Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaohsiung and Chang-hua Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaohsiung and Chang-hua

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,107 per month in Kaohsiung vs $867 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,829 per month in Kaohsiung vs $1,370 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,551 per month in Kaohsiung vs $1,872 in Chang-hua, rent included.

Kaohsiung costs about 28% more than Chang-hua, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kaohsiung and Chang-hua are more affordable than the global median – Kaohsiung 19% lower, Chang-hua 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.50 NT$175

$3.97 NT$127

38.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.11 NT$1,022

$32.60 NT$1,038

-1.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 NT$154

$5.79 NT$184

-16.58%

Cappuccino

$2.81 NT$89.6

$1.67 NT$53.1

68.26%

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

$1.08 NT$34.48

$0.91 NT$28.84

18.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 NT$21.33

$0.56 NT$17.96

19.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 NT$47.02

$1.36 NT$43.16

8.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 NT$81.2

$2.18 NT$69.5

16.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.25 NT$103

$2.35 NT$74.9

38.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 NT$72.3

$1.94 NT$61.8

17.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NT$96.5

$3.01 NT$95.9

0.66%

Eggs

$2.69 NT$85.7

$2.76 NT$88.0

-2.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.37 NT$489

$16.56 NT$527

-7.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.86 NT$250

$10.12 NT$322

-22.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.16 NT$483

$21.85 NT$696

-30.62%

Apples (1kg)

$6.54 NT$208

$4.85 NT$154

34.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 NT$88.6

$3.42 NT$109

-18.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 NT$80.4

$2.97 NT$94.6

-15.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.13 NT$99.5

$3.17 NT$101

-1.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 NT$86.3

$2.79 NT$88.9

-2.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 NT$64.9

$2.23 NT$71.1

-8.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 NT$74.9

$1.75 NT$55.8

34.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NT$34.19

$0.80 NT$25.58

33.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 NT$130

$3.95 NT$126

3.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.91 NT$507

$9.29 NT$296

71.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 NT$50.8

$1.40 NT$44.71

13.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 NT$68.6

$2.22 NT$70.8

-3.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 NT$23.72

$1.56 NT$49.81

-51.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.42 NT$395

$34.45 NT$1,097

-63.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 NT$86.9

$2.74 NT$87.1

-0.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NT$24.81

$0.77 NT$24.63

1.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.73 NT$182

$9.71 NT$309

-40.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 NT$33.66

$1.02 NT$32.62

3.92%

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

$33.2K NT$1.1M

$33.3K NT$1.1M

-0.09%

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

$23.1K NT$735.7K

$24.2K NT$770.0K

-4.45%

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

$84.7 NT$2,695

$31.91 NT$1,016

165.28%

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

$17.10 NT$544

$18.19 NT$579

-5.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.77 NT$820

$19.17 NT$610

34.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.62 NT$1,293

$32.19 NT$1,025

26.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.32 NT$329

Cinema Ticket

$10.95 NT$349

$9.57 NT$305

14.42%

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

$474 NT$15.1K

$616 NT$19.6K

-23.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K NT$444.4K

$7,959 NT$253.4K

75.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 NT$3,007

$51.4 NT$1,637

83.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.58 NT$1,069

$15.65 NT$498

114.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 NT$2,753

$79.8 NT$2,541

8.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 NT$3,176

$50.7 NT$1,612

96.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 NT$13.0K

$253 NT$8,065

60.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 NT$9,042

$173 NT$5,515

63.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$998 NT$31.8K

$502 NT$16.0K

98.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 NT$21.3K

$174 NT$5,529

285.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,684 NT$149.1K

$3,060 NT$97.4K

53.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,170 NT$100.9K

$1,651 NT$52.6K

92.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,439 NT$45.8K

$2,053 NT$65.3K

-29.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.56

2.2

16.36%

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

Last update for Kaohsiung: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chang-hua: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $407 in Kaohsiung versus $253 in Chang-hua. 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 43% higher in Chang-hua, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Kaohsiung versus $33.00 in Chang-hua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $364 – making Kaohsiung the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Kaohsiung vs Chang-hua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kaohsiung costs about 28% more than Chang-hua, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,660 per month in Kaohsiung and $1,301 in Chang-hua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,107 in Kaohsiung and $867 in Chang-hua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 177% less in Chang-hua. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chang-hua, where all-in costs run around $867, than in Kaohsiung at $1,107. In Chang-hua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kaohsiung it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chang-hua – 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 Chang-hua. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kaohsiung makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.