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: $1,071 in Hua-lien versus $1,112 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,820 in Hua-lien versus $1,839 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,569 in Hua-lien versus $2,566 in Taichung.

Living in Hua-lien costs roughly 4% less than in Taichung, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hua-lien 22% lower, Taichung 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.01 NT$128

$4.70 NT$150

-14.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.86 NT$887

$30.46 NT$970

-8.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.17 NT$133

$4.63 NT$148

-9.94%

Cappuccino

$2.71 NT$86.3

$2.81 NT$89.4

-3.56%

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

$0.82 NT$26.02

$0.98 NT$31.24

-16.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 NT$17.52

$0.77 NT$24.50

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 NT$40.41

$1.51 NT$48.18

-15.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 NT$55.6

$2.80 NT$89.2

-37.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.88 NT$91.7

$3.09 NT$98.2

-6.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 NT$54.0

$1.75 NT$55.9

-2.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.58 NT$146

$2.64 NT$84.1

73.48%

Eggs

$1.84 NT$58.7

$2.53 NT$80.7

-27.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.51 NT$589

$27.94 NT$890

-33.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 NT$198

$7.60 NT$242

-18.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.28 NT$805

$16.41 NT$522

54.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 NT$84.7

$4.13 NT$132

-35.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 NT$77.6

$1.94 NT$61.8

25.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 NT$105

$1.80 NT$57.3

82.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 NT$94.4

$2.14 NT$68.2

38.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 NT$73.3

$1.23 NT$39.18

86.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 NT$73.8

$1.89 NT$60.2

22.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 NT$66.5

$2.29 NT$72.9

-8.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NT$28.63

$0.91 NT$29.06

-1.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.95 NT$126

$3.75 NT$119

5.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.31 NT$392

$15.68 NT$499

-21.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 NT$60.3

$1.52 NT$48.53

24.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 NT$73.8

$2.43 NT$77.4

-4.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 NT$19.38

$0.71 NT$22.71

-14.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.17 NT$1,120

$30.61 NT$975

14.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 NT$98.3

$2.58 NT$82.1

19.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 NT$9.49

$0.97 NT$30.83

-69.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.19 NT$324

$9.56 NT$304

6.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 NT$29.64

$1.03 NT$32.74

-9.71%

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

$33.2K NT$1.1M

$32.8K NT$1.0M

1.34%

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

$26.9K NT$855.0K

$22.6K NT$720.7K

18.63%

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

$102 NT$3,252

$107 NT$3,419

-4.90%

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

$19.05 NT$606

$14.56 NT$463

30.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.41 NT$395

$21.13 NT$673

-41.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.67 NT$1,136

$31.88 NT$1,015

11.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.13 NT$418

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 NT$322

$9.32 NT$297

8.48%

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

$734 NT$23.4K

$335 NT$10.7K

119.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K NT$531.0K

$17.1K NT$543.0K

-2.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 NT$1,788

$67.9 NT$2,162

-17.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.96 NT$1,145

$36.21 NT$1,153

-0.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 NT$2,494

$82.2 NT$2,617

-4.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 NT$3,319

$108 NT$3,431

-3.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 NT$12.7K

$396 NT$12.6K

1.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$246 NT$7,831

$273 NT$8,702

-10.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$967 NT$30.8K

$1,181 NT$37.6K

-18.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$735 NT$23.4K

$744 NT$23.7K

-1.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,155 NT$227.8K

$7,077 NT$225.3K

1.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,998 NT$159.1K

$5,272 NT$167.9K

-5.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,856 NT$90.9K

$1,377 NT$43.8K

107.39%

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: August 17, 2026

Last update for Taichung: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $400 in Hua-lien and $396 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: $28.00 in Hua-lien vs $30.00 in Taichung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 vs $362 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 Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hua-lien wins on cost – living expenses run 4% 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.

Average pay runs 107% higher in Hua-lien, 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: $400 in Hua-lien versus $396 in Taichung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% 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 $28.00 versus $30.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,071 in Hua-lien versus $1,112 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 4% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.