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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,122 in Hua-lien versus $1,203 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,878 in Hua-lien versus $1,954 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,634 in Hua-lien versus $2,704 in Taichung.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Hua-lien 16% lower, Taichung 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.14 NT$131

$4.99 NT$158

-17.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.47 NT$1,091

$29.95 NT$948

15.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.64 NT$147

$5.46 NT$173

-15.02%

Cappuccino

$3.42 NT$108

$2.93 NT$92.8

16.72%

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

$0.95 NT$29.97

$1.16 NT$36.63

-18.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 NT$19.22

$0.86 NT$27.21

-29.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 NT$40.10

$2.16 NT$68.4

-41.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 NT$61.7

$2.83 NT$89.6

-31.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.15 NT$99.7

$3.79 NT$120

-16.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 NT$55.4

$1.75 NT$55.5

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 NT$136

$2.77 NT$87.8

54.51%

Eggs

$2.44 NT$77.3

$3.29 NT$104

-25.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.80 NT$437

$31.49 NT$997

-56.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.83 NT$153

$8.10 NT$256

-40.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.40 NT$519

$15.61 NT$494

5.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 NT$141

$4.72 NT$150

-5.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 NT$80.8

$1.82 NT$57.7

40.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 NT$128

$2.28 NT$72.2

78.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.83 NT$121

$3.07 NT$97.2

24.76%

Potato (1kg)

$4.41 NT$140

$1.35 NT$42.59

226.67%

Onion (1kg)

$4.00 NT$127

$1.88 NT$59.4

112.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 NT$80.6

$2.35 NT$74.3

8.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 NT$42.64

$1.28 NT$40.64

5.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.15 NT$163

$4.14 NT$131

24.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 NT$454

$15.69 NT$497

-8.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 NT$71.3

$1.65 NT$52.1

36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 NT$92.7

$2.62 NT$82.9

11.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 NT$25.69

$0.86 NT$27.25

-5.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.41 NT$1,247

$29.22 NT$925

34.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 NT$106

$2.96 NT$93.7

13.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 NT$24.40

$1.23 NT$38.90

-37.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.44 NT$394

$10.33 NT$327

20.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.69

$1.00 NT$31.79

3.00%

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

$40.8K NT$1.3M

$34.4K NT$1.1M

18.64%

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

$29.0K NT$919.4K

$26.4K NT$835.4K

10.05%

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

$75.2 NT$2,380

$97.3 NT$3,080

-22.73%

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

$33.95 NT$1,074

$24.15 NT$764

40.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.35 NT$802

$21.53 NT$681

17.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.92 NT$1,169

$35.96 NT$1,138

2.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.09 NT$477

$10.14 NT$321

48.82%

Cinema Ticket

$8.83 NT$279

$10.66 NT$337

-17.17%

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

$806 NT$25.5K

$356 NT$11.3K

126.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K NT$481.2K

$21.0K NT$664.8K

-27.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.65 NT$875

$85.7 NT$2,712

-67.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.69 NT$1,478

$34.47 NT$1,091

35.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 NT$2,216

$93.9 NT$2,972

-25.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 NT$3,990

$131 NT$4,137

-3.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 NT$13.7K

$385 NT$12.2K

12.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 NT$9,227

$281 NT$8,893

3.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 NT$33.1K

$1,025 NT$32.4K

2.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 NT$22.8K

$714 NT$22.6K

0.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,104 NT$224.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,345 NT$169.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,928 NT$92.7K

$1,415 NT$44.8K

106.96%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Taichung: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Hua-lien and $385 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hua-lien pays 107% 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 $30.00 in Taichung. Groceries flip the comparison at $357 vs $398, 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 Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hua-lien wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Taichung. 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 107% 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 $385 in Taichung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Taichung. 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 $30.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,122 in Hua-lien versus $1,203 in Taichung, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hua-lien but tight or insufficient in Taichung. 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 Taichung 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 7% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.