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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,167 per month in Hsinchu vs $1,181 in Taichung, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,917 per month in Hsinchu vs $1,953 in Taichung, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,668 per month in Hsinchu vs $2,725 in Taichung, rent included.

Hsinchu is about 1% cheaper than Taichung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.16 NT$134

$5.06 NT$163

-17.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.92 NT$1,095

$31.00 NT$1,001

9.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 NT$174

$5.35 NT$173

0.37%

Cappuccino

$3.07 NT$99.0

$2.89 NT$93.4

6.23%

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

$0.92 NT$29.71

$1.11 NT$35.71

-17.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 NT$22.38

$0.81 NT$26.09

-14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 NT$53.9

$2.14 NT$69.3

-21.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 NT$74.8

$2.81 NT$90.8

-17.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.18 NT$103

$3.71 NT$120

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 NT$57.2

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 NT$140

$2.76 NT$89.2

57.25%

Eggs

$2.52 NT$81.4

$3.15 NT$102

-20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.13 NT$456

$31.26 NT$1,009

-54.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 NT$155

$8.16 NT$263

-41.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 NT$515

$15.93 NT$514

0.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 NT$143

$4.52 NT$146

-2.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 NT$78.8

$1.82 NT$58.7

34.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 NT$91.4

$2.19 NT$70.7

29.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.81 NT$123

$3.06 NT$98.8

24.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 NT$94.7

$1.33 NT$43.10

120.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 NT$71.8

$1.89 NT$61.0

17.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 NT$60.2

$2.35 NT$75.9

-20.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 NT$38.38

$1.31 NT$42.20

-9.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 NT$146

$4.16 NT$134

8.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.10 NT$455

$15.62 NT$505

-9.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 NT$55.4

$1.73 NT$55.9

-1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 NT$81.8

$2.64 NT$85.2

-4.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 NT$28.09

$0.92 NT$29.76

-5.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 NT$1,310

$28.99 NT$936

39.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 NT$94.0

$2.85 NT$92.2

2.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 NT$23.36

$1.23 NT$39.59

-41.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 NT$199

$9.97 NT$322

-38.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$33.21

$1.05 NT$33.83

-1.90%

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

$35.2K NT$1.1M

$33.6K NT$1.1M

4.98%

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

$24.9K NT$805.0K

$26.0K NT$839.2K

-4.08%

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

$74.1 NT$2,394

$95.5 NT$3,083

-22.34%

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

$25.12 NT$811

$24.72 NT$798

1.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.61 NT$795

$21.38 NT$690

15.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 NT$1,431

$35.64 NT$1,151

24.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.47 NT$758

$10.04 NT$324

133.76%

Cinema Ticket

$10.16 NT$328

$10.50 NT$339

-3.24%

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

$423 NT$13.7K

$362 NT$11.7K

16.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K NT$359.8K

$21.2K NT$683.1K

-47.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.8 NT$2,804

$84.9 NT$2,741

2.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.85 NT$1,158

$34.21 NT$1,105

4.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 NT$2,906

$93.9 NT$3,031

-4.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 NT$3,258

$128 NT$4,137

-21.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$558 NT$18.0K

$376 NT$12.2K

48.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 NT$11.7K

$287 NT$9,275

25.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,199 NT$38.7K

$1,054 NT$34.0K

13.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 NT$25.5K

$715 NT$23.1K

10.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,213 NT$265.2K

$6,933 NT$223.9K

18.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,061 NT$195.7K

$5,135 NT$165.8K

18.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,474 NT$79.9K

$1,400 NT$45.2K

76.81%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Taichung: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $558 in Hsinchu versus $376 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 77% higher in Hsinchu, 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 $34.00 in Hsinchu versus $31.00 in Taichung. Groceries tell a different story – $335 in Hsinchu vs $396 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

Taichung costs about 1% more than Hsinchu, 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 $1,750 per month in Hsinchu and $1,772 in Taichung. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 40% less in Hsinchu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $423 per month in Hsinchu and $362 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 Hsinchu, where all-in costs run around $1,167, than in Taichung at $1,181. In Hsinchu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taichung it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hsinchu – 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 Hsinchu. 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.