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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,191 per month in Hsinchu vs $1,148 in Kaohsiung, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,918 per month in Hsinchu vs $1,899 in Kaohsiung, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,645 per month in Hsinchu vs $2,650 in Kaohsiung, rent included.

Hsinchu costs about 4% more than Kaohsiung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hsinchu and Kaohsiung are more affordable than the global median – Hsinchu 11% lower, Kaohsiung 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 NT$129

$4.11 NT$130

-0.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.87 NT$1,069

$33.83 NT$1,068

0.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.30 NT$167

$5.43 NT$172

-2.39%

Cappuccino

$3.07 NT$96.9

$2.99 NT$94.5

2.68%

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

$0.99 NT$31.32

$0.97 NT$30.72

2.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 NT$21.66

$0.72 NT$22.88

-4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 NT$52.7

$1.68 NT$53.0

-0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 NT$73.8

$2.79 NT$88.0

-16.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.28 NT$104

$3.43 NT$108

-4.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 NT$58.5

$2.00 NT$63.1

-7.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 NT$142

$2.61 NT$82.4

72.41%

Eggs

$2.49 NT$78.7

$3.30 NT$104

-24.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.70 NT$433

$16.13 NT$509

-15.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 NT$157

$9.45 NT$298

-47.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.07 NT$507

$17.56 NT$554

-8.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 NT$142

$6.20 NT$196

-27.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 NT$80.3

$2.59 NT$81.7

-1.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 NT$90.6

$2.86 NT$90.2

0.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 NT$125

$4.00 NT$126

-1.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.05 NT$96.2

$2.91 NT$91.9

4.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 NT$69.6

$2.23 NT$70.3

-1.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 NT$61.0

$1.95 NT$61.4

-1.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 NT$36.06

$1.19 NT$37.64

-4.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 NT$142

$4.53 NT$143

-0.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.38 NT$454

$15.61 NT$493

-7.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 NT$54.9

$1.67 NT$52.6

4.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 NT$81.5

$2.56 NT$80.8

0.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 NT$28.33

$0.82 NT$25.94

9.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.39 NT$1,275

$26.95 NT$851

49.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 NT$91.9

$2.91 NT$91.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 NT$23.38

$0.79 NT$25.09

-6.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.21 NT$196

$6.12 NT$193

1.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.62

$1.03 NT$32.46

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

$34.2K NT$1.1M

$34.9K NT$1.1M

-1.92%

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

$25.0K NT$788.1K

$25.6K NT$809.5K

-2.64%

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

$74.2 NT$2,344

$102 NT$3,231

-27.45%

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

$25.03 NT$790

$25.62 NT$809

-2.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.51 NT$805

$25.09 NT$792

1.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.10 NT$1,392

$39.67 NT$1,252

11.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.28 NT$735

$11.12 NT$351

109.35%

Cinema Ticket

$10.02 NT$316

$9.98 NT$315

0.40%

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

$423 NT$13.4K

$431 NT$13.6K

-1.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K NT$358.3K

$11.5K NT$361.7K

-0.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.9 NT$2,806

$97.4 NT$3,075

-8.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.16 NT$1,110

$35.83 NT$1,131

-1.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 NT$2,862

$88.1 NT$2,781

2.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 NT$3,266

$104 NT$3,268

-0.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$551 NT$17.4K

$442 NT$13.9K

24.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 NT$11.6K

$279 NT$8,821

31.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 NT$39.1K

$960 NT$30.3K

28.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$796 NT$25.1K

$686 NT$21.7K

15.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,354 NT$263.7K

$4,630 NT$146.2K

80.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,175 NT$194.9K

$3,248 NT$102.5K

90.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,621 NT$82.8K

$1,533 NT$48.4K

70.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.57

2.3

-31.74%

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

Last update for Hsinchu: April 25, 2026

Last update for Kaohsiung: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $551 in Hsinchu versus $442 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 71% 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 $34.00 in Hsinchu versus $34.00 in Kaohsiung. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $384 – making Hsinchu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 4% 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 $1,786 per month in Hsinchu and $1,722 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 50% less in Kaohsiung. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $423 per month in Hsinchu and $431 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 $1,148, than in Hsinchu at $1,191. 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.