Cost of Living Comparison Between Hsinchu and Taichung Cost of Living Comparison Between Hsinchu and Taichung

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,198 per month in Hsinchu vs $1,182 in Taichung, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,934 per month in Hsinchu vs $1,940 in Taichung, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,670 per month in Hsinchu vs $2,698 in Taichung, rent included.

Hsinchu costs about 1% more than Taichung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hsinchu and Taichung are more affordable than the global median – Hsinchu 11% lower, Taichung 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.17 NT$132

$4.98 NT$158

-16.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.17 NT$1,080

$30.88 NT$976

10.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.27 NT$167

$5.39 NT$171

-2.23%

Cappuccino

$3.05 NT$96.5

$3.04 NT$96.2

0.33%

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

$0.99 NT$31.28

$1.10 NT$34.75

-10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 NT$22.09

$0.80 NT$25.19

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 NT$54.1

$2.17 NT$68.5

-21.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 NT$73.6

$2.82 NT$89.2

-17.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.17 NT$100

$3.77 NT$119

-15.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 NT$58.6

$1.75 NT$55.3

5.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 NT$140

$2.72 NT$86.1

62.87%

Eggs

$2.57 NT$81.3

$3.25 NT$103

-20.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.81 NT$437

$31.55 NT$997

-56.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 NT$156

$7.90 NT$250

-37.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.28 NT$515

$15.51 NT$490

4.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 NT$136

$4.50 NT$142

-4.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 NT$77.2

$1.79 NT$56.7

36.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 NT$86.7

$2.19 NT$69.2

25.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 NT$123

$2.95 NT$93.2

31.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 NT$94.3

$1.34 NT$42.24

122.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 NT$68.6

$1.87 NT$59.2

16.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 NT$61.2

$2.37 NT$75.0

-18.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 NT$36.52

$1.26 NT$39.79

-7.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.42 NT$140

$4.14 NT$131

6.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 NT$443

$16.02 NT$507

-12.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 NT$54.8

$1.70 NT$53.8

1.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 NT$77.1

$2.63 NT$83.2

-7.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 NT$27.32

$0.88 NT$27.78

-2.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.31 NT$1,274

$28.52 NT$902

41.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 NT$89.4

$2.82 NT$89.0

0.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NT$24.70

$1.19 NT$37.55

-34.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 NT$191

$10.27 NT$325

-41.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.89

$1.05 NT$33.23

1.90%

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

$34.5K NT$1.1M

$33.3K NT$1.1M

3.47%

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

$25.8K NT$814.6K

$26.4K NT$834.0K

-2.33%

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

$76.1 NT$2,405

$95.6 NT$3,022

-20.42%

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

$25.10 NT$793

$25.01 NT$791

0.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.25 NT$798

$21.47 NT$679

17.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.15 NT$1,396

$35.63 NT$1,126

23.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.44 NT$741

$10.26 NT$324

128.46%

Cinema Ticket

$9.97 NT$315

$10.63 NT$336

-6.21%

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

$426 NT$13.5K

$355 NT$11.2K

19.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K NT$355.5K

$21.0K NT$665.4K

-46.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 NT$2,714

$83.0 NT$2,625

3.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.95 NT$1,105

$34.55 NT$1,092

1.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 NT$2,835

$93.8 NT$2,966

-4.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 NT$3,224

$130 NT$4,116

-21.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 NT$17.6K

$381 NT$12.0K

46.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 NT$11.4K

$285 NT$8,999

26.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 NT$38.2K

$1,028 NT$32.5K

17.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$786 NT$24.9K

$721 NT$22.8K

9.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,423 NT$266.3K

$7,118 NT$225.0K

18.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,187 NT$195.6K

$5,250 NT$166.0K

17.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,462 NT$77.8K

$1,386 NT$43.8K

77.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.57

2.18

-27.98%

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

Last update for Hsinchu: June 9, 2026

Last update for Taichung: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $557 in Hsinchu versus $381 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 78% 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 $31.00 in Taichung. Groceries tell a different story – $336 in Hsinchu vs $395 in Taichung – so Hsinchu 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 Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hsinchu costs about 1% more than Taichung, 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 $1,797 per month in Hsinchu and $1,773 in Taichung. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 41% less in Taichung. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $426 per month in Hsinchu and $355 in Taichung. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taichung, where all-in costs run around $1,182, than in Hsinchu at $1,198. In Taichung it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hsinchu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taichung – 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 Taichung. 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.