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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,375 per month in Incheon vs $1,074 in Tainan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,148 per month in Incheon vs $1,873 in Tainan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,922 per month in Incheon vs $2,672 in Tainan, rent included.

Incheon costs about 28% more than Tainan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Incheon sits 3% above the global median, while Tainan is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.79 ₩10.3K

$6.12 NT$193

10.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.29 ₩55.0K

$26.69 NT$840

35.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.43 ₩9,744

$5.11 NT$161

25.83%

Cappuccino

$3.59 ₩5,443

$3.50 NT$110

2.57%

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

$1.37 ₩2,070

$1.12 NT$35.24

22.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₩995

$0.79 NT$24.74

-16.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 ₩4,775

$3.30 NT$104

-4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 ₩6,651

$3.35 NT$105

31.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩3,396

$3.15 NT$99.2

-28.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 ₩4,512

$1.92 NT$60.4

55.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.74 ₩4,154

$3.02 NT$95.0

-9.27%

Eggs

$3.17 ₩4,803

$2.85 NT$89.7

11.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.06 ₩21.3K

$19.81 NT$624

-29.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 ₩10.5K

$9.98 NT$314

-30.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 ₩20.4K

$20.31 NT$639

-33.73%

Apples (1kg)

$7.32 ₩11.1K

$4.33 NT$136

69.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 ₩4,377

$2.82 NT$88.7

2.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.60 ₩8,484

$2.87 NT$90.3

95.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.44 ₩9,763

$4.27 NT$134

50.82%

Potato (1kg)

$3.38 ₩5,122

$2.87 NT$90.3

17.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 ₩2,998

$2.21 NT$69.5

-10.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 ₩3,001

$1.68 NT$52.8

17.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,928

$1.06 NT$33.27

19.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₩4,924

$4.16 NT$131

-21.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.66 ₩25.2K

$13.93 NT$438

19.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₩3,004

$1.74 NT$54.8

13.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ₩2,751

$2.40 NT$75.6

-24.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 ₩1,600

$0.62 NT$19.54

70.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.46 ₩38.6K

$21.71 NT$684

17.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₩5,231

$2.83 NT$88.9

21.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 ₩793

$0.78 NT$24.61

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.61 ₩13.1K

$10.36 NT$326

-16.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₩1,882

$1.02 NT$32.05

21.57%

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

$27.7K ₩42.0M

$37.7K NT$1.2M

-26.56%

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

$13.8K ₩21.0M

$26.5K NT$835.4K

-47.90%

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

$161 ₩244.2K

$86.7 NT$2,729

85.88%

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

$34.95 ₩53.0K

$18.57 NT$585

88.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.75 ₩31.4K

$22.99 NT$724

-9.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.81 ₩49.7K

$39.82 NT$1,253

-17.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.34 ₩56.6K

$15.42 NT$486

142.15%

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 ₩17.0K

$11.93 NT$376

-6.12%

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

$263 ₩399.0K

$269 NT$8,471

-2.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K ₩16.9M

$6,829 NT$215.0K

62.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 ₩87.9K

$59.5 NT$1,872

-2.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.48 ₩73.5K

$30.34 NT$955

59.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 ₩100.2K

$92.2 NT$2,902

-28.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ₩156.5K

$122 NT$3,845

-15.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 ₩1.0M

$328 NT$10.3K

103.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 ₩593.5K

$195 NT$6,152

100.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,361 ₩2.1M

$684 NT$21.5K

99.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$784 ₩1.2M

$712 NT$22.4K

10.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,099 ₩9.2M

$3,183 NT$100.2K

91.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,974 ₩7.5M

$3,153 NT$99.3K

57.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,186 ₩3.3M

$1,368 NT$43.0K

59.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.1

1.83

124.04%

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

Last update for Incheon: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tainan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $669 in Incheon versus $328 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 60% 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 $36.00 in Incheon versus $27.00 in Tainan. Groceries tell a different story – $386 in Incheon vs $390 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 28%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,062 per month in Incheon and $1,611 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 $36.00 in Incheon and $27.00 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 $1,375 in Incheon and $1,074 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 $1,074, than in Incheon at $1,375. 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.