Cost of Living Comparison Between Hsinchu and Kinmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Hsinchu and Kinmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,163 per month in Hsinchu vs $1,097 in Kinmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,932 per month in Hsinchu vs $1,883 in Kinmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,701 per month in Hsinchu vs $2,669 in Kinmen, rent included.

Hsinchu costs about 6% more than Kinmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hsinchu and Kinmen are more affordable than the global median – Hsinchu 15% lower, Kinmen 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.14 NT$132

$4.70 NT$150

-11.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.19 NT$897

$32.24 NT$1,026

-12.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 NT$151

$4.77 NT$152

-0.42%

Cappuccino

$2.97 NT$94.4

$2.92 NT$93.0

1.71%

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

$0.90 NT$28.66

$0.92 NT$29.27

-2.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 NT$21.94

$0.73 NT$23.11

-5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 NT$61.7

$1.65 NT$52.5

17.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 NT$75.0

$2.51 NT$79.8

-5.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 NT$90.4

$3.04 NT$96.7

-6.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 NT$55.7

$1.92 NT$61.1

-8.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 NT$95.0

$2.87 NT$91.4

3.83%

Eggs

$2.85 NT$90.6

$2.72 NT$86.5

4.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$36.84 NT$1,173

$20.04 NT$638

83.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 NT$223

$7.95 NT$253

-11.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.33 NT$679

$21.41 NT$682

-0.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 NT$86.9

$4.27 NT$136

-36.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 NT$81.4

$2.45 NT$77.9

4.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 NT$105

$3.04 NT$96.6

8.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 NT$97.3

$3.13 NT$99.7

-2.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 NT$73.7

$2.70 NT$85.9

-14.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 NT$74.3

$2.13 NT$67.9

9.86%

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

$1.10 NT$35.05

23.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 NT$125

$3.95 NT$126

-0.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.56 NT$400

$12.23 NT$389

2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 NT$61.5

$1.59 NT$50.5

21.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 NT$77.6

$2.20 NT$70.2

10.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 NT$19.70

$0.65 NT$20.70

-4.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.60 NT$1,261

$36.78 NT$1,171

7.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 NT$97.9

$2.76 NT$87.9

11.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 NT$10.59

$0.80 NT$25.50

-58.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.07 NT$320

$9.60 NT$306

4.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.84

$1.05 NT$33.28

-1.90%

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

$33.4K NT$1.1M

0.04%

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

$26.7K NT$851.1K

$24.7K NT$787.8K

8.04%

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

$101 NT$3,211

$89.3 NT$2,844

12.91%

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

$19.53 NT$622

$18.27 NT$582

6.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.61 NT$688

$22.19 NT$706

-2.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 NT$1,681

$37.02 NT$1,178

42.63%

Cinema Ticket

$9.96 NT$317

$10.20 NT$325

-2.35%

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

$744 NT$23.7K

$529 NT$16.8K

40.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K NT$535.6K

$17.2K NT$547.2K

-2.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 NT$1,818

$63.1 NT$2,008

-9.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.83 NT$1,141

$34.58 NT$1,101

3.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 NT$2,492

$84.7 NT$2,697

-7.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 NT$3,375

$100 NT$3,187

5.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 NT$14.0K

$405 NT$12.9K

8.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 NT$8,311

$258 NT$8,228

1.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 NT$36.1K

$978 NT$31.1K

15.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 NT$23.9K

$754 NT$24.0K

-0.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,143 NT$259.2K

$7,256 NT$231.0K

12.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,177 NT$196.6K

$5,030 NT$160.1K

22.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,539 NT$80.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.13

2.27

-6.17%

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

Last update for Hsinchu: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kinmen: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $441 in Hsinchu versus $405 in Kinmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Hsinchu versus $32.00 in Kinmen. Groceries tell a different story – $412 in Hsinchu vs $372 in Kinmen – so Kinmen 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 Kinmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hsinchu costs about 6% more than Kinmen, 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 $1,646 in Kinmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 8% less in Kinmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $744 per month in Hsinchu and $529 in Kinmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kinmen, where all-in costs run around $1,097, than in Hsinchu at $1,163. In Kinmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hsinchu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kinmen – 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 Kinmen. 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.