Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Taiwan Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Taiwan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,718 in Italy versus $1,143 in Taiwan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,621 in Italy versus $1,895 in Taiwan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,524 in Italy versus $2,647 in Taiwan.

Living in Italy is roughly 50% more expensive than in Taiwan on average.

Italy (29% above) and Taiwan (14% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in Italy: monthly costs span $1,176 to $2,467, compared to $887$1,497 in Taiwan. City choice carries more weight in Italy.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Taiwan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.58 €15.38
$5.15 NT$166
241.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.5 €72.1
$34.27 NT$1,107
140.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.72 €10.25
$5.55 NT$179
111.17%
Cappuccino
$1.92 €1.68
$3.18 NT$103
-39.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 €2.62
$1.05 NT$33.92
184.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.19
$0.70 NT$22.47
94.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.76 €5.04
$2.05 NT$66.2
180.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.22 €4.57
$2.75 NT$88.9
89.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Taiwan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 €1.48
$3.34 NT$108
-49.40%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 €2.04
$1.98 NT$64.1
17.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.05 €2.67
$3.30 NT$107
-7.58%
Eggs
$3.99 €3.49
$2.91 NT$94.0
37.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.68 €14.59
$17.30 NT$559
-3.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.57 €11.00
$8.97 NT$290
40.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.53 €17.96
$20.20 NT$653
1.63%
Apples (1kg)
$2.56 €2.24
$4.89 NT$158
-47.65%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 €1.93
$2.57 NT$83.1
-14.40%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.68 €2.34
$2.78 NT$90.0
-3.60%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.37 €2.95
$3.71 NT$120
-9.16%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 €1.78
$2.80 NT$90.6
-27.14%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 €1.65
$2.32 NT$74.9
-18.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.29
$2.17 NT$70.3
-32.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.47
$1.27 NT$40.93
-57.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.00 €6.12
$4.24 NT$137
65.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.09 €6.20
$14.17 NT$458
-49.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.58
$1.73 NT$56.0
4.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 €2.19
$2.45 NT$79.2
2.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Taiwan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.96 €1.71
$0.89 NT$28.75
120.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.58 €36.38
$41.24 NT$1,332
0.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.80 €5.08
$2.96 NT$95.8
95.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 €1.40
$0.78 NT$25.32
105.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.07 €30.68
$10.28 NT$332
241.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 €1.86
$1.02 NT$33.05
108.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.6K €28.5K
$36.6K NT$1.2M
-10.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K €29.6K
$26.6K NT$858.2K
27.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Taiwan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$225 €197
$83.2 NT$2,688
170.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.14 €11.50
$24.27 NT$784
-45.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.19 €27.29
$23.79 NT$769
31.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Taiwan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 €50.0
$38.75 NT$1,252
47.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.85 €22.61
$11.75 NT$380
120.00%
Cinema Ticket
$10.34 €9.05
$10.83 NT$350
-4.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Taiwan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$564 €493
$549 NT$17.7K
2.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.3K €9,047
$15.6K NT$504.5K
-33.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Taiwan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.9 €80.4
$67.2 NT$2,171
36.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.54 €35.47
$33.12 NT$1,070
22.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.2 €85.9
$92.6 NT$2,991
6.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 €116
$120 NT$3,861
10.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Taiwan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$855 €748
$540 NT$17.5K
58.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$663 €580
$375 NT$12.1K
76.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,522 €1,332
$1,154 NT$37.3K
31.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,089 €953
$860 NT$27.8K
26.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,747 €3,278
$8,033 NT$259.6K
-53.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,299 €2,011
$5,452 NT$176.2K
-57.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Taiwan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,897 €1,659
$1,758 NT$56.8K
7.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.41
2.14
106.07%

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

Last update for Italy: July 11, 2026

Last update for Taiwan: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $742 in Italy, $451 in Taiwan. Capital cities: $1,328 in Rome vs $795 in Taipei.

National salary averages: $1,912 in Italy, $1,888 in Taiwan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 65% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 139% more in Italy.

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
Italy vs Taiwan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Taiwan?
At $1,822 per month in Italy and $1,192 in Taiwan, there's a 53% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Taiwan: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Italy is consistently higher than in Taiwan across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget in Italy or in Taiwan?
In Taiwan, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Italy it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Italy or to Taiwan?
It depends on what you're after: Taiwan wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Italy vs other spots: cost of living compared

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