,177 NT$196.6K

$3,170 NT$100.9K

94.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,539 NT$80.8K

$1,439 NT$45.8K

76.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.13

2.56

-16.80%

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

Last update for Hsinchu: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kaohsiung: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $441 in Hsinchu versus $407 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 76% higher in Hsinchu, 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 $28.00 in Hsinchu versus $32.00 in Kaohsiung. Groceries tell a different story – $412 in Hsinchu vs $363 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

Hsinchu vs Kaohsiung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hsinchu costs about 5% more than Kaohsiung, 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 $1,744 per month in Hsinchu and $1,660 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.

Public transport costs about 219% less in Kaohsiung. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $744 per month in Hsinchu and $474 in Kaohsiung. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kaohsiung, where all-in costs run around $1,107, than in Hsinchu at $1,163. In Kaohsiung it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hsinchu 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, Hsinchu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.