Cost of Living Comparison Between Hua-lien and Kaohsiung Cost of Living Comparison Between Hua-lien and Kaohsiung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,071 in Hua-lien versus $1,091 in Kaohsiung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,820 in Hua-lien versus $1,818 in Kaohsiung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,569 in Hua-lien versus $2,546 in Kaohsiung.

Living in Hua-lien costs roughly 2% less than in Kaohsiung, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hua-lien 22% lower, Kaohsiung 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.01 NT$128

$5.38 NT$171

-25.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.86 NT$887

$31.11 NT$990

-10.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.17 NT$133

$4.82 NT$153

-13.49%

Cappuccino

$2.71 NT$86.3

$2.76 NT$87.8

-1.81%

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

$0.82 NT$26.02

$1.11 NT$35.39

-26.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 NT$17.52

$0.66 NT$21.14

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 NT$40.41

$1.51 NT$48.00

-15.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 NT$55.6

$2.47 NT$78.6

-29.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.88 NT$91.7

$3.20 NT$102

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 NT$54.0

$2.21 NT$70.5

-23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.58 NT$146

$2.87 NT$91.4

59.58%

Eggs

$1.84 NT$58.7

$2.52 NT$80.1

-26.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.51 NT$589

$14.98 NT$477

23.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 NT$198

$7.96 NT$253

-21.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.28 NT$805

$15.28 NT$486

65.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 NT$84.7

$6.39 NT$204

-58.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 NT$77.6

$2.73 NT$86.9

-10.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 NT$105

$2.52 NT$80.4

30.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 NT$94.4

$3.21 NT$102

-7.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 NT$73.3

$2.68 NT$85.2

-14.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 NT$73.8

$1.95 NT$62.2

18.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 NT$66.5

$2.33 NT$74.1

-10.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NT$28.63

$1.03 NT$32.78

-12.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.95 NT$126

$4.05 NT$129

-2.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.31 NT$392

$15.26 NT$486

-19.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 NT$60.3

$1.57 NT$50.0

20.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 NT$73.8

$2.19 NT$69.8

5.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 NT$19.38

$0.73 NT$23.09

-16.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.17 NT$1,120

$12.16 NT$387

189.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 NT$98.3

$2.68 NT$85.2

15.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 NT$9.49

$0.81 NT$25.94

-62.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.19 NT$324

$5.52 NT$176

84.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 NT$29.64

$1.00 NT$31.78

-7.00%

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

$33.2K NT$1.1M

$32.6K NT$1.0M

1.93%

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

$26.9K NT$855.0K

$22.7K NT$724.3K

18.05%

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

$102 NT$3,252

$83.3 NT$2,650

22.69%

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

$19.05 NT$606

$17.36 NT$553

9.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.41 NT$395

$26.17 NT$833

-52.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.67 NT$1,136

$39.15 NT$1,246

-8.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.24 NT$326

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 NT$322

$11.04 NT$352

-8.42%

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

$734 NT$23.4K

$461 NT$14.7K

59.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K NT$531.0K

$14.0K NT$446.6K

18.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 NT$1,788

$91.2 NT$2,905

-38.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.96 NT$1,145

$33.54 NT$1,068

7.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 NT$2,494

$84.9 NT$2,704

-7.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 NT$3,319

$99.1 NT$3,155

5.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 NT$12.7K

$376 NT$12.0K

6.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$246 NT$7,831

$272 NT$8,666

-9.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$967 NT$30.8K

$957 NT$30.5K

1.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$735 NT$23.4K

$667 NT$21.2K

10.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,155 NT$227.8K

$4,541 NT$144.6K

57.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,998 NT$159.1K

$3,084 NT$98.2K

62.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,856 NT$90.9K

$1,419 NT$45.2K

101.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.13

2.56

-16.80%

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

Last update for Hua-lien: August 17, 2026

Last update for Kaohsiung: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $400 in Hua-lien and $376 in Kaohsiung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hua-lien pays 101% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Hua-lien vs $31.00 in Kaohsiung. Groceries flip the comparison at $359 vs $357, with Kaohsiung cheaper for home cooking.

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

Hua-lien vs Kaohsiung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hua-lien wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Kaohsiung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hua-lien the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 101% higher in Hua-lien, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $400 in Hua-lien versus $376 in Kaohsiung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Kaohsiung pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Hua-lien – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $31.00 in Kaohsiung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,071 in Hua-lien versus $1,091 in Kaohsiung, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hua-lien but tight or insufficient in Kaohsiung. The gap between the two cities makes Hua-lien the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Hua-lien and Kaohsiung are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Hua-lien gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Kaohsiung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.