Cost of Living Comparison Between Hsinchu and Tampico Cost of Living Comparison Between Hsinchu and Tampico

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,186 per month in Hsinchu vs $1,093 in Tampico, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,933 per month in Hsinchu vs $1,742 in Tampico, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,680 per month in Hsinchu vs $2,390 in Tampico, rent included.

Hsinchu costs about 9% more than Tampico, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hsinchu and Tampico are more affordable than the global median – Hsinchu 11% lower, Tampico 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.00 NT$126

$6.47 MX$112

-38.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.55 NT$1,057

$41.92 MX$727

-19.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.40 NT$170

$5.99 MX$104

-9.85%

Cappuccino

$2.99 NT$94.1

$3.34 MX$57.8

-10.48%

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

$0.99 NT$31.15

$0.86 MX$14.93

15.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 NT$21.76

$0.82 MX$14.26

-15.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 NT$53.9

$1.42 MX$24.69

20.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 NT$74.2

$2.09 MX$36.30

12.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.17 NT$100.0

$1.45 MX$25.05

118.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 NT$56.1

$3.89 MX$67.4

-54.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.51 NT$142

$1.55 MX$26.79

190.97%

Eggs

$2.57 NT$80.9

$3.98 MX$69.0

-35.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.11 NT$444

$4.47 MX$77.5

215.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 NT$149

$8.46 MX$147

-44.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.83 NT$499

$11.05 MX$191

43.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.34 NT$137

$2.77 MX$47.99

56.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 NT$79.8

$1.20 MX$20.78

110.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 NT$86.5

$1.75 MX$30.41

56.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.76 NT$118

$1.59 MX$27.59

136.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 NT$91.5

$1.83 MX$31.76

58.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 NT$69.9

$2.17 MX$37.68

2.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 NT$61.2

$1.64 MX$28.48

18.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 NT$37.90

$0.90 MX$15.52

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 NT$135

$4.27 MX$73.9

0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.09 NT$444

$10.82 MX$188

30.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 NT$52.7

$1.76 MX$30.50

-5.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 NT$77.7

$2.60 MX$45.01

-5.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 NT$27.26

$0.77 MX$13.28

12.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.69 NT$1,282

$26.44 MX$458

53.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 NT$89.7

$2.66 MX$46.01

7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 NT$24.81

$2.49 MX$43.15

-68.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 NT$188

$4.94 MX$85.6

20.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.37

$1.33 MX$22.98

-22.56%

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

$35.2K NT$1.1M

$41.7K MX$722.3K

-15.44%

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

$25.3K NT$798.5K

$22.0K MX$380.9K

15.31%

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

$76.8 NT$2,419

$79.0 MX$1,369

-2.82%

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

$25.26 NT$796

$25.85 MX$448

-2.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.43 NT$801

$23.95 MX$415

6.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.52 NT$1,371

$38.83 MX$673

12.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.79 NT$750

$15.82 MX$274

50.38%

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 NT$320

$5.19 MX$89.9

95.57%

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

$434 NT$13.7K

$238 MX$4,122

82.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K NT$355.3K

$3,662 MX$63.5K

207.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.7 NT$2,700

$84.7 MX$1,468

1.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.21 NT$1,141

$62.7 MX$1,087

-42.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 NT$2,799

$161 MX$2,787

-44.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 NT$3,267

$78.6 MX$1,362

31.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$545 NT$17.2K

$502 MX$8,695

8.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 NT$11.5K

$317 MX$5,496

15.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 NT$38.3K

$819 MX$14.2K

48.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$777 NT$24.5K

$617 MX$10.7K

26.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,178 NT$257.7K

$1,682 MX$29.1K

386.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,208 NT$195.6K

$1,410 MX$24.4K

340.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,493 NT$78.6K

$597 MX$10.3K

317.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.57

11.75

-86.64%

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

Last update for Hsinchu: May 30, 2026

Last update for Tampico: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $545 in Hsinchu versus $502 in Tampico. 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 318% 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 $42.00 in Tampico. Groceries tell a different story – $335 in Hsinchu vs $263 in Tampico – so Tampico 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 Tampico: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hsinchu costs about 9% more than Tampico, 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 $1,779 per month in Hsinchu and $1,640 in Tampico. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 54% less in Tampico. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $434 per month in Hsinchu and $238 in Tampico. 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 Tampico, where all-in costs run around $1,093, than in Hsinchu at $1,186. In Tampico it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hsinchu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tampico – 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 Tampico. 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.