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: $1,120 in Hua-lien versus $1,124 in Kinmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,858 in Hua-lien versus $1,876 in Kinmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,597 in Hua-lien versus $2,629 in Kinmen.

Monthly costs are close between Hua-lien and Kinmen; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.16 NT$134

$5.07 NT$164

-17.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.92 NT$1,096

$30.83 NT$996

10.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 NT$151

$5.54 NT$179

-15.52%

Cappuccino

$3.55 NT$115

$2.92 NT$94.4

21.58%

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

$0.97 NT$31.42

$1.04 NT$33.62

-6.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 NT$20.71

$0.72 NT$23.27

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 NT$41.33

$1.84 NT$59.3

-30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 NT$63.6

$2.74 NT$88.6

-28.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.26 NT$105

$3.31 NT$107

-1.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 NT$59.1

$1.95 NT$62.9

-6.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.53 NT$146

$2.89 NT$93.5

56.75%

Eggs

$2.54 NT$82.0

$2.85 NT$92.1

-10.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.05 NT$454

$18.49 NT$598

-24.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 NT$153

$8.10 NT$262

-41.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.79 NT$510

$17.18 NT$555

-8.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 NT$144

$4.67 NT$151

-4.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 NT$78.8

$2.53 NT$81.7

-3.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 NT$139

$2.64 NT$85.4

62.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 NT$127

$3.45 NT$111

13.62%

Potato (1kg)

$4.59 NT$148

$2.77 NT$89.5

65.70%

Onion (1kg)

$4.16 NT$135

$2.17 NT$70.2

91.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 NT$84.9

$2.06 NT$66.6

27.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 NT$42.82

$1.20 NT$38.62

10.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.93 NT$159

$4.05 NT$131

21.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.15 NT$457

$13.99 NT$452

1.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 NT$72.8

$1.67 NT$53.8

34.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 NT$93.2

$2.56 NT$82.7

12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 NT$27.01

$0.87 NT$28.02

-3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 NT$1,270

$39.33 NT$1,271

-0.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 NT$111

$2.96 NT$95.6

15.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 NT$25.64

$0.80 NT$25.78

-1.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.61 NT$407

$10.22 NT$330

23.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$34.35

$1.07 NT$34.61

-0.93%

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

$42.3K NT$1.4M

$35.3K NT$1.1M

19.63%

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

$28.7K NT$927.3K

$26.5K NT$857.3K

8.17%

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

$76.1 NT$2,458

$86.1 NT$2,781

-11.62%

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

$33.70 NT$1,089

$24.37 NT$787

38.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.26 NT$816

$22.59 NT$730

11.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.01 NT$1,196

$36.68 NT$1,185

0.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.46 NT$500

$14.95 NT$483

3.41%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 NT$293

$10.06 NT$325

-9.94%

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

$787 NT$25.4K

$424 NT$13.7K

85.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K NT$506.1K

$15.8K NT$509.2K

-0.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.95 NT$871

$81.6 NT$2,636

-66.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.29 NT$1,528

$34.43 NT$1,113

37.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 NT$2,275

$91.3 NT$2,948

-22.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 NT$4,089

$102 NT$3,302

23.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 NT$14.1K

$424 NT$13.7K

3.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 NT$9,159

$293 NT$9,474

-3.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 NT$33.0K

$1,042 NT$33.7K

-1.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$728 NT$23.5K

$734 NT$23.7K

-0.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,302 NT$203.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,564 NT$147.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,897 NT$93.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.57

2.18

-27.98%

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

Last update for Hua-lien: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kinmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Hua-lien and $424 in Kinmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Hua-lien vs $31.00 in Kinmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $360 vs $366, with Hua-lien 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 Kinmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

You'd need roughly $1,680 in Hua-lien and $1,685 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: $437 in Hua-lien versus $424 in Kinmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $787 in Hua-lien versus $424 in Kinmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Hua-lien – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $31.00 in Kinmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,120 in Hua-lien versus $1,124 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.

It comes down to priorities – Hua-lien wins on affordability, Kinmen on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.