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: $1,105 in Hua-lien versus $1,188 in Kaohsiung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,830 in Hua-lien versus $1,951 in Kaohsiung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,556 in Hua-lien versus $2,714 in Kaohsiung.

Living in Hua-lien costs roughly 7% less than in Kaohsiung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hua-lien 18% lower, Kaohsiung 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.03 NT$127

$4.05 NT$128

-0.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.74 NT$1,067

$34.24 NT$1,082

-1.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 NT$145

$5.51 NT$174

-16.88%

Cappuccino

$3.38 NT$107

$3.09 NT$97.8

9.39%

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

$0.96 NT$30.34

$0.97 NT$30.78

-1.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 NT$19.43

$0.71 NT$22.50

-14.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 NT$39.99

$1.66 NT$52.4

-24.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 NT$62.1

$2.73 NT$86.2

-28.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.14 NT$99.4

$3.50 NT$110

-10.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 NT$56.4

$2.00 NT$63.3

-11.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.36 NT$138

$2.61 NT$82.4

67.05%

Eggs

$2.56 NT$81.0

$3.33 NT$105

-23.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.10 NT$446

$16.02 NT$506

-11.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.76 NT$150

$9.41 NT$297

-49.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 NT$517

$18.01 NT$569

-9.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 NT$143

$6.17 NT$195

-26.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 NT$77.4

$2.56 NT$81.1

-4.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 NT$130

$2.84 NT$89.9

45.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 NT$122

$3.99 NT$126

-3.26%

Potato (1kg)

$4.59 NT$145

$3.01 NT$95.1

52.49%

Onion (1kg)

$4.10 NT$130

$2.13 NT$67.2

92.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 NT$80.0

$1.85 NT$58.6

36.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 NT$43.42

$1.19 NT$37.52

15.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.13 NT$162

$4.38 NT$139

17.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.04 NT$444

$15.51 NT$490

-9.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 NT$67.4

$1.72 NT$54.3

23.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 NT$90.8

$2.46 NT$77.7

16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 NT$27.79

$0.82 NT$25.79

7.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.02 NT$1,234

$26.56 NT$840

46.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 NT$105

$2.94 NT$92.9

12.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 NT$23.24

$0.78 NT$24.73

-5.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.46 NT$394

$6.28 NT$198

98.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 NT$33.80

$1.03 NT$32.71

3.88%

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

$42.0K NT$1.3M

$33.9K NT$1.1M

23.97%

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

$28.8K NT$911.6K

$25.7K NT$811.1K

12.39%

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

$73.9 NT$2,337

$102 NT$3,225

-27.54%

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

$33.59 NT$1,062

$25.18 NT$796

33.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.47 NT$805

$25.61 NT$810

-0.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.74 NT$1,193

$39.43 NT$1,246

-4.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.01 NT$475

$11.15 NT$352

34.62%

Cinema Ticket

$8.83 NT$279

$10.08 NT$319

-12.40%

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

$786 NT$24.9K

$428 NT$13.5K

83.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.4K NT$488.0K

$11.5K NT$362.7K

34.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.58 NT$872

$95.0 NT$3,004

-70.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.91 NT$1,483

$36.01 NT$1,138

30.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 NT$2,293

$89.3 NT$2,824

-18.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 NT$3,899

$101 NT$3,191

22.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 NT$13.4K

$443 NT$14.0K

-4.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 NT$9,005

$281 NT$8,897

1.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 NT$32.6K

$950 NT$30.0K

8.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$732 NT$23.2K

$682 NT$21.6K

7.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,584 NT$144.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,194 NT$101.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,930 NT$92.6K

$1,503 NT$47.5K

94.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.57

2.3

-31.74%

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

Last update for Hua-lien: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kaohsiung: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $425 in Hua-lien and $443 in Kaohsiung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hua-lien pays 95% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Hua-lien vs $34.00 in Kaohsiung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $358 vs $385 per month, with Hua-lien cheaper across the board.

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 8% 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.

Hua-lien pays 95% more on average, 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: $425 in Hua-lien versus $443 in Kaohsiung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Kaohsiung. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Hua-lien – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $34.00 in Kaohsiung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,105 in Hua-lien versus $1,188 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 8% less than in Kaohsiung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.