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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,167 per month in Hsinchu vs $1,119 in Tampico, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,892 per month in Hsinchu vs $1,753 in Tampico, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,618 per month in Hsinchu vs $2,387 in Tampico, rent included.

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

Both Hsinchu and Tampico are more affordable than the global median – Hsinchu 13% lower, Tampico 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.04 NT$131

$6.50 MX$113

-37.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.30 NT$1,107

$42.94 MX$748

-20.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 NT$170

$6.12 MX$107

-14.05%

Cappuccino

$2.95 NT$95.2

$3.17 MX$55.3

-6.94%

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

$0.91 NT$29.27

$0.87 MX$15.12

4.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 NT$24.01

$0.77 MX$13.37

-3.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 NT$53.4

$1.43 MX$24.99

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 NT$75.7

$2.09 MX$36.37

12.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.15 NT$102

$1.44 MX$25.07

118.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 NT$56.8

$3.96 MX$69.0

-55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 NT$140

$1.56 MX$27.16

176.92%

Eggs

$2.46 NT$79.2

$4.05 MX$70.5

-39.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.03 NT$453

$4.52 MX$78.7

210.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 NT$153

$8.40 MX$146

-43.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 NT$521

$11.20 MX$195

44.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 NT$140

$2.65 MX$46.11

63.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 NT$78.3

$1.21 MX$20.98

100.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 NT$87.9

$1.80 MX$31.33

51.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.81 NT$123

$1.54 MX$26.90

147.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.01 NT$97.3

$1.77 MX$30.75

70.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 NT$70.4

$2.15 MX$37.45

1.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 NT$60.9

$1.64 MX$28.49

15.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 NT$38.59

$0.83 MX$14.45

44.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 NT$145

$4.15 MX$72.3

8.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.85 NT$447

$11.11 MX$193

24.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 NT$56.4

$1.83 MX$31.87

-4.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 NT$80.7

$2.58 MX$45.00

-3.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 NT$28.04

$0.78 MX$13.51

11.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.24 NT$1,299

$25.94 MX$452

55.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 NT$91.7

$2.62 MX$45.67

8.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 NT$24.95

$2.41 MX$41.99

-68.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 NT$200

$4.93 MX$85.8

25.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 NT$32.91

$1.33 MX$23.10

-23.31%

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

$34.0K NT$1.1M

$41.7K MX$726.8K

-18.52%

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

$25.7K NT$830.5K

$22.4K MX$389.8K

14.96%

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

$74.2 NT$2,394

$78.8 MX$1,371

-5.82%

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

$25.45 NT$822

$25.61 MX$446

-0.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.89 NT$803

$23.92 MX$416

4.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.17 NT$1,426

$37.79 MX$658

16.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.80 NT$768

$16.00 MX$279

48.75%

Cinema Ticket

$10.07 NT$325

$5.36 MX$93.4

87.87%

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

$434 NT$14.0K

$242 MX$4,213

79.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K NT$367.0K

$3,565 MX$62.1K

218.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.3 NT$2,818

$83.8 MX$1,459

4.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.28 NT$1,139

$62.6 MX$1,090

-43.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 NT$2,905

$160 MX$2,786

-43.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 NT$3,246

$78.4 MX$1,364

28.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$551 NT$17.8K

$509 MX$8,867

8.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 NT$11.6K

$315 MX$5,484

13.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,198 NT$38.7K

$794 MX$13.8K

50.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$792 NT$25.6K

$612 MX$10.7K

29.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,190 NT$264.3K

$1,968 MX$34.3K

316.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,001 NT$193.7K

$1,150 MX$20.0K

421.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,433 NT$78.5K

$585 MX$10.2K

316.11%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tampico: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $551 in Hsinchu versus $509 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 316% 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 $43.00 in Tampico. Groceries tell a different story – $333 in Hsinchu vs $264 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 4% 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 $1,751 per month in Hsinchu and $1,679 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 55% less in Tampico. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $434 per month in Hsinchu and $242 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 $1,119, than in Hsinchu at $1,167. 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.