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 $1,188 per month in Kaohsiung vs $877 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,951 per month in Kaohsiung vs $1,349 in Chang-hua, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,714 per month in Kaohsiung vs $1,822 in Chang-hua, rent included.

Kaohsiung costs about 35% more than Chang-hua, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kaohsiung and Chang-hua are more affordable than the global median – Kaohsiung 12% lower, Chang-hua 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.05 NT$128

$3.82 NT$121

6.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.24 NT$1,082

$27.60 NT$873

24.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 NT$174

$5.88 NT$186

-6.29%

Cappuccino

$3.09 NT$97.8

$1.86 NT$58.7

66.13%

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

$0.97 NT$30.78

$0.92 NT$29.06

5.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 NT$22.50

$0.47 NT$14.81

51.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 NT$52.4

$1.48 NT$46.94

12.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 NT$86.2

$2.05 NT$64.8

33.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.50 NT$110

$2.67 NT$84.6

31.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 NT$63.3

$1.88 NT$59.6

6.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 NT$82.4

$3.07 NT$97.0

-14.98%

Eggs

$3.33 NT$105

$2.91 NT$91.9

14.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.02 NT$506

$17.59 NT$556

-8.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.41 NT$297

$7.94 NT$251

18.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.01 NT$569

$19.98 NT$632

-9.86%

Apples (1kg)

$6.17 NT$195

$5.13 NT$162

20.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 NT$81.1

$2.96 NT$93.4

-13.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 NT$89.9

$2.75 NT$87.0

3.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 NT$126

$3.14 NT$99.2

27.07%

Potato (1kg)

$3.01 NT$95.1

$2.73 NT$86.3

10.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 NT$67.2

$2.16 NT$68.4

-1.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 NT$58.6

$1.97 NT$62.2

-6.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 NT$37.52

$0.82 NT$25.95

45.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 NT$139

$4.15 NT$131

5.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.51 NT$490

$9.72 NT$307

59.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 NT$54.3

$1.56 NT$49.46

10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 NT$77.7

$2.41 NT$76.3

2.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 NT$25.79

$1.67 NT$52.8

-50.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.56 NT$840

$37.82 NT$1,196

-29.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 NT$92.9

$2.92 NT$92.2

0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NT$24.73

$0.78 NT$24.60

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 NT$198

$10.20 NT$322

-38.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 NT$32.71

$1.02 NT$32.30

0.98%

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

$33.9K NT$1.1M

$38.5K NT$1.2M

-11.93%

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

$25.7K NT$811.1K

$27.1K NT$857.1K

-5.37%

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

$102 NT$3,225

$33.42 NT$1,056

205.24%

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

$25.18 NT$796

$19.07 NT$603

32.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.61 NT$810

$19.95 NT$631

28.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.43 NT$1,246

$25.94 NT$820

52.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.15 NT$352

$15.31 NT$484

-27.17%

Cinema Ticket

$10.08 NT$319

$9.99 NT$316

0.90%

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

$428 NT$13.5K

$640 NT$20.2K

-33.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K NT$362.7K

$8,402 NT$265.6K

36.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.0 NT$3,004

$54.8 NT$1,731

73.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.01 NT$1,138

$16.53 NT$522

117.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 NT$2,824

$85.2 NT$2,694

4.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 NT$3,191

$53.4 NT$1,688

89.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 NT$14.0K

$311 NT$9,835

42.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 NT$8,897

$184 NT$5,830

52.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 NT$30.0K

$536 NT$16.9K

77.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 NT$21.6K

$188 NT$5,953

262.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,584 NT$144.9K

$2,984 NT$94.3K

53.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,194 NT$101.0K

$1,694 NT$53.6K

88.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,503 NT$47.5K

$2,004 NT$63.4K

-25.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.3

2.19

5.02%

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

Last update for Kaohsiung: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chang-hua: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $443 in Kaohsiung versus $311 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 33% 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 $34.00 in Kaohsiung versus $28.00 in Chang-hua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $354 – making Chang-hua 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 35% 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 $1,782 per month in Kaohsiung and $1,316 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 $1,188 in Kaohsiung and $877 in Chang-hua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 42% 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 $877, than in Kaohsiung at $1,188. 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.