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: $1,122 in Hua-lien versus $1,148 in Kaohsiung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,878 in Hua-lien versus $1,899 in Kaohsiung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,634 in Hua-lien versus $2,650 in Kaohsiung.

Living in Hua-lien costs roughly 2% less than in Kaohsiung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hua-lien 16% lower, Kaohsiung 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.14 NT$131

$4.11 NT$130

0.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.47 NT$1,091

$33.83 NT$1,071

1.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.64 NT$147

$5.43 NT$172

-14.55%

Cappuccino

$3.42 NT$108

$2.99 NT$94.8

14.38%

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

$0.95 NT$29.97

$0.97 NT$30.80

-2.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 NT$19.22

$0.72 NT$22.94

-15.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 NT$40.10

$1.68 NT$53.1

-24.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 NT$61.7

$2.79 NT$88.2

-30.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.15 NT$99.7

$3.43 NT$109

-8.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 NT$55.4

$2.00 NT$63.3

-12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 NT$136

$2.61 NT$82.6

63.98%

Eggs

$2.44 NT$77.3

$3.30 NT$105

-26.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.80 NT$437

$16.13 NT$511

-14.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.83 NT$153

$9.45 NT$299

-48.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.40 NT$519

$17.56 NT$556

-6.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 NT$141

$6.20 NT$196

-28.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 NT$80.8

$2.59 NT$81.9

-1.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 NT$128

$2.86 NT$90.4

41.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.83 NT$121

$4.00 NT$127

-4.25%

Potato (1kg)

$4.41 NT$140

$2.91 NT$92.1

51.55%

Onion (1kg)

$4.00 NT$127

$2.23 NT$70.5

79.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 NT$80.6

$1.95 NT$61.6

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 NT$42.64

$1.19 NT$37.74

13.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.15 NT$163

$4.53 NT$143

13.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 NT$454

$15.61 NT$494

-8.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 NT$71.3

$1.67 NT$52.8

34.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 NT$92.7

$2.56 NT$81.0

14.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 NT$25.69

$0.82 NT$26.01

-1.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.41 NT$1,247

$26.95 NT$853

46.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 NT$106

$2.91 NT$92.1

15.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 NT$24.40

$0.79 NT$25.16

-2.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.44 NT$394

$6.12 NT$194

103.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.69

$1.03 NT$32.54

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

$40.8K NT$1.3M

$34.9K NT$1.1M

16.86%

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

$29.0K NT$919.4K

$25.6K NT$811.5K

13.30%

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

$75.2 NT$2,380

$102 NT$3,239

-26.53%

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

$33.95 NT$1,074

$25.62 NT$811

32.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.35 NT$802

$25.09 NT$794

1.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.92 NT$1,169

$39.67 NT$1,255

-6.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.09 NT$477

$11.12 NT$352

35.70%

Cinema Ticket

$8.83 NT$279

$9.98 NT$316

-11.52%

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

$806 NT$25.5K

$431 NT$13.7K

86.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K NT$481.2K

$11.5K NT$362.6K

32.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.65 NT$875

$97.4 NT$3,083

-71.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.69 NT$1,478

$35.83 NT$1,134

30.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 NT$2,216

$88.1 NT$2,788

-20.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 NT$3,990

$104 NT$3,276

21.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 NT$13.7K

$442 NT$14.0K

-2.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 NT$9,227

$279 NT$8,843

4.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 NT$33.1K

$960 NT$30.4K

8.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 NT$22.8K

$686 NT$21.7K

4.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,630 NT$146.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,248 NT$102.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,928 NT$92.7K

$1,533 NT$48.5K

91.03%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Kaohsiung: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Hua-lien and $442 in Kaohsiung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hua-lien pays 91% 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 $357 vs $384 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 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.

Hua-lien pays 91% 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: $433 in Hua-lien versus $442 in Kaohsiung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% 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 $1,122 in Hua-lien versus $1,148 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.