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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,067 in Hua-lien versus $1,080 in Kinmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,822 in Hua-lien versus $1,852 in Kinmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,578 in Hua-lien versus $2,623 in Kinmen.

Living in Hua-lien costs roughly 1% less than in Kinmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hua-lien 22% lower, Kinmen 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.12 NT$131

$4.57 NT$145

-9.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.83 NT$883

$30.93 NT$981

-10.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.21 NT$133

$4.68 NT$149

-10.04%

Cappuccino

$2.74 NT$87.1

$3.01 NT$95.6

-8.97%

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

$0.82 NT$26.15

$0.95 NT$30.15

-13.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 NT$16.36

$0.68 NT$21.57

-23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 NT$40.47

$1.68 NT$53.3

-23.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 NT$55.8

$2.57 NT$81.5

-31.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.82 NT$89.4

$3.07 NT$97.5

-8.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 NT$54.3

$1.87 NT$59.5

-8.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.53 NT$144

$2.95 NT$93.6

53.56%

Eggs

$1.97 NT$62.5

$2.69 NT$85.5

-26.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.03 NT$604

$19.21 NT$609

-0.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 NT$196

$7.89 NT$250

-21.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.32 NT$803

$20.71 NT$657

22.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 NT$84.2

$4.18 NT$133

-36.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 NT$81.1

$2.49 NT$79.1

2.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 NT$107

$3.00 NT$95.1

12.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 NT$100

$3.14 NT$99.6

0.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 NT$76.5

$2.78 NT$88.2

-13.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 NT$76.5

$2.13 NT$67.6

13.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 NT$65.9

$2.33 NT$74.0

-10.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 NT$30.20

$1.03 NT$32.73

-7.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.83 NT$121

$3.84 NT$122

-0.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.32 NT$391

$12.49 NT$396

-1.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 NT$60.8

$1.53 NT$48.59

25.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 NT$75.7

$2.18 NT$69.1

9.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 NT$20.96

$0.66 NT$20.92

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.66 NT$1,131

$36.67 NT$1,164

-2.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 NT$102

$2.75 NT$87.1

16.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 NT$10.20

$0.77 NT$24.52

-58.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 NT$328

$9.40 NT$298

10.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 NT$28.03

$1.00 NT$31.88

-12.00%

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

$33.1K NT$1.1M

$33.0K NT$1.0M

0.50%

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

$26.6K NT$843.2K

$24.4K NT$773.8K

8.97%

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

$101 NT$3,188

$87.7 NT$2,781

14.66%

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

$19.42 NT$616

$17.90 NT$568

8.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.51 NT$397

$22.12 NT$702

-43.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.12 NT$1,178

$36.75 NT$1,166

1.01%

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 NT$322

$10.19 NT$323

-0.39%

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

$763 NT$24.2K

$517 NT$16.4K

47.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K NT$521.7K

$16.4K NT$520.2K

0.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 NT$1,837

$58.6 NT$1,860

-1.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.49 NT$1,126

$33.79 NT$1,072

5.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 NT$2,517

$83.3 NT$2,643

-4.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 NT$3,416

$100 NT$3,186

7.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 NT$12.5K

$403 NT$12.8K

-2.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 NT$7,884

$253 NT$8,013

-1.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 NT$30.4K

$967 NT$30.7K

-1.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$737 NT$23.4K

$725 NT$23.0K

1.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,381 NT$234.2K

$7,334 NT$232.7K

0.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,947 NT$156.9K

$4,965 NT$157.5K

-0.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,874 NT$91.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.13

2.27

-6.17%

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

Last update for Hua-lien: September 1, 2026

Last update for Kinmen: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $394 in Hua-lien and $403 in Kinmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $28.00 in Hua-lien vs $31.00 in Kinmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $364 vs $366 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 Kinmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hua-lien wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Kinmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hua-lien the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,601 in Hua-lien and $1,620 in Kinmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $394 in Hua-lien versus $403 in Kinmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Kinmen. 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 $28.00 versus $31.00 in Kinmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,067 in Hua-lien versus $1,080 in Kinmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hua-lien but tight or insufficient in Kinmen. 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 Kinmen 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 1% less than in Kinmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.