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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,163 per month in Hsinchu vs $1,326 in Tampico, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,932 per month in Hsinchu vs $2,040 in Tampico, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,701 per month in Hsinchu vs $2,754 in Tampico, rent included.

Hsinchu is about 12% cheaper than Tampico, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hsinchu and Tampico are more affordable than the global median – Hsinchu 15% lower, Tampico 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.14 NT$132

$8.55 MX$147

-51.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.19 NT$897

$45.85 MX$791

-38.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 NT$151

$8.64 MX$149

-45.02%

Cappuccino

$2.97 NT$94.4

$3.23 MX$55.6

-8.05%

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

$0.90 NT$28.66

$1.34 MX$23.10

-32.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 NT$21.94

$0.90 MX$15.48

-23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 NT$61.7

$2.95 MX$50.9

-34.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 NT$75.0

$4.32 MX$74.6

-45.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 NT$90.4

$1.60 MX$27.62

77.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 NT$55.7

$4.43 MX$76.4

-60.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 NT$95.0

$1.49 MX$25.68

100.00%

Eggs

$2.85 NT$90.6

$4.36 MX$75.2

-34.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$36.84 NT$1,173

$5.33 MX$92.0

591.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 NT$223

$10.84 MX$187

-35.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.33 NT$679

$14.22 MX$245

50.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 NT$86.9

$3.65 MX$62.9

-25.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 NT$81.4

$1.27 MX$21.82

101.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 NT$105

$2.26 MX$39.05

46.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 NT$97.3

$2.39 MX$41.22

28.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 NT$73.7

$2.27 MX$39.11

1.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 NT$74.3

$3.02 MX$52.1

-22.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 NT$64.1

$2.28 MX$39.27

-11.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 NT$43.17

$0.95 MX$16.39

43.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 NT$125

$4.56 MX$78.7

-13.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.56 NT$400

$11.16 MX$192

12.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 NT$61.5

$1.97 MX$34.00

-2.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 NT$77.6

$3.14 MX$54.1

-22.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 NT$19.70

$0.84 MX$14.42

-26.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.60 NT$1,261

$29.39 MX$507

34.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 NT$97.9

$2.73 MX$47.00

12.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 NT$10.59

$2.88 MX$49.58

-88.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.07 NT$320

$12.02 MX$207

-16.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.84

$1.42 MX$24.52

-27.46%

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

$33.4K NT$1.1M

$34.8K MX$599.9K

-3.99%

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

$26.7K NT$851.1K

$25.5K MX$439.6K

4.88%

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

$101 NT$3,211

$61.5 MX$1,060

64.02%

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

$19.53 NT$622

$29.63 MX$511

-34.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.61 NT$688

$25.15 MX$434

-14.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 NT$1,681

$45.40 MX$783

16.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.20 MX$297

Cinema Ticket

$9.96 NT$317

$5.51 MX$95.0

80.76%

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

$744 NT$23.7K

$246 MX$4,236

202.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K NT$535.6K

$4,846 MX$83.6K

247.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 NT$1,818

$78.8 MX$1,359

-27.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.83 NT$1,141

$70.7 MX$1,218

-49.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 NT$2,492

$178 MX$3,070

-56.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 NT$3,375

$90.9 MX$1,567

16.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 NT$14.0K

$558 MX$9,623

-21.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 NT$8,311

$412 MX$7,099

-36.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 NT$36.1K

$1,092 MX$18.8K

3.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 NT$23.9K

$701 MX$12.1K

7.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,143 NT$259.2K

$1,810 MX$31.2K

349.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,177 NT$196.6K

$1,393 MX$24.0K

343.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,539 NT$80.8K

$587 MX$10.1K

332.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.13

11.3

-81.15%

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

Last update for Hsinchu: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tampico: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $441 in Hsinchu versus $558 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 333% 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 $28.00 in Hsinchu versus $46.00 in Tampico. Groceries tell a different story – $412 in Hsinchu vs $315 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

Tampico costs about 14% 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 $1,744 per month in Hsinchu and $1,989 in Tampico. 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 35% less in Hsinchu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $744 per month in Hsinchu and $246 in Tampico. 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 $1,163, than in Tampico at $1,326. In Hsinchu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tampico 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, Tampico makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.