Cost of Living Comparison Between Incheon and Tainan Cost of Living Comparison Between Incheon and Tainan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,332 per month in Incheon vs $1,197 in Tainan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,039 per month in Incheon vs $2,035 in Tainan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,746 per month in Incheon vs $2,873 in Tainan, rent included.

Incheon costs about 11% more than Tainan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Incheon and Tainan are more affordable than the global median – Incheon 3% lower, Tainan 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.09 ₩8,282

$4.85 NT$154

25.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.84 ₩46.0K

$24.87 NT$789

36.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 ₩9,145

$4.70 NT$149

43.19%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ₩4,825

$3.33 NT$106

6.61%

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

$1.55 ₩2,107

$1.36 NT$43.21

13.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₩827

$0.91 NT$28.83

-32.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 ₩4,716

$3.15 NT$99.8

10.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 ₩5,822

$3.43 NT$109

24.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 ₩2,870

$3.06 NT$97.2

-31.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.09 ₩4,202

$1.78 NT$56.5

73.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₩3,004

$2.96 NT$94.0

-25.34%

Eggs

$3.30 ₩4,486

$3.07 NT$97.4

7.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.40 ₩20.9K

$22.47 NT$713

-31.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.45 ₩10.1K

$13.28 NT$421

-43.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ₩14.7K

$21.40 NT$679

-49.30%

Apples (1kg)

$7.53 ₩10.2K

$5.44 NT$173

38.42%

Banana (1kg)

$3.15 ₩4,280

$2.89 NT$91.5

9.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.46 ₩7,415

$4.88 NT$155

11.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.98 ₩8,133

$7.20 NT$229

-16.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 ₩4,682

$4.66 NT$148

-26.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 ₩3,252

$4.40 NT$139

-45.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 ₩2,718

$2.89 NT$91.7

-30.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ₩1,474

$1.44 NT$45.64

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 ₩4,506

$4.07 NT$129

-18.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.56 ₩25.2K

$11.92 NT$378

55.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 ₩3,006

$2.03 NT$64.5

8.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ₩4,125

$2.25 NT$71.2

34.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 ₩1,481

$0.65 NT$20.70

67.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.45 ₩34.6K

$33.59 NT$1,066

-24.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ₩4,734

$2.76 NT$87.5

26.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₩788

$0.97 NT$30.87

-40.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.64 ₩11.7K

$5.51 NT$175

56.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₩1,875

$1.02 NT$32.35

35.29%

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

$28.5K ₩38.8M

$36.9K NT$1.2M

-22.73%

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

$27.3K ₩37.1M

$25.0K NT$793.7K

9.14%

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

$195 ₩265.2K

$90.2 NT$2,860

116.38%

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

$35.50 ₩48.3K

$17.57 NT$557

102.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.93 ₩27.1K

$21.89 NT$695

-8.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.32 ₩43.9K

$46.00 NT$1,459

-29.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.22 ₩49.2K

Cinema Ticket

$11.02 ₩15.0K

$11.03 NT$350

-0.09%

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

$294 ₩399.9K

$425 NT$13.5K

-30.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K ₩23.6M

$5,560 NT$176.4K

212.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ₩76.5K

$94.4 NT$2,993

-40.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.77 ₩43.2K

$46.33 NT$1,470

-31.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 ₩92.5K

$119 NT$3,780

-42.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ₩109.1K

$124 NT$3,920

-35.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 ₩789.8K

$311 NT$9,853

87.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 ₩481.5K

$194 NT$6,150

82.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 ₩1.7M

$843 NT$26.8K

45.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$688 ₩934.7K

$721 NT$22.9K

-4.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,509 ₩8.8M

$4,189 NT$132.9K

55.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,366 ₩7.3M

$3,129 NT$99.3K

71.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,441 ₩3.3M

$1,366 NT$43.3K

78.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

2.5

63.20%

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

Last update for Incheon: September 1, 2026

Last update for Tainan: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $581 in Incheon versus $311 in Tainan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 79% higher in Incheon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Incheon versus $25.00 in Tainan. Groceries tell a different story – $389 in Incheon vs $461 in Tainan – so Incheon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Incheon vs Tainan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Incheon is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,998 per month in Incheon and $1,795 in Tainan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tainan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Incheon and $25.00 in Tainan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,332 in Incheon and $1,197 in Tainan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tainan, where all-in costs run around $1,197, than in Incheon at $1,332. In Tainan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Incheon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tainan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Tainan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Incheon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.